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Ischemia is a decrease in the blood supply to a bodily organ, tissue, or part paused by constriction or obstruction of the blood vessels, and it is the proper medical term for reduced blood flow to the heart. Hardened or blocked arteries us usually the cause of it, and it is the number one cause of death in most western countries. The growth of these tissues is called arteriosclerosis.

Arteriosclerosis typically begins in early adolescence but is rarely diagnosed until late in life usually due to a stroke or heart attack. Autopsies of healthy young men who died during the Korean and Vietnam Wars showed evidence of the disease. Early diagnosis and treatment can stop the progression of arteriosclerosis and prevent a medical emergency.

According to United States data for the year 2004, for about 65% of men and 47% of women, the first symptom of Arteriosclerosis disease is heart attack or sudden cardiac death (death within one hour of onset of the symptom) or the obstruction of arteries supplying the brain result in a stroke.

Another problem that can be caused y Ischemic heart disease is what is called an Aneurisms. It is a localized, pathological, blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel causing a weakling of the vessel’s wall. As plaque builds up in the arteries it causes an obstruction and the blood flow around the obstruction puts pressure on the walls of the arteries. This can cause the walls of the arteries to balloon out and become weaken as the blood moves around the obstruction. If one of these balloon or aneurisms explodes then death can occur within minutes.

If the plaque becomes dislodged from the arterial walls it can travel to the heart and cause one of the blood vessels of the heart to be come blocked causing a heart attack. If the plaque becomes lodged in one of the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain then it will cause a stroke…. Ischemic Heart Disease continue …