The heart is the most important organ in our body, keeping it healthy is key to enjoying a full and active life. On World Heart Day, we invite you to reflect on how you take care of your cardiovascular health. Do you know the risk factors that affect men and women differently? What are the most common heart diseases? And why are heart attacks increasing in young adults?
Over the past three decades, heart disease has seen a significant increase globally, as its incidence has doubled and annual deaths have increased by 50%, from 12 million to 18 million per year.
Cardiovascular diseases affect men and women differently:
Although chest pain and tightness occur in 80% of heart attacks cases, regardless of whether the patient is male or female, medicine has discovered that gender is important in the clinical history and in the course of events that have influenced the heart attack.
One of these very important differentiating factors is the hormonal environment of women: estrogen, which has a protective effect during their fertile life, disappears after menopause and, with it, this advantage as well. And the first thing that specialists observe is that ischemic heart disease - which occurs when the coronary arteries narrow, become blocked or tear, preventing sufficient oxygen from reaching the heart muscle, which can cause a heart attack or angina - occurs 10 years later in women than in men, but occurs up to five times more in the female sex.
The data show that:
- Approximately 90% of patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection are women
- Of these, about 55% are postmenopausal
- After a heart attack, women have more associated diseases and a higher risk of mortality
- Women are more likely than men to have a heart attack caused by plaque erosion, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, and other problems beyond a blockage, while men are more likely to have heart attacks caused by plaque rupture in their arteries.
What are the 5 most common heart diseases?
- Coronary heart disease (CHD)
- Ischemic heart disease
- Valvular heart disease
- Cardiomyopathy
- Cardiac arrhythmia
What about the increase in heart attacks in young adults?
Research does show that heart attacks, also called myocardial infarctions, are increasing in young people. The most common symptoms are chest pain or discomfort, pain radiating to the jaw, neck, back or arms, shortness of breath and a feeling of weakness or fainting.
The main risk factors are high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity, which can clog and damage the arteries and blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart.
Although some of these conditions may be genetic, they are most often due to years of unhealthy habits (such as poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle) that often begin in childhood.
Latest innovative technology offers fast and safe solutions with less invasive procedures
Technologies for the treatment and management of heart disease have advanced considerably in recent years, improving diagnostic accuracy, the effectiveness of treatments and the quality of life.
- Devices such as Holter monitors and other portable cardiac monitors allow continuous monitoring of the heart rhythm over long periods, capturing arrhythmias and other events that might not be detected in a clinical setting.
- Gene therapy is an emerging technology that seeks to correct or modify the genes responsible for inherited heart disease; and allows for targeted treatments based on the individual's genetics, improving outcomes and reducing side effects.
- Bioabsorbable stents are designed to dissolve in the body after serving their function, reducing the risk of long-term complications associated with traditional metal stents.
- Transcatheter heart valves allow damaged valves to be replaced without the need for open-heart surgery. These devices are inserted through a catheter into the femoral artery, significantly reducing recovery time and risks associated with conventional surgery.
- Devices such as pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) have evolved to be smaller, more efficient, and with remote monitoring capabilities. These devices can be adjusted to the patient's needs.
- Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) provide detailed heart images, allowing for more accurate diagnoses and more effective treatment planning.
The human heart atlas is one of the latest advances that represents an invaluable resource for understanding cardiovascular disease, as it captures the anatomical structure of the organ with an accuracy of 20 micrometres, equivalent to half the width of a human hair. Researchers at University College of London (UCL) and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) have managed to capture images of two complete adult human hearts, one healthy and one diseased, with a level of detail that has few precedents.
A new organ preservation technique is redefining medicine
Perfusion is changing all aspects of the organ transplant process, as it keeps organs viable outside the body by circulating a mixture of oxygen and nutrients through them. This can be done at low temperatures (hypothermic perfusion) or at physiological temperatures (normothermic perfusion).
To minimize injury to organs after removal and before connecting them to the recipient, surgeons used to cool them to just above freezing, which significantly slowed their metabolic processes. With this new method, the cells of a perfused organ continue to function, and doctors can better assess whether the organ will thrive in the recipient's body.
World Heart Day reminds us of the importance of taking care of our cardiovascular system through healthy habits and knowledge of the specific risks to each person, depending on their gender and lifestyle. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the world, but with prevention, early diagnosis and proper treatment, it is possible to significantly reduce its impact.
Because a healthy heart is the first step towards a full and active life. Let's take care of our hearts today and always!
