DIETS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVDs)

Feb
18
2011

Posted by: admin in Categories: Cardio & Blood- Сholesterol.

Cardiovascular diseases account for an appreciable proportion of total morbidity and mortality in adults throughout the world. Nutritional factors play an important and parallel role in the etiology and management along with some environmental factors like physical exercise, cigarette smoking, tobacco chewing and type of personality. Other factors associated, of course, are family history, overweight, hypertension, diabetes and stress of life.
Incidence of obesity, diabetes and CVD is increasing and at present obesity is present in 14% of rural population and 27% of urban population, as urban population is more prosperous and sedentary, along with refined food eating patterns. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is 5% in rural population and 5-15% in urban population. Diabetes is 7-12% and heart disease is 6-10% and all these conditions are interrelated.

Risk Factors
1. Family history
People who already have the disease in their family are more prone to getting heart disease.
2. Obesity
Obesity or excessive weight is the primary cause of most of the illnesses, it has a major role to play in heart disease. Obese people or overweight people are more prone to heart disease. There is no clear definition of desirable or ideal body weight, however, a simple way of finding out is the ratio of weight and height termed body mass index (BMI); weight in kg and height in m2
People who have their BMI between 23 and 25 are called overweight and all those who have their BMI>25 are called obese. Normal BMI being between 18.5 and 23.
More than the general accumulation, distribution of fat around the abdomen is considered more harmful than the fat on the hips, therefore waist/hip ratio (WHR) is a better predictor of chronic diseases. Normal WHR is 0.85 for female and 0.90 for males, waist has be measured at the naval point and hips at the maximum level.
3. Hypertension or high blood pressure
Is also a risk factor. Coronary heart disease (CHD) has a striking relationship with systolic and diastolic blood pressure and reduction of weight and alcohol can lower blood pressure.
4. Diabetes
Diabetics are more prone to CVD as compared to non-diabetics, therefore, it is important for all diabetics to keep their sugar under good control so that they can delay or prevent getting coronary artery disease.
5. Age
Age is also a factor and men >45 years and women >55 years are more prone to getting a coronary disease.
6. Smoking and tobacco
Cigarette smoking and tobacco chewing are both bad. Tobacco is injurious to heart and health in all forms, whether in chewable or non-chewable such as cigarette or cigars. Coronary artery disease has been seen in 80% of the smokers. Inhaling nicotine, carbon monoxide and various other pollutants narrow the coronary arteries, thus reducing the blood flow to the heart muscle.
7. Lack of physical activity
Sedentary and unexercised people are more prone to CVD. Physical activity or exercise is a recommendation.
8. Blood lipids or fats in the blood
• The risk is more when
Plasma total cholesterol > 200 mg/dl
Plasma HDL cholesterol < 35/dl
Plasma LDL cholesterol > 135 mg/dl
With CVD
• Plasma TG > 150 mg/dl
• Total cholesterol: HDL ratio > 5
• Elevated homocysteine levels
These are the levels beyond which the risk factor increases.
9. What is blood cholesterol?
High cholesterol is a serious problem for heart disease. The higher the blood cholesterol, the greater is the risk of getting the heart disease. Blood cholesterol has different fractions; one is called low density lipoprotein (LDL), the bad cholesterol and the other is called the higher density lipoprotein (HDL), the good cholesterol. LDL gets deposited in the arteries, therefore more the LDL in the blood, greater is the risk of heart disease. On the other hand, HDL the good cholesterol helps us to get rid of the bad cholesterol, so higher the HDL better it is. Similarly, we also have triglycerides (TG) in the blood, which is also a risk factor just like cholesterol.
Factors you can control           Factors you cannot control
1. Cigarette smoking           Age (55 years for men and 45 years for women)
2. High blood cholesterol           Family history of early heart disease (heart attack or
especially LDL           sudden death)
3. Low HDL               Heredity.
4. High blood pressure
5. Diabetes
6. Obesity/overweight
7. Physical activity.
10. Dyslipidaemia
Elevated serum cholesterol and triglycerides are the strongest risk factors of CVD. When the person has blood lipid levels more than the mentioned limit, it is termed dyslipidaemia.
The cholesterol lowering will reduce the major risk of coronary event. Treatment of dyslipidaemia is mandatory for primary and secondary prevention of CVD.
11. Hypertriglyceridaemia
High triglycerides in the blood are termed hypertriglyceridaemia.
12. Apolipoprotein (A)
The factor in combination with low levels of HDL and elevated triglycerides results in the formation of small dense LDL, which increases the risk of CVD.
13. Elevated homocysteine
Having high homocysteine in blood is also a risk factor for CVD.
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