Cardiovascular Diseases Answers

Both strokes and heart attacks occur when the blood supply to that part of the body is blocked or interrupted. Strokes occur in the brain, while heart attacks are specific to the heart muscle. Both can be caused when blockages cut off the blood supply and the tissues starves for oxygen and other nutrients. Strokes can also occur when the pressure in a blocked artery causes it to burst and the blood leaks into the brain.

All of these conditions can be treated by thinning the blood. In each case, lowering blood pressure helps reduce the symptoms, and some of the best medications for lowering blood pressure do so by thinning the blood.

There is no single step for preventing cardiovascular disease; all aspects of a healthy lifestyle impact cardiovascular fitness. Eating a healthy diet can reduce your dietary cholesterol and help maintain a healthy body weight. Getting regular exercise can also help maintain a healthy body weight as well as strengthen the heart muscle. Avoiding smoking is another part of a healthy lifestyle that can significantly reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

The heart is a muscle, and as with all muscles, it needs to be strengthened in order to maintain optimal health. The best way to strengthen the heart is to exercise it by performing activities that elevate your heart rate and increase blood flow.

Arteriosclerosis is a general term for the hardening of arteries and a loss of elasticity in arterial walls. Atherosclerosis is specifically a condition where arteries harden as a result of plaque buildup on artery walls. Both conditions result in poor and inefficient blood flow through arteries, which can lead to blood clots or ruptures in the blood vessels of the heart or brain. Blockages in the heart can result in heart attacks; blockages and ruptures in the brain lead to strokes.