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Why you need to be aware of congenital heart diseases and its complications?

Why You Need To Be Aware Of Congenital Heart Disease And Its Complication?

Introduction

A large number of patients are unaware of congenital heart diseases and end up taking treatment after the condition has progressed. This leaves the patient at risk of adverse events and possible complications. Unlike other heart disease conditions, awareness of possible congenital heart defects is relatively easy to achieve. Tests are presently available to help screen for congenital defects and inherited conditions, allowing patients to seek timely treatment.

Is Nursing Diagnosis Of Congenital Heart Disease Possible And How?

Nursing diagnosis for congenital heart disease is possible and an important aspect in treatment of congenital heart disease. This helps caring for the patient by identifying specific problems, and planning for potential complications. Let us take a look at the approach to nursing diagnosis:

  1. Assessment – involves collection of data from medical history, physical examination, and results of diagnostic tests. This helps to monitor vital signs, oxygen saturation, heart sounds, and symptoms like cyanosis. 
  2. Identify problems – on the basis of the data, identify specific congenital heart disease issues. These include impaired gas exchange, reduced cardiac output and risk of infection.
  3. Planning treatment – involves an approach focused on goals and interventions as per the identified nursing diagnoses. This could be improving oxygenation, and preventing complications.
  4. Implementation and evaluation – of interventions through actions like monitoring vital signs, ensuring medicine intake and periodic evaluation.

What Are Main Congenital Heart Disease Types?

These conditions refer to structural heart defects present at the time of birth. The different congenital heart disease types include the following main types. These conditions vary in terms of category of defect and intensity:

  • Atrial septal defect – is because of a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart. This causes increased blood flow to the lungs, resulting in possible heart failure when left untreated.
  • Ventricular septal defect – is because of a hole in the wall between the two lower chambers of the heart. This causes high blood pressure in the lungs and possible heart failure.
  • Patent ductus arteriosus – is due to an opening between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. This usually closes after birth, and may cause possible heart failure and complications. 
  • Tetralogy of Fallot – is due to a combination of four heart defects, and can result in oxygen deprivation and cyanosis. The four defects include VSD, pulmonary stenosis, right ventricular hypertrophy, and an overriding aorta.
  • Transposition of the great arteries – is due to swapping of the aorta and pulmonary artery. This causes blood with poor oxygen to circulate in the body, while oxygen-rich blood goes to the lungs.
  • Coarctation of the aorta – is due to narrowed aorta resulting in increased blood pressure and possible damage to the heart.
  • Pulmonary stenosis – is due to narrowing of the outflow tract from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery. This could cause possible heart failure.
  • Aortic stenosis – is due to narrowing of the aortic valve, limiting blood flow from the heart to the aorta. This causes pain in the chest, fainting, and heart failure.
  • Other conditions – include Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return and Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. The latter is a complex condition and may require multiple surgical procedures.

How To Diagnose Baby Congenital Heart Disease?

The diagnosis of baby congenital heart disease involves a combination of relying on medical history, physical examination, and specific tests. Here is a look at the diagnostic processes involved:

  1. Medical history – is reviewed to check family history of heart defects or genetic components of disease. The patient’s health issues during pregnancy, are also reviewed. For instance, diabetes, infections, or use of specific medications are assessed.
  2. Physical examination – involves a detailed physical examination, to look for cyanosis – bluish appearance of skin around the face. Other signs that are checked include difficulty breathing, heart murmurs, and lesser than normal weight gain.
  3. Pulse oximetry – is used to measure blood oxygen saturation levels that may indicate heart or lung issues.
  4. Chest X-ray – offers images of the heart and lungs to identify the size of the heart, shape, and any fluid buildup.
  5. Electrocardiogram – is used to measure the electrical activity of the heart, and can identify signs of heart strain.
  6. Echocardiogram – visualizes the heart’s structure and function, to diagnose specific heart defects and to assess blood flow.
  7. Cardiac catheterization – is an invasive procedure to measure pressures within the heart chambers and to assess blood flow, oxygen levels.
  8. Genetic testing – this is recommended to identify possible genetic defects, chromosomal abnormalities or genetic syndromes. Advanced genetic testing facilities in Tamilnadu help patients identify genetic components of heart disease, including inherited and congenital conditions.

