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Impact of Stress on the Heart

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  You may have heard in the past that stress can have a detrimental effect on your health, but you may not fully understand the long-term effects of stress on your body. When you find yourself in a stressful situation, the body rushes into action, releasing the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Coping with this occasional stress response is natural and helpful to help us avoid dangerous situations. However, this basic reaction has not changed completely in our modern world when pressures are much more like the upcoming deadlines than being chased by a wild animal. As a result, many people experience stress and the accompanying allergies are often healthier.   How Depression Homes Affect the Body When adrenaline and cortisol are pumped into the body, a sequence of events prepares you for action. Your heart rate rises, your energy levels rise, and your glucose and blood pressure levels rise. These changes allow you to focus and take immediate action right now. However, f...

Tips - Healthy Heart for Every Women

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Heart disease is the nation's leading killer of women. But paying attention to risk factors and living a healthy lifestyle can help keep heart disease at bay.   "It's an equal opportunity killer," "Women in mid-life are definitely at the highest risk. It's a volatile time for women, as the menopause transition is marked by changes in body composition, fat distribution, and an increase in cholesterol levels."   Among women, 90% have one or more risk factors for heart disease at some point in their lives, according to Heart Association statistics. Yet 80% of cardiovascular diseases are preventable.   Get an annual test It is important to get tested every year to check for cardiovascular risk and take action. Prepare for an appointment, as you would when collecting documents to meet with a financial advisor. Be aware of your important health numbers, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, roll, and blood sugar levels. For example, blood pres...

Cardiovascular Health with the Rise of COVID-19

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  How does COVID-19 cause heart damage? The SARS-CoV-2 virus can damage the heart in many ways. For example, the virus may directly attack or burn the heart muscle, and it may indirectly damage the heart by disrupting the balance between oxygen supply and demand. Heart damage, not measured by high levels of the enzyme troponin in the blood, was found in about one-third of hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19. In these patients, about one-third have pre-existing CVD.     Inflammation of the heart muscle Most people with COVID-19 will have mild symptoms and fully recover. However, about 20 percent will develop pneumonia, and about 5% will have a serious illness. In the severe form of COVID-19, the immune system overreacts to the virus, releasing inflammatory molecules called cytokines into the bloodstream.   Increased demand for oxygen and a decrease in oxygen supply leads to heart damage Fever and infection cause rapid heartbeat, which increases hear...