Heart disease is the biggest killer in the world. Its major cause is obesity or
metabolic syndrome, which can also lead to diabetes and stroke - the third leading
killer (after cancer) and the most frequent cause of disability in the world. All of these
involve imbalances in energy metabolism. Early symptoms of metabolic syndrome
include excessive weight, high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose and elevated
levels of lipids, especially low density lipoprotein (LDL). People who have one or
more of these symptoms are at a higher risk of developing heart disease, stroke and
type-2 diabetes. Childhood obesity is such a big problem that it will probably mean that
this generation will be the first to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.
Ischemic strokes need to be treated as soon as possible, so it is very important to get a
stroke victim to a hospital as soon as possible, so the blockage can be removed and
blood can begin to flow properly. Drugs such as aspirin, clopidrogel and dipyridamole
can be given to prevent the formation of more clots by preventing blood platelets from
aggregating. If the patient can get to a hospital soon enough, tPA, or tissue
plasminogen activator, can be given. When blood flow to the heart is interrupted, it
causes a myocardial infarction, or heart attack. The most common cause is a blockage
in the coronary artery that is usually caused by the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque.
Keywords: Diabetes, Heart disease, Metabolic syndrome, Stroke, Tissue
plasminogen activator, tPA.
