Heart Disease And Stroke: A Case Study

Heart disease and stroke is primary cause of death, premature death, morbidity, disability, and years of possible life lost worldwide. The numerous conditions included in this term are the leading causes of disability, loss of productivity and deterioration in quality of life among both men and women. Stroke is a devastating illness that includes a extensive variety of pathophysiological conditions such as thrombosis, hemorrhage, and embolism. The current diagnosis of stroke relies on physician clinical examination and complemented with various neuroimaging techniques such as biomarkers (Saenger, 2010). There are several health conditions associated to the contribution of increase in the risk factors for heart disease and stroke. One of them
Similarly, conditions such as diabetes contribute to the risk factors, data shows that worldwide one in five death (21%) from ischemic heart disease and one in eight (13%) are attributed to higher than normal blood glucose (Danaei, 2006). Other studies show that the incidence of stroke and coronary artery disease increases with age, but the rate of increase was higher for stroke. Also, conditions such as hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and smoking were associated with increased rates of coronary heart disease and stroke (Glynn, 2005). On the other hand, also some lifestyles can become a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, one of them is working for long hours. Studies show that employees who work long hours have a higher risk of stroke than those working standard hours. Therefore, it is crucial that additional consideration should be given to the management of vascular risk factors in individuals who work long hours (Kivimäki,
However, studies have shown several preventive measures to decrease the risks. Previous studies have shown an association between physical activity and the risk of developing coronary heart disease and total or ischemic stroke among whites and Japanese Americans. Physical activity has a lot of benefits that include lowered blood pressure, increased insulin sensitivity, elevated HDL-cholesterol levels, and improved endothelial function (Noda, 2005). Data shows that there is about 20% to 50% reduction in mortality due to cardiovascular disease related with higher exercise participation in Asian countries where work related physical activity is higher than that in Western countries like the United States. Furthermore, the participation in sports was associated with a reduced mortality due to coronary heart disease, while walking was associated with a reduced risk for mortality from ischemic stroke (Noda, 2005). Also, some studies show that brisk walking and vigorous exercise are associated with significant and similar decreases in the incidence of coronary events among women (Manson, 1999). Moreover, there are several studies that suggest the different diet changes that can serve as preventive measures to reduce the risk for heart disease and stroke. Also, wholegrain consumption provides protection for coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular disease (Flight,