
What are Cardiovascular Diseases?
The heart is one such organ on which the rest of the body’s organs are dependent. That is because every organ needs oxygen for its proper functioning. The only way to get it is blood, which reaches every single body cell due to the pumping action of the heart. Thus, any interruption in the working of the heart can lead to multiple medical conditions or sometimes organ failure such as blockage in blood vessels. These block ages are the results of clots in vessels due to metabolic syndromes. Individuals with higher lower belly fat or have higher BMI are most susceptible to metabolic syndrome which eventually leads to cardiovascular diseases. Â
Bariatric surgery is well-known as a weight loss operation. Therefore, its results are usually analyzed through a patient’s weight reduction. Moreover, if patients sustain weight permanently, surgery is considered highly successful. Is obesity impacting heart health? Does it connect bariatric surgery with heart problems? Keep reading to have thorough information about what are cardiovascular diseases, including their reasons, symptoms, and treatment. Plus, how bariatric surgery is a way to prevent heart problems.
Structure and function of the heart
Usually, people seem familiar with the term heart attack. The word cardiovascular diseases describe the medical problems that hurt your blood vessels and heart. To understand the whole mechanism, it is necessary to know what a heart is. The heart is made up of muscles and lies in the chest. The right and left “atrium and ventricles” are its four compartments. Four major valves control the coordinated flow of blood through these chambers. These are responsible for stopping the backflow of blood.Â
The main responsibility of the heart is to pump blood throughout the body. Thus, it guarantees the supply of oxygenated blood and the receiving of deoxygenated blood through circulation. This process enables oxygen and nutrients to reach tissues and remove waste. Heart muscles and arteries collectively make the efficient circulation of blood throughout the body possible.Â
What happens in a heart attack?
It’s normal to worry when you hear someone might be having a heart attack. It is definitely a serious health problem that can occasionally be fatal. Health practitioners call it myocardial infection. It is a state in which a prolonged blockage of blood flow occurs to a portion of the heart, resulting in significant harm and sometimes death. Blockages can occur for a variety of causes, and they can differ from person to person. However, the formation of fatty deposits (plaque) inside the arteries that provide blood to the heart is its major cause. The plaque on bursting forms a blood clot that totally stops oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart.Â
A heart attack comes with specific symptoms. Some prominent signs include chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness, and pain extending to the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Yet, there are numerous treatments available, such as the use of clot-busting medications or procedures like angioplasty. All can help restore blood flow and minimize heart muscle damage.
Major reasons for cardiovascular diseases
Analysis proves that cardiovascular diseases simply mean the narrowing or blockage of the arteries. However, it is a fact that the chances of this blockage increase in some specific conditions. Obesity comes high on the list in this regard. Obesity-related medical issues frequently raise the chances of heart attack and other related issues. Some of the prominent obesity-related health problems include
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High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
It is common to find obese or overweight people suffering from high blood pressure, which is a silent killer. However, Chronic high blood pressure puts strain on the heart and blood vessels. As a result, it increases the risk of plaque buildup. It causes the arteries to become stiff and less able to expand and contract, further reducing blood flow. Moreover, persistent pressure reduces the efficiency of heart muscles, leading to possible heart attacks.
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Coronary Artery Spasm
 Arteries are the passages that allow blood to reach heart muscles or the other parts of the body. If an artery muscle tightens and decreases or stops the heart’s blood flow, the condition is coronary artery spasm. Additionally, it may occur in arteries with plaque buildup and can result in a heart attack. Obesity is strongly linked to high inflammation, which can cause coronary artery spasms. Thus, this ultimately connects to the adverse effects of being overweight.
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High Cholesterol
Today’s digitalized era has given considerable medical information to common people. Thus, almost everyone is aware that high cholesterol is a major contributor to heart attacks. The raised levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol result in the formation of fatty plaques in the coronary arteries, narrowing and blocking blood flow to the heart. Obese people frequently suffer from high cholesterol and hence stand on the brink of getting a heart attack.
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Diabetes and Insulin Resistance:
 Diabetes or high blood sugar levels directly influence the whole-body organs. Hence, it also has a great impact on blood vessels too. It significantly contributes to the production of deposits of fatty plaques in the arteries. Thus, raising the chance of blockages. Useless fat cells, especially in the abdominal area, add insulin resistance, making obese people susceptible to diabetes. Consequently, they are at risk of cardiovascular diseases.
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Physical Inactivity
Obesity or overweight conditions act as a barrier to adopting an active lifestyle. Thus, leading to minimal physical inactivity. Further, this pattern contributes to the development of hypertension, high cholesterol, and stress. All factors lead to compromised heart health and result in various cardiovascular diseases.Â
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StressÂ
Stress or continuous tension can trigger a variety of bodily responses. These responses appear in the form of hormonal imbalance, which further disturbs the function of various organs, including the heart. Moreover, obesity keeps patients in a state of continuous depression due to aesthetic or physical dissatisfaction. Thus, it would not be wrong to say persistent stress due to obesity can result in a heart attack.
How bariatric surgery prevents cardiovascular diseases
People constantly suffering from overweight conditions go for Bariatric surgery or weight loss operations. Indeed, they try to find diet plans and exercises ineffective first. Obesity brings a number of diseases with it, including high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Therefore, it keeps patients at high risk of cardiovascular diseases, and bariatric operation significantly contributes to preventing it by eliminating the root cause. Thus, weight loss surgery is an effective strategy to improve the long-term heart health of obese people because of its impact in terms of preventing related health issues.
Wrapping up
To sum up, cardiovascular diseases are conditions that lead to damage to heart function and the blood vessels. These significantly include heart attacks and strokes. Obesity is a global issue and is a primary reason for various health issues. Some of these medical problems are highly influential in developing artery blockage, a reason for heart attacks.
 Bariatric surgery is a very efficient method to tackle the contributing factors through weight loss and metabolic improvement of the cardiovascular. Moreover, as it assists in weight loss, it lowers the cholesterol level, improves the sensitivity of insulin, and much more, all of which are vital in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, bariatric surgery presents a potential answer to many of the causes of heart disease, both in the long-term perspective for heart health and overall well-being.