What Is Congenital Heart Disease Blue Baby And How Can The Condition Be Treated?

This condition, also known as “blue babies” is due to a category of congenital heart disease. These conditions cause inadequate oxygen levels in the blood, resulting in a bluish appearance of the skin. This is typically visible around the lips and limb extremities, and is known as cyanosis.

Diagnosis of the condition is through a combination of physical examination, pulse oximetry, echocardiogram, and imaging studies, explained above. Treatment options include the following:

Medicines such as prostaglandins, diuretics, surgical procedures, palliative surgery, corrective procedures, catheter-based procedures and heart transplant.

Which Is The Most Effective Congenital Acyanotic Heart Disease Treatment?

Conditions without mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, without typical symptoms of heart murmurs and cyanosis are known as acyanotic congenital heart diseases. Treatment of heart disease of this type depends on the specific defect, severity, and symptoms. Common approaches that are considered as effective for specific conditions are outlined below:

  • Atrial Septal Defect – treatment involves the use of diuretics or heart rate control medications. Open-heart surgery or catheter-based procedure may also be used to plug the hole.
  • Ventricular Septal Defect – treatment includes diuretics and medicines to help the heart pump effectively. Surgical closure is also performed to prevent heart failure and pulmonary hypertension.  
  • Patent Ductus Arteriosus – is treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and surgical ligation or catheter-based closure.
  • Aortic Stenosis – is treated with balloon valvuloplasty to widen the narrowed valve.
  • Pulmonary Stenosis – is treated with balloon valvuloplasty to relieve the narrowing at the valve.
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Clear definition of heart disease and terms related to heart disease conditions

Clear Definition Of Heart Disease And Terms Related To Heart Disease Conditions

Introduction

Despite the relatively high number of heart disease cases annually, most people are unaware of different types of heart diseases. This contributes to poor preparedness, resulting in possible complications and risk of adverse events. Here are details to help gain an understanding of different conditions along with a brief definition of heart disease. This will help in opting for screening and seeking timely treatment, for better outcomes.

Quick View Of Complete Heart Disease List A-Z

As part of a better understanding of definition of heart disease here’s a quick look at various types of heart diseases displayed alphabetically.

  • Aortic Aneurysm
  • Aortic Stenosis
  • Arrhythmia
  • Arteriosclerosis
  • Brugada Syndrome
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Coronary Artery Disease  
  • Congenital Heart Disease
  • Chronic Heart Failure
  • Dilated Cardiomyopathy
  • Double Outlet Right Ventricle
  • Endocarditis
  • Eisenmenger Syndrome
  • Familial Hypercholesterolemia
  • Group A Streptococcus Infections  
  • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
  • Heart Failure
  • Heart Valve Disease
  • Ischemic Heart Disease
  • Infective Endocarditis
  • Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
  • Mitral Valve Prolapse
  • Myocarditis
  • Non-ischemic Cardiomyopathy
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea  
  • Peripheral Artery Disease
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Patent Ductus Arteriosus
  • Rheumatic Heart Disease
  • Right Heart Failure
  • Sudden Cardiac Arrest
  • Supraventricular Tachycardia  
  • Tetralogy of Fallot
  • Transposition of the Great Arteries
  • Unstable Angina
  • Valvular Heart Disease

Which Is The Most Commonly Known Heart Disease Name?

With the alphabetically sorted list of heart diseases displayed above, it is time to focus on the most commonly known heart disease. Coronary Artery Disease also known as ischemic heart disease, is regarded as one of the most common heart diseases.

CAD is due to the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries, with symptoms like pain in the chest, difficulty breathing, and fatigue. This can cause heart attacks when the blood flow is fully blocked. It is regarded as the leading cause of heart attacks and most individuals are most familiar with CAD.

