Sam Mari Dayanan Common Diseases of the Circulatory System

Atherosclerosis - hardening and narrowing of the arteries -- gets a lot of bad press, with good reason. This progressive process silently and slowly blocks arteries, putting blood flow at risk.

Causes: -High content of cholesterol in the blood;High content of blood fat

and especially saturated fat; Inflammation in the blood vessels. A sign of such inflammation is the presence of a substance called c-reactive protein;High amount of oxidation agents in the blood;High blood pressure;Diabetes;High age;Smoking;High content of the amino acid homocystein in the blood serum;Many of these factors are ultimately caused by a bad diet and lack of daily exercise.

Effects: Decreased performance, easy to tire out;Pain by physical activity, so

called anoxic pain;By severe impairment of blood flow, tissue damage or sores can occur.When the heart is affected, the symptoms will be:General bad condition;Anoxic pain from the heart and surroundings by physical activity, called angina pectoris;Feeling of not getting enough air, or breathing problems. Hypertension- is a condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is chronically elevated. With every heart beat, the heart pumps blood through the arteries to the rest of the body. Blood pressure is the force of blood that is pushing up against the walls of the blood vessels. If the pressure is too high, the heart has to work harder to pump, and this could lead to organ damage and several illnesses such asheart attack, stroke, heart failure, aneurysm, or renal failure.

Causes: Smoking;Obesity or being overweight;Diabetes;Sedentary

lifestyle;Lack of physical activity;High levels of salt intake (sodium sensitivity);Insufficient calcium, potassium, and magnesium consumption;Vitamin D deficiency;High levels of alcohol consumption;Stress;Aging

Effects: High blood pressure (hypertension) can quietly damage your body
for years before symptoms develop. Left uncontrolled, you may wind up with a disability, a poor quality of life or even a fatal heart attack. Fortunately, with treatment and lifestyle changes, you can control your high blood pressure to reduce your risk of life-threatening complications Rheumatic Fever-A rare but potentially life-threatening disease, rheumatic fever is a complication of untreated strep throat, caused by bacteria called Group A Streptococcus. The main symptoms -- fever, muscle aches, swollen and painful joints, and in some cases, a red, lattice-like rash -- typically begin one to six weeks after a bout of strep, although in some cases the infection may have been too mild to have been recognized.

Causes: Rheumatic fever results from an inflammatory reaction to certain

Group A Streptococcus bacteria. The body produces antibodies to fight the bacteria, but instead the antibodies attack a different target: the body's own tissues. The antibodies begin with the joints and often move on to the heart and surrounding tissues. Because only a small fraction (fewer than 0.3%) of people with strep throat ever contract rheumatic fever, medical experts believe that other factors, such as a weakened immune system, must also be involved in the development of the disease.

Effects: Abdominal pain;Fever;Heart (cardiac) problems, which may not

have symptoms, or may result in shortness of breath and chest pain;Joint pain, arthritis (mainly in the knees, elbows, ankles, and wrists);Joint swelling; redness or warmth;Nosebleeds (epistaxis);Skin nodules Congestive Heart Failure-This condition is due to the failure of the heartto maintain an adequate flow of blood to thetissues. The

pulmonary or systemic circulationbecomes congested,often resulting in leftventricular failure.

Causes: diseases that weaken the heart muscle;diseases that cause stiffening
of the heart muscles, or diseases that increase oxygen demand by the body tissue beyond the capability of the heart to deliver adequate oxygen-rich blood.

Effects: The weakened heart muscles may not be able to supply enough
blood to the kidneys, which then begin to lose their normal ability to excrete salt (sodium) and water. This diminished kidney function can cause the body to retain more fluid;the lungs may become congested with fluid (pulmonary edema) and the person's ability to exercise is decreased;fluid may likewise accumulate in the liver, thereby impairing its ability to rid the body of toxins and produce essential proteins;the intestines may become less efficient in absorbing nutrients and medicines;fluid also may accumulate in the extremities, resulting in edema (swelling) of the ankles and feet.