Maintaining good physical fitness and a healthy diet could save most Americans from developing heart disease, however, other chronic diseases cannot be controlled. In, 2005, Dr. Rich stated in a report that cancer is the number one killer of Americans under age 85, not heart disease. Reports from the media stated that only very old Americans continue to die of heart disease than cancer; however, heart disease remains the number one killer among certain age groups. These age groups include men ages 40-59 and in older adults ages 75-84 (Heart Health Center). Dr.
Rich proclaims that most Americans are more likely to die of either cancer or heart disease. Heart disease is a condition that evolves when plaque builds up in the walls of the arteries. On the other hand, cancer is a disease that can attack all body organs and kill their cells. The number one warning sign of possible heart disease is chest pain. More than one- third of Americans experience chest pain and they ignore it. Cancer compared to heart disease is not so easy to diagnose or catch in an early stage. General symptoms of advanced stage cancer can include weight loss, fever, and fatigue.
More than 13 million Americans are affected by Coronary Artery Disease each year. Heart disease includes an enlarged heart, heart attacks, irregular heart rhythm, heart valve disease, and heart muscle disease etc. Heart disease as well as cancer has many types. Cancer can affect the anus, the bladder, bones, the brain, the breast, the cervix, and the colon. Many Americans are at risk for developing heart disease as well as cancer. Some heart disease diseases are in the persons individual control while other heart disease, diseases are not.
The control is in maintained by continuous physical activity and a healthy diet. Nevertheless, cancer is not so easy to control. Cancer develops in different parts of the body and can appear at any given time. Heart disease can be caused by high levels of stress, high/low blood pressure, diet, and obesity. Foods such as cheeses, eggs, and meat heighten cholesterol which causes a development of heart disease. In addition to heart disease, cancer is caused when the body’s cells continue to multiply and the body doesn’t need them. The result of the multiplying cells causes a mass to grow.
This mass can also be known as tumor. These tumor growths can be either benign or malignant. Benign means the mass is non-cancerous and malignant means that the mass is in fact cancerous. In order to become diagnosed with any type of heart disease, there are various tests that must be completed to confirm this horrific disease. One of the very many tests is called an EKG or an electrocardiogram. This test records the activity of the heart through small electrode patches attached to the skin on the chest, arms and legs to be body’s electrical waves.
However, screening for cancer is completely different. A way that cancer can be diagnosed is through completing a body physical exam. This exam allows doctors to feel for possible lumps that could possibly indicate a tumor or lump of mass. Both heart disease and cancer requires laboratory testing such as blood tests or urinalysis and sometimes both. Other tests have to take place in order to have a diagnosis for heart disease. These tests are the chest X-ray, the stress test, the tilt table test, and the echocardiogram. The aforementioned test all check the hearts vulnerability.
The echocardiogram tracks the blood flow to the heart muscle. Very different tests are used to test for cancers. For example, a biopsy, this is a test where the doctor collects a sample of cells for viewing under a microscope. With biopsy testing there is more than one biopsy procedure. The biopsy procedure is determined by the location of the tumor or cancer and the type of cancer. Cells that are uniformed indicate there is no cancer. However, a cell that has no order and is not uniformed indicates possible signs of cancer.
Many people know that heart disease is a life threatening disease; however they do not take the proper precaution to help lower their risk. Heart disease is a disease that attacks the heart. Another term used for this disease is coronary artery disease. Coronary Heart Disease is caused by one or more blockages in the blood vessels that pull blood to and from the heart. Over duration of time, there is something that is called plaque that builds up and causes problems. The plaque that is built up in the body contains large amounts of cholesterol.
This plaque which has a large amount of cholesterol in it attacks the coronary arteries. Over time the blood flow to the heart is compromised; which causes damage to the hearts muscles. When someone has a heart attack permanent damage is done to the body. Having a heart attack kills a certain amount of your heart. After someone suffers from a heart attack sudden cardiac death can happen if there is a decrease in the blood flow to and from the heart. The heart will then beat abnormally and will not effectively pump blood to the body. Heart disease is the most common cause of death in men and women.
This disease attacks men and women about the same, whereas some diseases attack more men rather than women. You are at risk for “heart disease” or coronary artery disease if you have a family history. You are also at risk for heart disease if you have been environmentally exposed to something that is linked to this disease or by your past behaviors. There are some things you can do reduce your risk of heart disease. Some risk factors that are detrimental to the heart in the diagnoses of heart disease include but are not limited to elevated cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking and obesity.
The risk factors listed above are thing that you can control developing heart disease. However, you cannot reduce the risk of heart disease if you have a family history of this disease. Although you have a family history of this disease that doesn’t mean you will develop heart disease. This just means that you are more at risk that someone who does not have a family history of heart disease. Women are more likely to die of heart disease that of breast cancer. There are a ton of things you can do in your life that will help lower your risk of developing heart disease.
You have to change things in your daily living habits. Change things such as your diet and exercise. Another thing to do is find out about your family history of disease and causes of death in family members. This will also give you an idea of what diseases to get screened for. These things include implementing exercise into your daily schedule, eating a diet that is low in saturated fats and high in fiber. Eating a healthy diet helps fight against many diseases as well as exercise. Exercise is the key factor to living a great and healthy life.