The Silent Killer

It's spreading like wildfire, killing indiscriminately as it moves. Its one of the biggest killers in the western world although the majority of people carry on with their lives without a care in the world, disregarding the risk factors of becoming another victim to this dangerous killer.

Although people of any age can be caught out by this dangerous killer, it tends to go for those more senior in age, this is because they are lacking the strength of youth to help combat this awful force of death.

This killer has shown it to hide, just waiting for the right time to pounce on its prey. It silently works away on the persons body, damaging the person from the inside out, and when the person has been weakened to a level the killer thinks is enough, it unleashes its deadly force to try and finish them off.

The deadly force starts off with shortness of breath and tightness in the chest; the person suffering can see this as heartburn. If this is not headed and medical attention looked for then the possibilities of death are high.

So what is this dangerous killer?

Heart disease, yes heart disease is this dangerous killer, it kills approximately 70,000 people a year in the United Kingdom. Heart disease comes in the form of many different conditions as you can see below.

Coronary heart disease - Over time a build up of inflamed cells occurs in the arteries that supply the heart, as time goes by and the inflamed cells (known as atheromatous plaques) expand they start to obstruct the flow of blood, which can eventually cause a heart attack.

Pulmonary heart disease - This is caused by damage or change in function of the right ventricle found in the heart, normally caused by a respiratory problem. Over time these changes can have profound affects on the right ventricle and can cause heart failure.

Hypertensive heart disease - People who have high blood pressure (hypertension), which is the heart having raised pressure when pumping blood around the body, can damage their arteries, and over time have heart failure.

Why does this killer cause so many deaths

The problem with heart disease is the lack of knowledge people have about this dangerous killer, and out of those who do have a good knowledge of this disease many do not heed the warning signs and carry on subjecting their bodies to the risks that cause it.

How can we combat this killer?

More emphasis needs to be put on teaching about the conditions and diseases that cause this killer to strike. Many people run the risk of heart disease because they have not been given the education needed to see the warning signs and know what they can do to relieve the chances of becoming a victim.

Simple changes in life style can give a huge chance in keeping away from this killer, these changes include improving your diet, stop smoking, drink alcohol moderately, exercising more regularly and reducing the stress felt in everyday life.