Page 18 - Florida Sentinel 3-6-20

Health
How Your Heart Works
Your heart has four cham- bers -- two up top called atria, and two below called ventricles. Oxygen-rich blood from your lungs flows to the left atrium,
then to the left ventricle, which pumps it out to your body. Blood returns to the right atrium, then the right ventricle, which sends it back to your lungs for oxygen. Four valves act like one-way doors to guide the blood through your heart. And round it goes -- unless you have heart disease.
Coronary Heart Disease
Also called coronary artery disease, CHD is the most common type of heart disease in the U.S. When you have it, a waxy substance called plaque builds up in your heart’s arteries. You won’t know it’s there at first, but over time, it
narrows your arteries, like a clog in a pipe. That limits the blood flow to your heart muscle.
What Is It?
From clogged ar- teries to infections, heart disease covers a lot of ground. It’s not just one thing, but a group of conditions that affect your heart and body in different ways. It can lead to problems like heart at-
tacks and strokes, and it’s the most common cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
Effects of CHD
With less blood flow, your heart doesn’t get the oxygen it needs, and that can cause chest pain, called angina, es- pecially when you exer- cise or do heavy labor. It also can affect how well your heart pumps and make the rest of your
body short on oxygen, too. Without it, your cells won’t work as well as they should, and you may be short of breath or feel more tired than usual. If plaque breaks off and totally blocks an artery, you have a heart attack.
CHD in Women vs. Men
CHD can
women and men differ- ently. Men are more likely to have intense chest pain. Women may get tightness or pressure in the chest, but they also might just feel un- comfortable, like when a meal doesn’t sit right.
They’re more likely to be very tired often and have shortness of breath and nausea. These differences may be because women tend to get blockages in the heart’s smaller arteries.
Arrhythmia
You may have had the feeling where your heart flutters or skips a beat. That’s caused by a change in your heart’s rhythm -- called ar- rhythmia -- and it’s usually harm- less. Your heartbeat is controlled by short bursts of electricity, and a minor change in those bursts typi- cally isn’t a problem. But more se- rious arrhythmia can keep your heart from doing its job the way it should and cause serious prob- lems.
affect
PAGE 6-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2020