As part of a detailed definition of heart disease conditions, let us now look at other commonly known heart-related diseases. This is apart from CAD, outlined above. 

  • Heart failure – refers to the inability of the heart to pump blood causing symptoms such as fatigue and buildup of fluid.
  • Arrhythmias – refers to abnormal heart rhythms that affect blood flow. 
  • Heart valve disease – is due to damage or defects in the heart valve or valves, causing narrowing or regurgitation. 
  • Myocardial infarction – this is commonly known as a heart attack, and occurs when there is blockage of blood flow to the heart.
  • Congenital heart defects – refer to heart problems at birth that result in structural abnormalities or functional issues affecting flow of blood through the heart.
  • Rheumatic heart disease – is due to damaged heart valves from rheumatic fever. 

Other conditions are listed in the first section and the respective severity depends on the category and condition.

Which Name Of Heart Disease Is Most Serious Among All Heart Disease Conditions?

As outlined earlier, seriousness of heart disease depends on different factors or combination of factors. However, Coronary Artery Disease has the distinction of being regarded as the most serious forms of heart disease. This is because of its potential to cause life-threatening conditions:

CAD is the major cause of heart attacks, with possible damage or death of heart muscle. It has one of the higher mortality rates, and is one of the leading causes of death globally. As seen in the definition of heart disease CAD progresses silently over many years. Most patients are unaware of being affected by CAD, till occurrence of an adverse event. 

Gradually the heart weakens as a result of reduced blood flow, causing heart failure. This condition occurs when the heart does not pump sufficient blood as required. Other serious conditions include heart failure, arrhythmias, aortic aneurysm, and rheumatic heart disease.  

What Are The Common Tests To Check For Disease Of Heart?

With the definition of heart disease and serious conditions outlined above, let us understand more about tests. Various tests are used to diagnose heart disease and to evaluate heart health, including the following: 

  • Electrocardiogram – to measure the electrical activity of the heart, and detect arrhythmias, heart enlargement, and earlier occurrences of heart attacks.
  • Echocardiogram – is an ultrasound of the heart that visualizes the heart’s structure and function.
  • Stress test – assesses the performance of the heart during physical stress. This is used to identify coronary artery disease and also to determine the capacity of the person to take part in exercises.
  • Chest X-ray – visualizes the heart and lungs, displaying the size of the heart and possible fluid buildup in the lungs.
  • Cardiac catheterization – is used to picturize flow of blood and identify blockages in the coronary arteries.
  • Blood tests – measure various levels ad vital signs, like cholesterol, triglycerides, and inflammation. This helps to evaluate risk of heart disease and detect heart damage. 
  • Holter monitor – is used to detect arrhythmias, through assessments carried out over a day or two days. The device is essentially a portable ECG device to monitor heart rhythms.
  • CT scan – offers detailed images of the heart’s structures and helps look for signs of coronary artery disease. This is by visualizing blood vessels and identifying blockages.
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging – offers detailed images of the heart and structures to assess heart function, scarring, and congenital heart defects.
  • Ankle-Brachial Index – is a test to compare blood pressure levels in the ankle and the arm. This comparison can help indicate peripheral artery disease, related to heart disease.

Advanced genetic testing facilities, presently available in Tamilnadu, also help in identifying inherited conditions and congenital defects. These tests help in clearly pinpointing future risk or lifetime risk of heart diseases and conditions due to genetic reasons. For instance, a person may have inherited risk of hypertension, or cholesterol. Similarly, a person may have congenital defects that were not detected during childbirth.

The tests involve analyzing samples of blood or saliva to look for genetic components of heart disease. Based on the findings, the patient is recommended treatment by consulting specialist cardiologists.

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What Are The Common Heart disease Symptoms?

What are the common and uncommon types of heart disease?

