Heart Attack & Heart Failure at Heart Care Info
There are numerous distinct disorders that relate to heart. These include arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis, angina, heart attack, and heart failure, arrhythmias, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, heart murmurs, rheumatic heart disease, valvular disease, mitral valve prolapse and high blood pressure or hypertension.
Like any muscle, the heart needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients that are carried to it by the blood in the coronary arteries. When the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged and cannot supply enough blood to the heart, the result is coronary heart disease.
Coronary Heart Disease:
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The most common type of heart disease is coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease. It is the No. 1 killer in America, affecting more than 12 million Americans. Coronary heart disease develops when one or more of the coronary arteries that supply the blood to the heart become narrower than they used to be. This happens because of a buildup of cholesterol and other substances in the wall of the blood vessel, affecting the blood flow to the heart muscle.
Symptoms: The most common symptom is angina or "angina pectoris." Angina can be described as a discomfort, heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, fullness, squeezing or painful feeling. Other sypmtoms are shortness of breath, faster heartbeat, sweating.
Angina Pectoris:
Angina is chest pain caused by coronary heart disease, a partial blockage of the coronary arteries. It occurs when the heart muscle doesn't get as much blood (hence as much oxygen) as it needs. This usually happens because one or more of the heart's arteries is narrowed or blocked. Insufficient blood supply is called ischemia.
Symptoms: Some risk factors for developing angina are male sex, family history of angina, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and stress.
Heart Attack:
A heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs when a coronary artery abruptly fails to deliver blood to a part of your heart. Coronary arteries are the blood vessels on the surface of your heart. They bring oxygen and nutrients to your heart muscle (myocardium)
Symptoms: Symptoms of a heart attack include: Discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm or below the breastbone, Rapid or irregular heartbeats, Difficulty breathing, Nausea, vomiting, Dizziness, weakness.
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Abnormal Heart Rhythm (Arrhythmia)
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An irregular heartbeat is an arrhythmia (also called dysrhythmia)
What Causes an Arrhythmia?
Arrhythmias may be caused by many different factors, including:
* Coronary artery disease.
* Electrolyte imbalances in your blood (such as sodium or potassium).
* Changes in your heart muscle.
* Injury from a heart attack.
* Healing process after heart surgery.
Irregular heart rhythms can also occur in "normal, healthy" hearts.
What Are the Types of Arrhythmias?
The types of arrhythmias include:
* Premature atrial contractions. These are early extra beats that originate in the atria (upper chambers of the heart). They are harmless and do not require treatment.
* Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). These are among the most common arrhythmias and occur in people with and without heart disease. This is the skipped heartbeat we all occasionally experience. In some people, it can be related to stress, too much caffeine or nicotine, or too much exercise. But sometimes, PVCs can be caused by heart disease or electrolyte imbalance. People who have a lot of PVCs, and/or symptoms associated with them, should be evaluated by a heart doctor. However, in most people, PVCs are usually harmless and rarely need treatment.
* Atrial fibrillation. AF is a very common irregular heart rhythm that causes the atria, the upper chambers of the heart to contract abnormally.
* Atrial flutter. This is an arrhythmia caused by one or more rapid circuits in the atrium. Atrial flutter is usually more organized and regular than atrial fibrillation. This arrhythmia occurs most often in people with heart disease, and in the first week after heart surgery. It often converts to atrial fibrillation.
* Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). A rapid heart rate, usually with a regular rhythm, originating from above the ventricles. PSVT begins and ends suddenly. There are two main types: accessory path tachycardias and AV nodal reentrant tachycardias (see below).
* Accessory pathway tachycardias. A rapid heart rate due to an extra abnormal pathway or connection between the atria and the ventricles. The impulses travel through the extra pathways as well as through the usual route. This allows the impulses to travel around the heart very quickly, causing the heart to beat unusually fast.
* AV nodal reentrant tachycardia. A rapid heart rate due to more than one pathway through the AV node. It can cause heart palpitations, fainting or heart failure. In many cases, it can be terminated using a simple maneuver performed by a trained HeartCare-Info professional, medications or a pacemaker.
* Ventricular tachycardia (V-tach). A rapid heart rhythm originating from the lower chambers (or ventricles) of the heart. The rapid rate prevents the heart from filling adequately with blood; therefore, less blood is able to pump through the body. This can be a serious arrhythmia, especially in people with heart disease, and may be associated with more symptoms. A heart doctor should evaluate this arrhythmia.
* Ventricular fibrillation. An erratic, disorganized firing of impulses from the ventricles. The ventricles quiver and are unable to contract or pump blood to the body. This is a HeartCare-Info emergency that must be treated with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation as soon as possible.
