Ischaemic Heart Disease: An Overview to Heart Disease

Abstract

Ischaemic Heart Disease is a condition that affects the supply of blood to the heart. The blood vessels are blocked due to the deposition of cholesterol plaques on their walls. This reduces the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the heart musculature, which is essential for proper functioning of the heart. This may eventually result in a portion of the heart being suddenly deprived of its blood supply leading to the death of that area of heart tissue, resulting in heart attack.

In 1963 the Ministry of Railways carried out a survey with a view to ascertaining the number of deaths due to ischimic heart disease among railway populations in different parts of the country. The method employed was to obtain data from all the railway zones on a proforma based on W.H.O. classification 420, for arteriosclerotic, including coronary heart disease.

The epidemiology studies have provided several key points of information related to the risk of developing IHD. First, several specific risk factors for IHD have been identified. Second, evidence that these factors are closely related to environmental and life-style changes implies that risk factors are potentially alterable. Third, these studies have stimulated further consideration and investigation of the basic mechanism of atherosclerosis. Angiographic studies have indicated a direct relationship between the risk factors and the severity of coronary disease. Copyright © www.iiste.org

Key-Word:- Ischaemic Heart Disease, oxygen, nutrient, W.H.O. epidemiology.