Archive for the ‘Heart Disease’ Category
Heart disease, methods of treatment and causes of disease
According to statistics, deaths from diseases of the cardiovascular system in the world growing all the time. Study the causes of these diseases has shown that some of them due to infection, others have a hereditary or congenital nature. However, the largest group of diseases largely an addictions and the consequences of poor lifestyle choices. Such diseases to some extent can be prevented.
Given the nature and causes of heart disease can be divided into five different groups:
- Rheumatic,
- Syphilitic,
- Atherosclerotic disease and high blood pressure,
- Congenital,
- Functional.
In addition, there are some diseases that do not fall into any of the above groups and are worthy of special mention. They are:
- Acute dilation of the heart, resulting from overloading a weak heart muscle a large amount of blood, while it is stretched, increases in size and filled with blood,
- Atrial fibrillation (rapid reduction of individual muscle fibers of the atria, with the full reduction of the atria does not occur), the accompanying heart failure,
- Atrial flutter (regular but rapid reduction of fibrillation, for which no time to ventricles)
- Paroxysmal tachycardia (periods of very frequent heart rate)
- Coronary thrombosis, which usually occurs as a result of atherosclerosis,
- Myocardial infarction (necrosis of the area of heart muscle due to insufficient blood supply)
- Heart failure, the end result of any heart disease
Causes
The cause of rheumatic diseases can be either viral or bacterial infection, or a combination thereof. Manifestations of the heart may include endocarditis (inflammation of the inner lining of the heart), pericarditis (inflammation of the outer shell of the heart) or myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle). Unfortunately, each of these pathologies can lead to permanent damage of the heart.
With incorrect or inadequate treatment of infectious agents (streptococci, pneumococci, gonococci, influenza virus) can migrate through the bloodstream and affect heart valves, causing inflammation. After undergoing rheumatic fever formed valvular heart disease, which prevents proper blood flow. Now, in order to pump blood, the heart will shrink to a greater and greater force.
By itself, syphilis does not cause heart damage. It invades the wall of the aortic arch and aortic valve. In this case, most often formed by the aortic valve defect in the form of its failure (valve valves become weakened, stretch and partially destroyed). So, just thrown out of the heart into the aorta, blood can freely flow back into the left ventricle during diastole of the heart (the time between contractions). The left ventricle begins to accumulate a larger amount of blood the heart muscle is no longer handle the load, and the ventricle is greatly increased.
Atherosclerosis causes narrowing of the arteries that leads to the worst blood supply to organs, including heart muscle. Hypertension is an additional strain on the heart. The combination of increased stress and a weakened heart muscle can eventually lead to organ damage.
Causes of atherosclerosis and arterial hypertension:
- The natural aging process,
- Sensitivity to tobacco and other toxins,
- Prolonged infection,
- Anxiety, stress, stressful life
- An excess of cholesterol in the body.
Congenital heart disease are common. In many cases they did not manifest itself, and are diagnosed at checkups.
But there are several congenital diseases that have very obvious symptoms.
Congenital stenosis of the aorta is too narrow lumen of the aorta, which leads to a strong increase in blood pressure in the upper body and low in the bottom. Complication can be bleeding in the brain.
If there are any holes in the partitions separating the heart into chambers, not buried PFO (hole in the septum between the atria, which is the norm in the fetus), botallova flow (vessel connecting the pulmonary artery to the aorta during the prenatal period). When these evils arterial and venous blood is mixed, and therefore spreads through the body is not enough oxygen-rich blood. Appears cyanotic face and extremities, shortness of breath, specific extensions fingertips, they become like drumsticks and abnormal increase in the number of red blood cells.
Hypoplasia or aplasia of the pulmonary artery also prevents good aeration of blood in the lungs.
Functional disorders – various disorders of cardiac activity, which do not lead to any changes or organic diseases (eg, tachycardia). The main reasons are:
- Toxins and poisons trapped in the body or produced by the body, possibly the intestinal tract,
- Strong excitation or vice versa, depression,
- Drinking coffee, tea, tobacco, alcoholic beverages,
- Digestive disorders, constipation.
Symptoms
- Shortness of breath with little exertion or at rest,
- Weakness, low endurance,
- Heartbeat
- Dry cough,
- Periods of rapid and irregular breathing,
- Choking, constricting pain in the chest,
- Dull pain and discomfort in the liver or heart,
- Swelling of the legs (especially in the evening)
- Night of the patients are trying to lift the upper body (pillow), so it is easier to breathe,
- Restless sleep, insomnia,
- The weaker the heart, the more swollen legs, there is pain in the chest and back, breathing becomes extremely difficult, yet people do not lie.
What you can do
If you find yourself in these symptoms, consult your doctor. Patients with acute heart failure should always be supervised by a therapist, and patients with chronic heart disease should be inspected periodically. No specific treatment regimen at home there. Conversely, patients are strongly advised not to self-medicate and seek medical attention.
During treatment, avoid severe psychological and physical stress, do not drink cold water and do not supercool.
That can make your doctor
For diagnosis a doctor will check the basic parameters of vital body functions such as body temperature, pulse, respiratory rate and heart rate, blood pressure.
If the vital signs are any deviations, the reasons which may be associated with the heart, the doctor will refer you to an electrocardiogram. This simple, completely painless examination. Also, you take a blood test, because damaged heart identifies certain proteins that are found in the blood.
You may have stress tests. You will be connected to the device, which lifts the ECG, and you’ll walk on a treadmill or pedaling on a stationary bike. Such tests are necessary because some symptoms of heart disease do not manifest themselves until the heart is not subjected to any load.
You may need an x-ray angiography for the detection of vascular thrombosis and inadequate blood supply to organs.
