Heart Condition Saturday: Atherosclerosis
July 1, 2006 by Lei
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Happy birthday to all the July babies! But a warning from The StarPhoenix: People have a higher risk of getting a stroke or a heart attack on their birthdays because of the emotional stress.
Mental stress produces an increase in heart rate and blood pressure that may lead to disruption of the plaque that builds up in blood vessels of patients with atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
From the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia:
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which fatty material is deposited along the walls of arteries. This fatty material thickens, hardens, and may eventually block the arteries.
Risk Factors
Risk factors include smoking, diabetes, obesity, high blood cholesterol, a diet high in fats, and having a personal or family history of heart disease. Cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, high blood pressure, and kidney disease involving dialysis are also disorders that may be associated with atherosclerosis.
So on your birthday, take it easy and follow Dr. Chris Feindel’s advice to “take a baby aspirin, have a couple of glasses of wine and throw in some good sex.” And, of course, we always do what the doctor orders!
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