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Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
Brandy Gholson
ED 498
Mr. Holden
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Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
Many people do not know anything about cardiovascular
disease. The few people that do know anything about it do not know
much information. I chose to do this topic because about three years ago
I had a close friend that was diagnosed with this disease. After that, I
wanted to know everything about this disease. I did a lot of research and
learned that this disease can be preventable. Many people believe that
cancer is more than a threat, but they are wrong. “Heart failure increases
with age: about one percent of people aged under sixty five years have
heart failure, but this number increase to six through seven percent of
those aged seventy five through eighty four years and is as high as
twenty two percent in those eighty five and over” (Bostock, 2011).
There are more people diagnosed the cardiovascular disease than cancer.
I also found out that women are more likely to be diagnosed with this
disease than men. About thirty percent of women die within a year after
having a heart attack as compared to twenty percent of men.
Cardiovascular disease can be silent; however, it has
symptoms. Lack of blood flow to the heart muscle can cause symptoms
of chest discomfort or pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and sometimes
palpitations and dizziness. Some of the symptoms are high cholesterol,
smoking, diabetes, and obesity. “ Those with a history of hypertension,
especially if it is poorly controlled as this can lead to left ventricular
hypertrophy and increases the risk of heart failure” (Bostock, 2011). “
Anyone with an abnormal heart rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation”
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Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
(Bostock). Eating a nutritious, well balanced diet can control these
symptoms. A well- balanced diet can also lower your blood pressure,
cholesterol, and diabetes, as well as helping you to lose weight. By
lowering your cholesterol this will greatly reduce tour risk of
cardiovascular disease. You should talk to your doctor and go to your
routine doctor visits.
“ The NICE guidelines recommend a number of tests that
will enable clinicians to make a diagnosis. The two main ones are
a\echocardiography and a blood test for brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)”
(Bostock , 2011). The echocardiography test is the best test to take to see
if a person has cardiovascular disease. The test can tell whether the heart
is normal or not. “A healthy heart pumps about sixty percent total
amount of blood available once it has filled during diastole; if the pump
is impaired, this is known as ejection fracture”(Bostock, 2011). Patients
with no cardiovascular problems, their measurement of serum natriuretic
peptides such as brain natriuretic peptide should be below one hundred
pg/ml; however, it depends on age. If the BNP is over one hundred
should go and see specialist within two weeks. “BNP test is not available
in all parts of the country so other test may be useful in confirming the
diagnosis, suggesting alternative diagnoses or identifying underlying
causes of symptoms; these include ECG, blood test, chest x-ray and
spirometry” (Bostock, 2011).
This article was very interesting. I learned more
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Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
information about heart failure. Overall, cardiovascular disease is
usually treated with lifestyle changes, including having a well-balanced
diet and exercise about four times a week. I encourage everyone to eat
healthy, do not smoke, and workout. By doing those three things, your
chances of getting cardiovascular disease are very slim.
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Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
References
Bostock, B. (2011,March11). Understanding heart failure.
Practice Nurse, 41(4).,p12-16. Retrieve from
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/delivery?sid=216032da-b883-4b63b27f-42d5bd39f563
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