Based on the diagnosis you will be assigned to appropriate therapy. Treatment of heart disease usually lasts for years or even life. That’s why you need regular checkups doctors and correction of treatment.
In more severe or acute situations may require more radical procedures such as implanting an electronic pacemaker or bypass surgery.
If necessary, your doctor may refer you to a psychologist. After a heart attack is often depression.
Also, you can recommend an appropriate rehabilitation program. Today, many hospitals offer such programs for survivors of myocardial infarction and other serious diseases. They include special exercises that are conducted under the supervision of a physician, as well as continuous monitoring of cardiac output.
Preventive measures
Prevention of many congenital diseases is compliance with the future mother of daily routine, diet, avoiding harmful habits, regular visits to the gynecologist during pregnancy.
For the prevention of rheumatic diseases should be fully dolechivat emerging infectious disease you have. If you are prescribed a course of antibiotics lasting 7-10 days, go through it completely, even if you feel better the third or fourth day of treatment. Otherwise remain in the body the infection can cause the development of heart disease.
Watch for children’s health, especially when it comes to upper respiratory tract infections, and throat. If these infections are left untreated or treated illiterate (ie, wrong to take antibiotics), then they can lead to heart disease.
The only way to prevent syphilitic heart disease is to prevent infection. Avoid frequent change of sexual partners, use barrier methods of contraception.
Prevention of atherosclerosis and hypertension is diet, moderation in eating and regular exercise. The older you get, the more important to follow these tips.
Give up bad habits, unhealthy lifestyles and promiscuity as quickly as possible. Happiness, satisfaction and tranquility are essential to the preservation of the heart healthy and strong.
5 Common Types of Heart Disease
There are many types of heart disease, but this article will explore five types of heart disease that are common to happen. Hopefully, this article can add your knowledge concerning this leading cause of death disease.
#1 congenital heart disease
There is a fallacy of thinking that many people do when they believe that all heart disease is brought about by outside factors or that it needs some periods of time for heart disease to build up. This is, of course, not true as one of the most common types of heart disease is congenital heart disease.
The term congenital or hereditary heart disease refers to heart disease which is passed down through the family, and this is considered as being a congenital type of heart disease as it is principally inevitable and unpreventable. If you have an account of early heart disease in your family then you also are at danger for congenital heart disease.
The most first-degree family members that you have who have endured from heart disease, such as your mother, father, brother, sister and so on, in particular those who experienced it at a younger age, the higher your risk of getting it as well.
Although congenital heart disease can be caused by many factors, some of them are actually preventable. For example if heart disease is clustering in your family, then it may just be because of the way that your family lives, including unhealthy practices such as poor diet, little or no exercise, and smoking. All of these aspects can contribute to heart disease and can create the sequence of congenital heart disease.
# 2 congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure is when the heart does not pump adequate blood to the other organs in the body. Congestive heart failure can often result from heart disease and constricted arteries. Congestive heart failure results in a heart which works a lot less efficiently than it should and can make further problems. Symptoms regularly consist of swelling and edema, shortness of breath, and kidney problems which in turn can lead to mysterious weight gain. Even elevated blood pressure and alcohol abuse can lead to congestive heart failure.
A patient may be examined for congestive heart failure if they have suffered from heart disease in the past, are alcoholic, have a family history of heart problems or show one or all of the symptoms that are caused by congestive heart failure. There are choices of examinations that aid a doctor in diagnosing this heart crisis. Treatment should begin without delay, starting with changes to diet and exercise, as patients should abolish salt from the diet altogether and sternly limit their fluid intake. Further treatment should be done by a professional.
#3 coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease is the most frequent type of heart disease of all, and is also the leading reason of heart attacks. Coronary heart disease is a term that refers to damage to the heart that happens because its blood supply is decreased, and what happens here is that fatty deposits build up on the linings of the blood vessels that provide the heart muscles with blood, resulting in them narrowing. This narrowing decreases the blood supply to the heart muscles and causes pain that is identified as angina.
There are a few factors which are considered as being responsible causes of coronary heart disease. One in particular is high cholesterol that can increase fat concentration in your blood and create the building up of fatty deposits. Another one of the major factors of coronary heart disease is cigarette and tobacco smoke, as a smoker’s risk of getting heart disease is two times that of a nonsmoker, and studies have actually revealed that after five years of quitting smoking, the risk of developing heart disease is the same as that of someone who had never smoked in their life.
#4 pulmonary heart disease
Pulmonary heart disease is heart disease that comes from a lung, or pulmonary, disorder, or a complication of lung problems where the blood flow into the lungs is slowed or even totally blocked, resulting in increased pressure on the lungs. There are a number of different symptoms that typically come with pulmonary heart disease, such as shortness of breath, syncope, dyspnoea, and chest pain.
It is a state which is often misdiagnosed, and has frequently progressed to late stages by the time that it is actually correctly diagnosed. It has been previously chronic and untreatable with a poor survival rate. However, there are now numerous new treatments which are accessible which have extensively improved the overall prognosis of this disease.
#5 rheumatic heart disease
Rheumatic heart disease frequently derives from strep throat infections. This can be a reason for alarm for many because strep throat, while often preventable, is a quite common condition that affects many people who do not treat a minor sore throat infection in time. However, there is no reason to be because rheumatic heart disease that comes from strep throat is fairly rare. Actually, the sheer volume of cases of rheumatic heart disease has decreased considerably since the 1960′s.
If rheumatic fever, which happens due to chronic strep throat, is contracted and leads to rheumatic heart disease, the situation can be treated in a way that is much easier than the common treatments for other types of heart disease. This treatment usually involves taking cortisteroid anti-inflammatory medication to reverse any possible cardiac problems the fever might make. This does not rule out the risk for the requirement for more advanced treatment such as surgery, but it does signify the probability for a simple, yet effective treatment.