Heart Disease, the Mass Killer!
By: Chris Harrison
What it is:
Heart disease is a condition where plaque builds up on the walls of veins and arteries. This makes it much harder for blood to flow, which causes stress on the heart from having to pump harder to transfer blood. Plaque is formed when one is smoking, has an unhealthy diet, or does not exercise enough. This will cause a heart attack, where part of the heart will start to die.
5 Ways to Prevent Heart Disease
- Do not get into smoking
- Eat a healthy diet, avoid junk food
- Make sure to exercise
- Try to lose excess weight
- Lower your blood pressure
5 Statistics About Heart Disease in Teens
- One in four adolescents has two or more risk factors for heart disease
- One in five has a blood pressure that is borderline or high
- One in five adolescents is obese
- One in seven is not yet obese, but overweight. If you add obese and overweight that is one in three adolescents
- One in seven adolescents have a LDL level that is borderline or high
Q & A on Heart Disease
Q: ¨What should I do if I see someone collapse possibly from a heart attack?¨
A: If somebody has a heart attack, or if you suspect someone had one, you should immediately call 911. Then begin performing CPR on the patient.
Myth Buster
Myth: "I'm too young to worry about heart disease!"
Busted: You are never too young to worry about heart disease. How you treat your body when you are young affects if you get heart disease, and how bad it is if you do get it. It is also proven that people are becoming obese earlier in age now, which leads to heart problems.
Inspirational Quote
" When you have heart disease, you start to be tired of everything. It's like getting older. You become more white, and after that, grey. You have no feeling for anything."
-Gerard Depardieu
2 Resources for Additional Help
Community
Duke Advanced Heart and Lung Failure Clinic40 Duke Medicine Circle
Durham, NC 27710
919-681-1300
Webster: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/
Citations
- http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/heart_disease.html
- https://www.dukemedicine.org/search-results/locationsfq=treatment_term_name:%22Heart%22
- http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/
- http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Caregiver/Resources/WhatisCardiovascularDisease/What-is-Cardiovascular-Disease_UCM_301852_Article.jsp#.VrtT6RgrIdU
- http://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/prevention
- http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/mdmama/2012/05/one_in_four_adolescents_has_or_almost_has_diabetes--is_one_of_them_your_child.html
- http://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/Page/38