Dietary Management for Coronary Heart Disease

Author: Chen Huizhong, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-10-01
Features: This book is divided into four parts: general medical knowledge of coronary heart disease, dietary recommendations and precautions for coronary heart disease, dietary care for coronary heart disease, and dietary care for the main clinical manifestations (or types) of coronary heart disease, with the latter two parts being the focus. The dietary care methods introduced in the third and fourth parts of this book are simple, easy to implement, and economical. If used consistently as required, they are bound to produce good results. The writing style of this book is clear and accessible. It is suitable for coronary heart disease patients to read and can also be used as a reference for grassroots medical personnel.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a short form of atherosclerotic heart disease. The coronary arteries are small arteries that supply blood to the heart. When atherosclerosis occurs in these arteries, lipid deposition can occur on the vessel wall, forming atherosclerotic plaques, which narrow the artery lumen and lead to insufficient blood supply to the myocardium, even causing ischemic necrosis of the heart muscle. The main clinical manifestations of coronary heart disease are angina pectoris and arrhythmias caused by myocardial ischemia and hypoxia. In severe cases, myocardial infarction may occur, leading to extensive necrosis of the heart muscle and threatening life. Coronary heart disease is one of the most common diseases among the elderly and is a major disease affecting people's health and longevity. According to surveys, cancer is not the leading cause of death in China, with coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases ranking first. Moreover, with the improvement of people's living standards, the incidence and mortality of coronary heart disease have been rising year by year, which is a serious issue worth attention. For example, statistics from Beijing in 1973 showed a coronary heart disease mortality rate of 21.7 per 100,000 people, which rose to 62 by 1986; in Shanghai, the rate was 15.7 per 100,000 in 1974 and increased to 37.4 by 1984; nationwide, the mortality rate of coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases was 12.07% in 1957, ranking fifth among causes of death, but rose to 44.4% in 1985, becoming the leading cause.
The etiology of coronary heart disease has not been fully clarified, but it is currently believed to be related to dyslipidemia. Among the risk factors for coronary heart disease, the most important are hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking; followed by obesity, diabetes, and psychoneural factors; and some unchangeable factors, such as family history, age, and gender (male). From the above factors, it can be seen that the onset of coronary heart disease has a direct or indirect relationship with dietary and nutritional factors. Therefore, paying attention to reasonable nutrition is one of the important measures for the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease.