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Peripheral artery disease happens when plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs. Plaque buildup leads to atherosclerosis, which limits oxygen-rich blood flow to your organs and other parts of your body. This Health Topic focuses on peripheral artery disease that affects blood flow to the legs.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. If this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. Sudden cardiac arrest usually causes death if it's not treated within minutes.

Los cambios en las funciones normales del cuerpo, ya sean causados por los genes o por el medio ambiente, pueden provocar la presión arterial alta. Estos cambios incluyen cambios en el equilibrio entre los líquidos y la sal en los riñones, así como cambios en el sistema renina angiotensina aldosterona, en la actividad del sistema nervioso simpático, y en la estructura y función de los vasos sanguíneos.

Taking action to control your risk factors—through staying physically active, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, making heart-healthy eating choices, and managing stress—can help prevent a stroke, or if you’ve already had a stroke, prevent another one.

The risk of sudden cardiac arrest increases with age and is higher in men and may be higher in blacks. The major risk factor for sudden cardiac arrest is coronary heart disease, but there are other risk factors such as known arrhythmia or personal or family history of sudden cardiac arrest or heritable forms of arrhythmia.

Para comenzar un programa de actividad física y mantenerlo, haga que la actividad física se vuelva parte de sus costumbres diarias, personalice los beneficios, realice actividades con sus amigos y familiares, integre más actividad a sus quehaceres cotidianos, utilice el tiempo para hacer actividad física como una forma de recompensa, lleve un registro de sus logros, realice las actividades sin ponerse en peligro y consulte con su médico.

Treatment for heart failure depends on the type and severity of the heart failure. Treatments usually include heart-healthy lifestyle changes, medicines, ongoing care, and medical procedures and surgery.

El tratamiento para la aterosclerosis puede incluir cambios para lograr un estilo de vida saludable para el corazón, medicamentos, e intervenciones médicas o cirugía, como por ejemplo, la intervención coronaria percutánea, la derivación cardíaca o la endarterectomía carotídea.

Treatments for hypersensitivity pneumonitis usually include avoidance strategies and medicines such as corticosteroids or immunosuppressive that reduce inflammation. Other supportive therapies include oxygen therapy, bronchodilators, or opioids. Occasionally, lung transplants are used to treat severe chronic disease in some patients.

A healthy weight for adults is usually when the body mass index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 24.9. To figure out your BMI, use our online BMI calculator.