Heart disease found on mummy

During the decades, heart disease is often regarded as a modern disease due to lifestyle changes. But make no mistake about this disease had already existed for thousands of years ago. Evidenced by the findings of heart disease was found in ancient Egyptian mummy who lived 3,500 years ago.

These findings suggest possible risk factors for heart disease not only caused by modern lifestyle alone. As widely known heart disease triggered by smoking, eating lots of salt and sugar or unhealthy foods rich in saturated fats.

But it was the mummy of Pharaoh Merenptah who died at the age of 60 years was found suffering from atherosclerosis, thickening of arterial walls by the buildup of calcium, fat, cholesterol or other substances.

To investigate how many of the ancient Egyptians who suffered heart disease, cardiology team from the U.S. and Egypt examinate 22 mummies stored at the Egyptian National Museum of Antiquities. 16 mummies detected related to the heart and blood vessels. While atherosclerosis is itself clearly visible at 5 mummy.

"To identify the effect, we combine the technology used to make a mummy in ancient Egyptian with sophisticated medical technology to detect signs of atherosclerosis," said Michael Miyamoto, a cardiologist at the University of California at San Diego, as quoted by AOL, Wednesday (18/11/2009).

Ancient Egyptian mummy who suffer the most severe atherosclerosis is Lady Rai who lived until age 30 to 40 years and worked as a nanny Ahmose Queen Nefertiti. Lady Rai was living around 1530 BC or 300 years before the time of Moses.

"Although we do not know whether the cause of death was due to atherosclerosis mummy or not, but these findings suggest that heart disease has been suffered by the ancient Egyptian society," said Gregory Thomas from the University of California.

These results show evidence that atherosclerosis in ancient societies may be due to genetic factors, so it's important to keep the risk factors of heart disease to stay in control.

However, it is important to note is that 16 mummies have identified socioeconomic status is high. Generally worked as a maid in the palace of Pharaoh, or as a priest and pastor. "So it is possible some of them lived with several factors that can cause associated with atherosclerosis," said Miyamoto.

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Heart attack and how to fight against

The heart is a muscle that pumps blood around the body. In a heart attack (myocardial infarction), part of the heart muscle getting to die while not getting blood. To stay healthy, the heart requires oxygen and nutrients carried by the other's blood. This is obtained through the arteria (blood vessel) coronary, which wrap the outside of the heart.
If the work system of the heart is damaged, the normal rhythm of the heart can become chaotic and the heart began to tremble with uncertainty or experiencing fibrillation. This abnormal rhythm known as arrhythmia is a deviation from normal heart rhythm. This will cause the heart to lose its ability to effectively pump blood to the brain. Within ten minutes, brain death and the patient was beyond help.

In addition to coronary heart disease due to fat deposition in the arterial wall, there are also other heart diseases caused birth defects. For example imperfect heart, heart valve disorders, weakened heart muscle. Another cause is the bacteria that cause infections of the heart.


If the symptoms of heart attacks happen to you:

Recognize any of these symptoms occur whether chest pain, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations.

Immediately stop all work no matter what you are doing and sit or lie down while you breathe deeply.

If you are alone while the symptoms lasted more than a few minutes immediately contact the local emergency phone number and say you have a heart attack. Or contact the people around you to give the same information.

If anyone can take you to the hospital faster than the arrival of paramedics, immediately asked for assistance to go take you to the emergency room at the hospital. Faster would be better handled.

But if you wait for paramedics to come, so while waiting, you can loosen tight clothing, including belts or ties. Create yourself in a position that feels comfortable.

Remain calm, no matter you are the victim or benefactor. Panic can increase the likelihood of arrhythmia or heart rhythm irregularities that threaten life.

The symptoms are perceived if you have coronary heart disease include pain or pain in the chest where most people thought it was just as indigestion. Then the other symptoms of feeling depressed in the middle of the chest for 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Another thing is the cold sweat, palpitations, dizziness, and felt like fainting. These symptoms are not always perceived the sufferer. Other warning signs are gasping for breath during exercise.

