Coronary Artery Disease Essay
Nowadays, a coronary artery disease, also known as an atherosclerotic heart disease, is considered to be one of the most common types of heart diseases, which can cause heart attacks, narrowing the arteries and restricting blood flow to the person’s heart. Thus, when blood flow is reduced, it can cause a chest pain, shortness of breath or heart attack.Coronary Artery Disease Essay
It is believed that psychological work stress is one of the highest risk factors of coronary artery disease. This thesis is confirmed by the research study, published in Canadian Medical Association Journal, which found that the individuals who experience psychological job stress and lead an unhealthy lifestyle (unbalanced diet, stress) are at higher risk of developing a coronary artery disease than those who have a very stressful job, but try to follow more healthy lifestyles.
In order to identify whether a healthy way of life can be helpful in reducing the effects of work stress on atherosclerotic heart diseases, the researchers conducted the research, focusing on seven cohort studies from a major European initiative. The European initiative included more than 100 000 disease-free man and women during the study period 1985-2000.
The research participants, aged 17-70 (mean 44.3) years, were from the different corners of our global, including Sweden, Finland, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. It is interesting to know that more than half of all participants were women (51.8 %).Coronary Artery Disease Essay
Responding to the specific job-related questions, 15 986 (15.7%) of the total participants reported job stress at the workplace. Based on the given studies, the researchers determined the following three lifestyle categories such as obesity, smoking, physical activity and inactivity and alcohol consumption. As it turned out, people with a healthy lifestyle had no risk factors for lifestyle diseases; people with a moderately unhealthy lifestyle included only one lifestyle risk factor; and people who lead an unhealthy lifestyle had 2-4 lifestyle risk factors.
During the follow-up period for assessment, 1086 research participants had incident coronary heart disease (CHD) events. The 10-year CHD incidences were 18.4 events per 1000 individuals for people with job strain and 14.6 events for people without job strain. In addition to the above-stated information, it is possible to add that the individuals who lived an unhealthy lifestyle had considerably higher incidence rates (30.6 events per 1000) in comparison with those who strictly followed a healthy lifestyle (12.0 events per 1000).
As a result, the number of newly diagnosed cases per population during a certain time period was 31.2 per 1000 for the individuals who lead an unhealthy lifestyle and experience job strain, but only 14.7 per 1000 for those who have job strain and at the same time follow a healthy lifestyle.Coronary Artery Disease Essay
In this regard, Dr. Mika Kivimaki states that “the risk of coronary artery disease was highest among those who reported job strain and an unhealthy lifestyle at baseline; participants who reported job strain but who had a healthy lifestyle had about half the rate of disease” (767). Thus, it is possible to conclude that a healthy lifestyle is able to significantly reduce the coronary heart disease risk factors among the individuals with job strain. What is more, the given research has shown that various lifestyle changes, including quitting smoking, weight loss or good nutrition can reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Hence, the physicians should pay their specific attention to the lifestyle risk factors in the individuals with job stress and strain.
There is no doubt that the above-stated information is actually essential for both patients and clinicians in their personal or career context. It is possible to utilize it as a guide for the clinicians to be informed about the potential risks of coronary artery disease. Undoubtedly, young professionals will be faced with diseases such as coronary artery ones and these recommendations will be useful to them to determine the extent of disease and prescribe appropriate medications for the treatment of this disease. Knowing the causes of the disease, it is easier to remove it. What is more, this information can also be used by the ordinary people to always be on the alert, be aware of the potential risks, and thus, try to live a healthy lifestyle and stick to a healthy diet and positive lifestyle changes.Coronary Artery Disease Essay
Thus, taking the above-mentioned information into consideration, it is possible to draw a conclusion that a coronary artery disease is a serious problem that can lead to various negative consequences, including heart attacks. With the defeat of the coronary artery, its luminal caliber becomes narrowed or blocked by a gradual increase of cholesterol in the vessel wall, which reduces the delivery of blood to the person’s heart. This increase is called an “atherosclerotic plaque.” That is why people who are at high risk of developing a coronary artery disease should immediately talk to the clinicians to prescribe appropriate medications for the treatment of this disease. In addition, it is advisable to stop smoking, modify your diet and most importantly control job stress.
Works cited
Kivimaki, Mika, et al. “Associations of job strain and lifestyle risk factors with risk of coronary artery disease: a meta-analysis of individual participant data.” CMAJ 185.9 (2013): 763-769. Web. 6 September 2013. <http://www.cmaj.ca/content/185/9/763.full>Coronary Artery Disease Essay