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Coronary Artery Disease Research Paper

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Every day there are news stories that pop up about new deadly diseases that ravish the world. But who knew that one of the deadliest diseases is also one of the most common. This disease is called Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), which is a form of heart disease. Affecting more than 15 million Americans, this is also the leading cause of death in the United States (Texas Heart Institute). Several things can attribute to this. Some of the main factors are pre-existing illness, lifestyle choices, and hereditary factors.

Pre-existing health issues or concerns increases the risk of developing Coronary Artery Disease. CAD is caused by atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Atherosclerosis is the main cause of this disease. This …show more content…

Choices such as diet and nutrition, physical activity, and weight management all play a role in the risks of developing Coronary Artery Disease. “A healthy diet is one of the best weapons you have to fight cardiovascular disease.” (American Heart Association). What you eat or drink and the amount of food ingested can result in a higher risk of CAD. A diet that contains nutrient-rich foods, fruits, vegetables with a low intake of sweets and red meat lowers this risk exponentially. Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risks as well. Alcohol can raise blood pressure and cause obesity. Physical activity can influence the chances of developing CAD. “Regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity helps reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel disease.” (American Heart Association). An inactive lifestyle can equal increased weight gain that leads to more lethal problems in the future. Obesity causes many health issues that can be link to CAD. Diabetes is a perfect example for this. Being overweight increases the risk of developing diabetes, a disease in which a person’s glucose levels need constant control. A sustained weight loss of 3 to 5 percent body weight can reduce a person’s blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose, which are all beneficial in efforts to prevent …show more content…

This is a factor that cannot be changed, unfortunately. Children whose parents were diagnosed with CAD are more likely to develop the same illness as well (American Heart Association). Also, this disease is developed during adolescence. Plaque never leaves, instead it stays with them their entire lives and the earliest it can be detected is in their teenage years. Race can also have a lot to do with the risk of having CAD. Mexican Americans, Native Americans, Hawaiians and Caucasians have a higher risk of heart disease due to a higher percentage of obesity. African Americans have higher blood pressure, which can lead to Coronary Heart

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