Introduction

Most people are aware of some of the common heart diseases. However, there are multiple conditions that are not commonly known. These are complex types of heart disease that require awareness, to ensure better treatment outcomes. This includes congenital conditions that can actually be screened to give a clear prediction of possible outcomes in the future or lifetime. Blood or saliva samples are used in determining genetic conditions that cause heart diseases. Let us look at important information regarding some conditions

What is the most common congenital heart disease in children?

Ventricular septal defect is considered as the most common congenital heart disease in children.  As we learn more about the different types of heart disease let us take a good look at VSD and the reason behind its prevalence:

The condition refers to a defect in the ventricular septum, the wall between the heart’s left and right ventricles. As a result of this, blood flows between the ventricles, affecting heart function and increasing the heart’s workload. In children, the condition accounts for about 20-30% of all congenital heart conditions. 

Symptoms of VSD  

  •       Difficulty breathing.
  •       Tiredness. 
  •       Increased pace of breathing
  •       Lesser than average weight gain among infants.
  •       Abnormally high number of respiratory infections.

What are the common congenital heart disease conditions?

Let us look at the different types of heart disease that are congenital in nature. These refer to conditions that affect the structure and functioning of the heart from birth. The complexity and the severity of the defects vary, and determine the conditions, as outlined below:

  1. Ventricular Septal Defect – a hole in the wall between the heart’s left and right ventricles.  
  2. Atrial Septal Defect – a hole in the wall between the heart’s left and right atria
  3. Patent Ductus Arteriosus – failure of the blood vessel between the pulmonary artery and the aorta to close after birth.  
  4. Tetralogy of Fallot – a combination of four abnormalities. 
  5. Transposition of the great arteries – swapping of the aorta and the pulmonary arteries.  
  6. Coarctation of the aorta – narrowing of the aorta.  
  7. Pulmonary stenosis – narrowing of the tract from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery.
  8. Aortic stenosis – narrowing of the aortic valve.
  9. Tricuspid atresia – Improper development of the tricuspid valve.
  10. Ebstein’s anomaly – malformation of the tricuspid valve and incorrect positioning.

What are the complex congenital heart disease conditions?

While there are many types of heart disease that are congenital in nature, some are considered as complex. These involve intricate abnormalities of the heart’s structure and function, demanding specialized care. Some of the complex congenital heart diseases include the following:

  1. Tetralogy of Fallot – as outlined above, this refers to a combination of four heart defects, as listed below. This condition causes symptoms such as cyanosis, difficulty breathing, and tiredness. Cyanosis refers to abnormal bluish skin color.
  •       Ventricular Septal Defect – hole between the ventricles.
  •       Pulmonary stenosis – narrowing of the tract between right ventricle and pulmonary artery.
  •       Right ventricular hypertrophy – thickening of right ventricular wall.
  •       Overriding aorta – improper position of the aorta.
  1. Transposition of the great arteries – this refers to swapping of the aorta and pulmonary artery. This causes circulation of oxygen-poor blood through the body and oxygen-rich blood through the lungs. Symptoms include severe cyanosis, difficulty breathing, and reduced oxygen levels.
  2. Truncus arteriosus – this refers to the condition of a single large vessel emerging from the heart instead of the aorta and pulmonary artery. This triggers symptoms like cyanosis, difficulty breathing, and reduced intake. 
  3. Total anomalous pulmonary venous return – swapped connection of the pulmonary veins to the right atrium, instead of the left atrium. This causes symptoms like severe cyanosis, difficulty breathing, and heart failure.
  4. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome – underdeveloped left ventricle, mitral valve, and aortic valve, affecting pumping of blood. This causes symptoms like severe cyanosis, rapid breathing, and heart failure.
  5. Double outlet right ventricle – emergence of the aorta and pulmonary artery from the right ventricle, causing mixing of blood. This is indicated through symptoms like cyanosis, difficulty breathing, and lesser than average growth.
  6. Ebstein’s anomaly – malformed tricuspid valve and incorrect positioning resulting in enlarged right atrium. Symptoms include cyanosis, heart murmur, heart failure and arrhythmias. 
  7. Double outlet left ventricle – emergence of the aorta and pulmonary artery from the left ventricle, causing mixing of blood. Symptoms include cyanosis and difficulty breathing.
  8. Complex single ventricle – multiple conditions due to underdeveloped ventricles, causing symptoms like cyanosis, heart failure, and impaired physical abilities.

