Heart Health

Course overview

As the country's population ages and faces an increasing threat of obesity, heart disease is becoming more widespread, and is in fact the leading cause of death in the United States. Heart disease is more prevalent in women than men, and more women die of heart related illnesses than breast cancer. The goal of this home study course is to inform health care professionals of the current state of heart related diseases, including symptoms, causes, the associated risk factors, diagnostic, and options for treatment cardiovascular disease. There are different risk factors and causes that can lead to heart disease; these are discussed in this home study course. High blood pressure and elevated levels of LDL cholesterol can lead to the development of cardiovascular disease in certain predisposed individuals. Other contributors include high levels of triglycerides, excessive amount of stress, and obesity. This course outlines ways to manage stress and weight in order to reduce the chances of life threatening heart disease. Certain factors affecting cardiovascular disease are unavoidable, these include family history, probability is increased if relatives have a medical history of heart disease, and gender; women are at a greater risk than men. Diagnosis and treatment are important for ensuring longevity of the patient. Diagnostic procedures are profiled, such as electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and angiography. Proper diagnosis will lead to effective treatment; often medication is enough to control different aspects of heart disease. Medications are varied, from traditional aspirin to the newly developed ApoA-1 Milano, discussed in this home study course. In extreme cases surgeries such as angioplasty or coronary bypass are needed to treat cardiovascular disease.