y

Heart Disease

Heart disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are the terms which are used interchangeably for different heart related problems such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, rheumatic, congenital, myocarditis, angina, and arrhythmia. These diseases generally compromise the pumping ability of the heart, cause failure of the valve or result in narrowing or hardening of the arteries. The injury or failure of the cardiovascular system will affect the peripheral tissues that depend on the delivery of nutrients and the removal of wastes through the blood vascular system. Narrowing of coronary arteries, high blood pressure, infection and congenital defects are also some of the major heart related complications. Heart disease types: y Coronary heart disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) or coronary heart disease (CHD) is caused due to accumulation of atheromatous plaque within the walls of arteries that supply fresh oxygenated blood to the heart. If the coronary arteries are blocked, the heart will strive for oxygenated blood and if this request is not met, it may lead to chest pain (Angina pectoris) or a heart attack. The common risk factors associated with this disease are hypertension, cigarette smoking, elevated blood lipids, a high fat diet, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes and stress. Atherosclerosis is one of the primary causes of coronary heart disease which leads to narrowing and hardening of the arteries. It is the buildup of fatty deposits called as plaque inside the arteries which carry fresh oxygenated blood to the heart. Some of the major risk factors which can be associated with coronary heart disease are high cholesterol, obesity, stress, smoking, and diet high in fats. Coronary heart disease can also develop due to uncontrollable risk factors such as age, heredity, gender and race. The symptoms associated with coronary heart disease are Chest pain or angina, weakness, dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath especially during any physical activity and even a heart may follow. Well balanced and nutritious diet, regular physical activity, maintaining healthy weight and giving up smoking are some of the preventive measures that can be adopted to avoid coronary artery disease. y Heart attack

Heart attack is a condition which is caused due to breaking of atherosclerosis plaque or is dislodged from the wall of a vessel supplying blood to the heart and is suddenly obstructed. A blood clot can also form on the site of plaque of atherosclerosis in a coronary artery, preventing blood reaching the heart. Due to this the heart muscles are no longer oxygenated and they start to die and are replaced by scar tissue. The heart cannot pump blood efficiently if large areas of heart muscle are replaced by scar tissue. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the major risk factor which leads to a heart attack as the coronary arteries feeding the heart with rich oxygenated blood get completely blocked. Some of the major causes that lead to heart attack are stress, smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, CHD and atherosclerosis. Common symptoms associated with heart attack are angina,

dizziness, cold sweat, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, sweaty skin, paleness and irregular heart rate. Preventive measures should be adopted in the beginning of early childhood to avoid any complications related to heart. A healthy, well balanced, nutritious diet along with regular physical activity and giving up cigarette smoking is very essential for healthy heart and to prevent heart attack. y Cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest is caused due to sudden abrupt loss of heart function as a result normal circulation of blood stops as the heart fails to contract effectively. It is generally caused due to electrical problem in the heart which leads to the death of part of the heart muscle. If it goes untreated for more than five minutes it can lead to severe brain injury or permanent death. During cardiac arrest the heart starts to beat rapidly and quivers instead of pumping blood to the body and brain. When the blood circulating in the body completely stops, the person loses his consciousness within minutes due to lack of oxygen in brain. High blood pressure, CHD, smoking, obesity, diabetes and high blood cholesterol are some of the risk factors which increase the risk of cardiac arrest. Other major risk factors include family history with sudden cardiac arrest, drug abuse, congenital birth defect of heart and arrhythmias. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) most often occurs in patients with heart disease, especially those who have congestive heart failure and have had a heart attack. A person having a cardiac arrest may show symptoms such as dizziness, absent pulse, loss of consciousness and loss of breathing. Maintaining healthy weight, physical activity, taking balanced and nutritious diet are some of the measures that can help to avoid cardiac arrest. Medical checkups and screening of heart diseases will also help to monitor heart health. y Heart failure

Heart failure or congestive heart failure (CHF) is known as the structural or functional disorder of heart that impairs the ability of heart to pump a sufficient amount of blood throughout the body. Due to inefficient pumping ability, fluid starts to buildup in the legs, ankles and feet (edema). Coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and diabetes are the primary causes that lead to congestive heart failure. Heart failure increases the pressure in the heart because blood moves through the heart and the body at a slower rate. Thus the heart loses its ability to pump oxygenated blood and nutrients to other parts of the body and affects the left, right or both the ventricles of the heart. Congestive heart failure can also be caused due to high blood pressure, diseases of the heart valve, Ischemic heart, congenital heart diseases and even a severe anemia. Long term hypertension, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking and high levels of bad cholesterol are often associated with congestive heart failure. During heart failure, heart does not cease completely but lose the efficiency to pump the blood all around the body. Common symptoms associated with heart failure are chest pain, edema, confusion, cardiac asthma, palpitations, fatigue, swelling in the legs, arms and ankles, heavy breathing and rapid heartbeat. Maintaining healthy weight, physical activity, taking balanced and nutritious diet are some of the measures that can help to keep heart healthy and reduce the chances of having a heart failure.