Many modern people advocate a free and unrestrained lifestyle and dislike being constrained. However, this indulgent lifestyle can sometimes affect our physical and mental health, causing "heart" damage. What habits can lead to these unfavorable results?
1. Smoking
Most smokers know that smoking can cause various lung and throat diseases, but medical experts believe that smoking can also have a negative impact on the heart.
Smoking can cause arrhythmias. Nicotine binds to N-type acetylcholine receptors, causing the release of catecholamines and other vasoactive substances from the adrenal medulla, which leads to increased heart rate, increased oxygen consumption by the myocardium, peripheral and coronary artery spasms. It can also cause damage to the vascular endothelium, worsen myocardial ischemia, and ultimately lead to irregular heart activity and arrhythmias. In addition, in the long-term study of antiarrhythmic drugs, medical experts have found that nicotine can directly inhibit various potassium channels in the myocardium, making myocardial cells more easily excited and leading to arrhythmias. This study suggests that nicotine can cause arrhythmias through the release of catecholamines as an indirect pathway, as well as directly affecting various potassium channels in the heart and disrupting normal heart rhythms. In severe cases, it can even cause sudden death.
2. Alcohol consumption
Surveys have shown that alcohol consumption is harmful to the heart, especially for young people. Even a small amount of alcohol can increase the risk of heart disease. The more alcohol a person consumes, the greater the possibility of developing atherosclerosis. People who drink 14 or more drinks per week have a doubled risk of developing atherosclerosis compared to those who drink less than 6 drinks per week. Further research has shown that long-term alcohol consumption can directly cause myocardial cell necrosis and interstitial fibrosis. In addition, the metabolite of alcohol, acetaldehyde, can promote the release of catecholamines, stimulate the renal adrenal medullary adrenergic receptors on the large coronary arteries, cause coronary artery spasms, and lead to myocardial ischemia.
3. Failure to control weight
Excessive accumulation of fat in the body increases circulating blood volume, leading to increased heart load and hypertension. Abnormal fat metabolism and high-calorie intake also lead to hyperlipidemia, causing atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries and fat deposition in myocardial cells, thickening of the ventricular wall, and reduced myocardial compliance. Red blood cell oxygen-carrying capacity is weakened, resulting in insufficient oxygen supply to myocardial cells. Obesity makes people less active, and excessive obesity limits their activity, resulting in weakened or insufficient collateral circulation of the coronary arteries and decreased compensatory ability of the heart. Some scholars propose that a weight increase of more than 30% of the standard weight is a signal for the development of coronary heart disease within 10 years. It can be seen that the incidence of hypertension-related heart disease and atherosclerosis (coronary heart disease) is high among obese individuals.
4. Prolonged exposure to noise
People who are exposed to noisy environments for a long time greatly increase the risk of heart attacks. Residents living near busy roads often feel that their blood pressure is elevated. Epidemiological studies have confirmed this situation, showing that noise can indeed increase blood pressure and the risk of heart attacks. The relationship between heart attacks and noise may be due to the fact that noise increases psychological stress and anger, leading to increased production of adrenaline and noradrenaline, which can raise blood pressure and blood lipid levels. Prolonged exposure to noise can also lead to tension and increase blood pressure, causing unstable cholesterol levels, and ultimately trigger heart attacks.
5. Excessive fatigue
Fatigue and stress can increase the burden on the heart, leading to early development of heart disease. Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia. It was previously believed that the incidence rate doubled every 10 years after the age of 60. However, in recent years, there has been an increasing number of young people under the age of 30 developing this condition. In addition, there is a trend of younger onset in other types of heart diseases such as coronary heart disease, myocarditis, and hypertension-related heart disease. The earlier onset of heart disease is mainly due to excessive stress and fatigue. Excessive fatigue and long-term mental stress affect the central nervous system regulation of the body, leading to increased heart load and increased frequency of atrial fibrillation. Furthermore, excessive fatigue can also lead to a decrease in the body's immune function, increasing the probability of viral infection and myocarditis.
6. Irritability
Research has shown that people who are irritable and prone to anger have a two-fold higher probability of heart attacks or sudden death compared to calm and less prone to anger individuals. Researchers also noted that the association between anger and heart attacks typically occurs in individuals with normal blood pressure. This may be because patients with high blood pressure already have a higher risk of heart disease, so the situation is not obvious. It may also be because patients are using medications to treat high blood pressure, which reduces the risk of heart disease. This study reveals that being in a long-term state of negative emotions and easily getting angry has an absolute negative impact on overall health, especially for young people with normal blood pressure. Therefore, individuals with normal blood pressure who are easily angered have a higher probability of developing heart disease and an increased level of risk.