For several months before a heart attack heart disease usually often feel very tired. Do not assume these symptoms are caused by lack of sleep and stress of the job.

Pain or feeling pressured in the chest, called angina, gave warning to half of those who suffer a heart attack. Some people experience breathless or exhausted and feeling weak as the symptoms, indicating that the heart is not getting enough oxygen because of coronary blockage.

Usually a few days before having a massive heart attack, a person will experience muscle contractions suddenly in the chest which is a small attack or a mild heart attack. Generally mild heart attack occurred before the major attack a few days later.

Overcoming Heart Disease

If you feel the early symptoms of heart disease or had suffered a mild heart attack, do not ignore it. You really need early treatment by trained medical personnel. This can save the heart from further damage and can even prevent more fatal consequences such as death.

But if heart attack symptoms begin to occur, it is important to seek immediate medical assistance. Greatest risk of death from heart attack is within one hour after a heart attack. Treatment quickly and accurately from the medical team could save the heart muscle from damage that can not be repaired. The more heart muscle is saved, the more effective heart pumping will return after the attack. Do not put off getting medical help because of fear is considered absurd.

If the blockage has occurred, the medical action is generally taken with the installation of catheterization and the ring that prevents coronary arteries are not clogged. However, there may be some blockage in other arteries.

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How to deal with suddenly heart attack

Heart attack is the most harmful cause for people in the ages. Lots of people have been killed by this serious injuries. Heart attack is a set of symptoms caused by the disruption of blood flow in coronary arteries in the heart acutely. Disturbances in blood flow caused by thrombosis (blood clots) that form in the vessels that inhibits blood flow.

Heart attack is divided into two parts i.e, unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction. Unstable angina is a condition in which blood clotting is not to cause a total blockage of blood vessels. As for acute myocardial infarction occurs when blood clots cause blockage of blood flow total.

Heart attack symptoms generally easily recognizable. Typical symptoms are pain in the chest and solar plexus. When described, the pain was like a pinch, cramps, feeling like squeezing or burning (angina). Such pain continuous, more frequent and more severe. For example, if the original once-daily, three to four times a day, and lasted more than 20 minutes.

This attack can also occur in patients who had never experienced it. The pain is usually felt in the center or left chest, and can be transmitted to the lower jaw, neck, shoulders, arms, and back. The pain is usually accompanied by cold sweat and pain in the abdomen. If not immediately treated, Heart attack could end in death.

Various studies have shown, habits and lifestyle (life style) and a certain behavior increases the risk of heart attack. In that way, we must identify risk factors, such as high blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels high, diabetes mellitus (diabetes), and smoking. Family history, obesity, lack of exercise, and stress, is also a risk factor that can promote heart attack. Except for family history, risk factors that you have control. Indeed, it takes effort and willpower. However, if successful, the risk of getting heart attacks away from you.

Here are some tips for controlling heart attack risk factors:

* Pattern of life. Start by improving your lifestyle and controlling risk factors. This step can reduce the chances of the disease.

* Stop smoking.
Quitting smoking is the target to be achieved, also avoiding cigarette smoke from the environment. Smoking causes reduced elasticity of blood vessels thus increasing the hardening of the arteries, also increases blood clotting that triggers heart disease. Smokers have a chance of coronary heart exposed to two times higher than those who never smoked.

* Choose healthy foods.
This is important, particularly those associated with risk factors. If you are overweight, for example, of course you must apply the diet to lose weight. Similarly, if you have a problem with blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar. Then, apply an appropriate diet with risk factors you have it.

* Control stress.
As far as possible, control of stress to a minimum because the stress has the potential to increase blood pressure.

* Do check-ups.
Regular health checks are important because usually the heart attack risk factors like cholesterol and high blood pressure have no symptoms at first.

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