Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of Americans. As of 2002, 34.2% of Americans were estimated to have cardiovascular disease, with 927,448 of them dying from this disease. There is death every thirty-four seconds from this disease, with 2,600 Americans dying each day. In 2002, an estimated 6.8 million inpatient cardiovascular operations and procedures were performed in the United States alone.

For 2005, the annual estimated cost of cardiovascular disease is projected to be $393.5 billion.

Connexins (Cx) are associated with many forms of heart disease ranging from developmental heart defects in newborns to adults, hypertension (high blood pressure), arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), sudden cardiac death, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). There are predominantly three types of connexin molecules known to exist in the heart and blood vessels. These connexins play essential roles in normal hearts, and alteration of these molecules contributes to abnormalities that occur in human cardiovascular disease. Defects in specific connexins lead to distinct congenital heart defects. Arrhythmia is associated most consistently with a reduction in connexin 43, while hypertension may involve alterations in all connexin types expressed in arteries. Specifically, removal of Cx40 has been shown to be associated with hypertension and altered blood vessel regulation. Atherosclerosis has been shown to involve alterations of connexins 43 and 37.

The four main types of heart disease; hypertension, arrhythmia, congestive heart failure and congenital heart disease, will be discussed and treatment and prevention Options that maybe preventative and/or beneficial for these conditions will be presented. Conventional medical therapies are extensive and complicated and may be needed. They should be discussed and initiated by your physician if appropriate.

There are many risk factors associated with various forms of cardiovascular disease, some modifiable and other not:

Non-modifiable Risk Factors

• Age
• Gender, men under age 64 are much more likely to die of coronary heart disease than women, although the gender difference declines with age.
• Genetic factors/Family history of cardiovascular disease

Modifiable Risk Factors

• Tobacco smoking
• Diabetes mellitus
• Hypercholesterolemia (severely elevated cholesterol levels)
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Physical activity improvement in sedentary lifestyle
• Absence of key nutritional elements, such as omega-3 fatty acids and low mineral intake of potassium, magnesium and calcium High Stress levels

Men generally have a higher rate of cardiovascular disease than women, but nonetheless for women in industrialized nations heart disease is also the number on cause of morbidity and mortality.

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