* Long QT syndrome. The QT interval is the area on the electrocardiogram (ECG) that represents the time it takes for the heart muscle to contract and then recover, or for the electrical impulse to fire impulses and then recharge. When the QT interval is longer than normal, it increases the risk for "torsade de pointes," a life-threatening form of ventricular tachycardia. Long QT syndrome is an inherited condition that can cause sudden death in young people. It can be treated with antiarrhythmic drugs, pacemaker, electrical cardioversion, defibrillation, implanted cardioverter/
* Bradyarrhythmias. These are slow heart rhythms, which may arise from disease in the heart's electrical conduction system. Examples include sinus node dysfunction and heart block.
* Sinus node dysfunction. A slow heart rhythm due to an abnormal SA (sinus) node. Sinus node dysfunction is treated with a pacemaker.
* Heart block. A delay or complete block of the electrical impulse as it travels from the sinus node to the ventricles. The level of the block or delay may occur in the AV node or HIS-Purkinje system. The heart may beat irregularly and, often, more slowly. If serious, heart block is treated with a pacemaker.
What Are the Symptoms of Arrhythmias?
An arrhythmia can be silent and not cause any symptoms. A doctor can detect an irregular heartbeat during a physical exam by taking your pulse or through an electrocardiogram (ECG).
When symptoms occur, they may include:
* Palpitations (a feeling of skipped heart beats, fluttering or "flip-flops,
* Pounding in your chest.
* Dizziness or feeling light-headed.
* Fainting.
* Shortness of breath.
* Chest discomfort.
* Weakness or fatigue (feeling very tired).
How Are Arrhythmias Diagnosed?
Tests used to diagnose an arrhythmia or determine its cause include:
* Electrocardiogram
* Holter monitor
* Event monitor
* Stress test
* Echocardiogram
* Cardiac catheterization
* Electrophysiology study (EPS)
* Head-up tilt table test
How Are Arrhythmias Treated?
Treatment depends on the type and seriousness of your arrhythmia. Some people with arrhythmias require no treatment. For others, treatments can include medication, making lifestyle changes and undergoing surgical procedures.
What Medications Are Used to Treat Arrhythmias?
A variety of drugs are available to treat arrhythmias. These include:
* Antiarrhythmic drugs. These drugs control heart-rate, and include beta-blockers.
* Anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy. These drugs reduce the risk of blood clots and stroke. These include warfarin (a "blood thinner") or aspirin.
Because everyone is different, it may take trials of several medications and doses to find the one that works best for you.
What Lifestyle Changes Should Be Made?
* If you notice that your irregular heart rhythm occurs more often with certain activities, you should avoid them.
* If you smoke, stop.
* Limit your intake of alcohol.
* Limit or stop using caffeine. Some people are sensitive to caffeine and may notice more symptoms when using caffeine products (such as tea, coffee, colas and some over-the-counter medications)
* Stay away from stimulants used in cough and cold medications. Some such medications contain ingredients that promote irregular heart rhythms. Read the label and ask your doctor or pharmacist what medication would be best for you.
What Is Electrical Cardioversion?
If drugs are not able to control a persistent irregular heart rhythm (such as atrial fibrillation)
What Is a Pacemaker?
A pacemaker is a device that sends small electrical impulses to the heart muscle to maintain a suitable heart rate. Pacemakers primarily prevent the heart from beating too slowly. The pacemaker has a pulse generator (which houses the battery and a tiny computer) and leads (wires) that send impulses from the pulse generator to the heart muscle. Newer pacemakers have many sophisticated features that are designed to help manage arrhythmias and optimize heart-rate-related function as much as possible.
What Is an Implantable Cardioverter-
An ICD is a sophisticated device used primarily to treat ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, two life-threatening heart rhythms. The ICD constantly monitors the heart rhythm. When it detects a very fast, abnormal heart rhythm, it delivers energy to the heart muscle to cause the heart to beat in a normal rhythm again. There are several ways the ICD can be used to restore normal heart rhythm. They include:
* Anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP). When the heart beats too fast, a series of small electrical impulses may be delivered to the heart muscle to restore a normal heart rate and rhythm.
* Cardioversion. A low energy shock may be delivered at the same time as the heart beats to restore normal heart rhythm.
* Defibrillation. When the heart is beating dangerously fast or irregularly, a higher energy shock may be delivered to the heart muscle to restore a normal rhythm.
* Anti-bradycardia pacing. Many ICDs provide back-up pacing to prevent too slow of a heart rhythm.
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