Heart attack, the most common heart disease!
The heart is the most critical and integral part of the body. It pumps oxygenated blood to other parts of the body through the arteries. So any problem arising in the heart or the blood vessels is called heart disease or cardio vascular disease. Older people tend to get heart disease more often than youngsters.
There are many types of heart disease. Some of them are coronary artery disease, arteriosclerosis, angina, stroke and heart attack. Coronary artery disease is a condition where the arteries supplying blood to other parts of the body get blocked. Cholesterol or fats get deposited in the blood vessels and block the smooth flow of blood. When the pumping slows down, it creates a pain in the chest. This pain is known as angina. If the blood supply is totally cut off because of the block, then it leads to a heart attack. In arteriosclerosis, the arteries become thick and this leads to heart disease. When blood supply to the brain slows down, it results in a stroke.
Generally, each type of heart disease will have a different symptom but sometimes, they can all have common symptoms. Some of the major symptoms of heart disease are a squeezing pain in the chest, pain radiating in the arms and back, pain in the jaws, profuse sweating, nausea and vomiting. If a person has any of these symptoms, he should be immediately rushed to the hospital.
There are different ways to ascertain a heart disease. The doctor may opt for an electrocardiogram (ECG), or an echocardiogram or a treadmill test. In an ECG, the electrical activity of the heart is recorded to find out if the heart is normal. If any abnormality is found, then the patient is asked to do further tests like an echocardiography or a treadmill test. The echocardiogram uses sound waves to picture the heart and find out the problems. In a treadmill test, the patient is asked to walk or exercise to know the extent of the problem.
After the initial tests, if the patient is diagnosed as having heart disease, the doctor will then decide about the course of action. If the heart disease is in the early stages and can be controlled with medication, then he is prescribed medicines. Apart from medication, lifestyle modifications also can help cure heart disease. Smoking and high blood pressure are two major factors affecting the heart. So the doctor may advice the patient to stop smoking and get the blood pressure under control. A wholesome diet and a routine exercise are also advised.
Obese people also fall in the high-risk category for heart disease. If a person is obese, he can get problems like blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes, all of which can lead to heart disease. So the doctor might make a strict regimen of exercise and weight loss for these obese people to try and reduce the risk of heart disease.
If the patient suffers from an advanced stage of heart disease where the arteries are blocked, then the doctor may advise an angioplasty or by-pass surgery. In an angioplasty, a balloon is inserted in to the artery to blast off the plaque formation. In some cases, a small metal stent is placed to keep the arteries open. In much advanced stages, a by-pass surgery is done. Here the diseased arteries are by-passed and new veins taken from other parts of the body are placed to help in a smooth flow of blood.
Apart from these, there are other kinds of heart disease too. Sometimes, the rhythm of the heartbeat is disrupted. In this case, a small electronic device called pacemaker is inserted to stabilize the heartbeat. In some cases, the valves in the heart get damaged and need a valve replacement.
Congenital heart diseases are those that are present in a child at birth itself. Sometimes, these diseases can be diagnosed even before birth and treated. These diseases may not show any symptoms in some cases. Some of the symptoms are fast breathing, frequent lung infections etc. Most of them can be treated and cured.
By having a modified lifestyle and regular exercise from an early age, one can prevent heart diseases. Even if a person is diagnosed as having heart disease, with regular medication, exercise and good dietary habits, one can keep the problem under control.
There are many types of heart disease. Some of them are coronary artery disease, arteriosclerosis, angina, stroke and heart attack. Coronary artery disease is a condition where the arteries supplying blood to other parts of the body get blocked. Cholesterol or fats get deposited in the blood vessels and block the smooth flow of blood. When the pumping slows down, it creates a pain in the chest. This pain is known as angina. If the blood supply is totally cut off because of the block, then it leads to a heart attack. In arteriosclerosis, the arteries become thick and this leads to heart disease. When blood supply to the brain slows down, it results in a stroke.
Generally, each type of heart disease will have a different symptom but sometimes, they can all have common symptoms. Some of the major symptoms of heart disease are a squeezing pain in the chest, pain radiating in the arms and back, pain in the jaws, profuse sweating, nausea and vomiting. If a person has any of these symptoms, he should be immediately rushed to the hospital.
There are different ways to ascertain a heart disease. The doctor may opt for an electrocardiogram (ECG), or an echocardiogram or a treadmill test. In an ECG, the electrical activity of the heart is recorded to find out if the heart is normal. If any abnormality is found, then the patient is asked to do further tests like an echocardiography or a treadmill test. The echocardiogram uses sound waves to picture the heart and find out the problems. In a treadmill test, the patient is asked to walk or exercise to know the extent of the problem.
After the initial tests, if the patient is diagnosed as having heart disease, the doctor will then decide about the course of action. If the heart disease is in the early stages and can be controlled with medication, then he is prescribed medicines. Apart from medication, lifestyle modifications also can help cure heart disease. Smoking and high blood pressure are two major factors affecting the heart. So the doctor may advice the patient to stop smoking and get the blood pressure under control. A wholesome diet and a routine exercise are also advised.
Obese people also fall in the high-risk category for heart disease. If a person is obese, he can get problems like blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes, all of which can lead to heart disease. So the doctor might make a strict regimen of exercise and weight loss for these obese people to try and reduce the risk of heart disease.
If the patient suffers from an advanced stage of heart disease where the arteries are blocked, then the doctor may advise an angioplasty or by-pass surgery. In an angioplasty, a balloon is inserted in to the artery to blast off the plaque formation. In some cases, a small metal stent is placed to keep the arteries open. In much advanced stages, a by-pass surgery is done. Here the diseased arteries are by-passed and new veins taken from other parts of the body are placed to help in a smooth flow of blood.
Apart from these, there are other kinds of heart disease too. Sometimes, the rhythm of the heartbeat is disrupted. In this case, a small electronic device called pacemaker is inserted to stabilize the heartbeat. In some cases, the valves in the heart get damaged and need a valve replacement.
Congenital heart diseases are those that are present in a child at birth itself. Sometimes, these diseases can be diagnosed even before birth and treated. These diseases may not show any symptoms in some cases. Some of the symptoms are fast breathing, frequent lung infections etc. Most of them can be treated and cured.
By having a modified lifestyle and regular exercise from an early age, one can prevent heart diseases. Even if a person is diagnosed as having heart disease, with regular medication, exercise and good dietary habits, one can keep the problem under control.
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