by Anthony Khoo

Created on: October 12, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Living with a chronic condition can be both challenging and depressing, and heart disease is no exception. While I personally do not suffer from a heart condition, I know many who do, and it is easy to see how the diagnosis of their disease has had a profound impact both on their lifestyle and the way they perceive the world around them.

It is an undeniable fact that the heart is one of the most important organs in the human body. Physiologists will say that the heart plays pivotal roles in maintaining circulation and ensuring an adequate oxygen perfusion to the body's tissues. As such, living with heart disease has a significant influence on what activities someone can undertake, and through this, a considerable impact on their daily routine. In particular, the amount of exercise that an individual can undertake without adverse effects becomes a major issue, with people having to adopt inactive and sedentary lifestyles.

However, the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle is only one of many effects that heart disease causes. Although there are many degrees and types of heart disease, they invariably present with serious medical, social and psychological effects. Medical symptoms such as angina pectoris (chest pain upon exertion), oedema (swelling due to fluid), and dyspnoea (shortness of breath) are common, and are a cause of significant morbidity to those affected.

Living with heart disease is possible, and personally I know many who struggle through life optimistically and positively. While heart disease does decrease the expected life span, it is in many cases easily managed with the support of medical advice/medications as well as the support of family and friends. While I know this may sound a little contrived, the courage with which many heart disease sufferers go through daily life is both humbling and uplifting.

Medically, heart failure is defined as an inability of the heart to maintain adequate circulation throughout the body, and hence sufficient oxygen supply to the tissues. Many forms of heart disease exist without progressing to heart failure, but they nonetheless present with very serious side-effects for the afflicted. Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) is by far the most common heart condition in the 21st century, with heart attacks (Myocardial Infarctions) being a manifestation of this disease.

Living with IHD can be a challenge, especially since its onset is slow and often insidious from childhood. In many cases, it presents asymptomatically, and as such it can be an unpleasant surprise when a person is diagnosed with the disease.

In conclusion, living with heart disease is a challenge, and presents with significant medical and psycho-social impacts. Heart disease of any form has a profound impact on a person's lifestyle, and it can often be hard for a person to change their lifestyle in response to a health problem. Nonetheless, it is still possible to enjoy a high quality of life and standard of living with appropriate medical advice and the support of family and friends. .

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