What is meant by coronary heart disease ICD 10?

The ICD-10, is an acronym for (International Classification of Diseases, and refers to a coding system. These codes are intended to help document, diagnose, and manage different types of heart disease better. Coronary heart disease receives a range of codes in ICD 10 to describe conditions caused by narrowing or blockage of coronary arteries. The ICD-10 codes for coronary heart disease are:

I20 – Angina Pectoris

I20.0: Unstable angina

I20.1: Angina pectoris with specified angina  

I20.8: Other conditions of angina pectoris

I20.9: Angina pectoris, unspecified

I21 – Acute Myocardial Infarction  

I21.0: ST elevation (STEMI) myocardial infarction of the anterior wall

I21.1: ST elevation (STEMI) myocardial infarction of the inferior wall

I21.9: Acute myocardial infarction, unspecified

I22 – Subsequent Myocardial Infarction

I22.0: Subsequent ST elevation (STEMI) myocardial infarction of the anterior wall

I22.1: Subsequent ST elevation (STEMI) myocardial infarction of the inferior wall

I22.9: Subsequent myocardial infarction, unspecified

I23 – Certain Late Effects of Acute Myocardial Infarction

I23.0: Post-myocardial infarction aneurysm of the heart

I23.8: Other late effects of acute myocardial infarction

I25 – Chronic Ischemic Heart Disease

I25.1: Atherosclerotic heart disease of native coronary artery

I25.10: Atherosclerotic heart disease of unspecified type of artery

I25.11: Atherosclerotic heart disease of native coronary artery with angina pectoris

I25.2: Old myocardial infarction

I25.5: Ischemic cardiomyopathy

What is meant by acute ischemic heart disease ICD 10?

This refers to conditions caused by a sudden blockage or reduction of flow of blood to the heart muscle. This causes symptoms such as pain in the chest or discomfort. The ICD 10 codes for these types of heart disease are given above. Here is a quick explanation of the condition.

Acute myocardial infarction identified by ICD Code I21 refers to a heart attack, due to blockage in one or more coronary arteries. There are specific codes or subset of codes within I21 to differentiate between different conditions.

Angina Pectoris identified by ICD code I20 refers to unstable angina that could precede acute myocardial infarction.

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Can heart valve disease be treated with medications?

Can heart valve disease be treated with medications?

Introduction

More than one fourth of the global rheumatic heart disease cases are from India. This is one of the most common heart valve disease and most people are unaware of the condition until it progresses to an advanced stage. Let us take a look at important information about the condition.

What is heart valve disease treatment?

Treatment of heart valve disease will depend on the actual or specific problem, severity, observed symptoms, and patient’s overall health. It is to be noted that heart valve disease may affect one or more than one of the four valves. The four different valves are aortic, mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary valves. Different treatment options typically used for heart valve disease include the following:

  1. Changes in lifestyle

This is ideal for cases that are mild or when there is a need for supportive care, when other treatments are ongoing.  This includes switching to a heart healthy diet, takin part in routine exercise or physical activity, and controlling other risk factors. For instance, keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels in control. 

  1. Medications

This is to manage symptoms, ensure that there are no future complications, and to control conditions inked with valve disease. Medicines usually recommended include diuretics, anticoagulants, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers. 

  1. Valve repair

In a high percentage of cases, valve repair may be surgically undertaken. This includes mitral valve repair where the mitral valve is reconstructed through annuloplasty, chordae tendineae repair, and tricuspid valve repair.

  1. Valve replacement

This is for a relatively lesser number of cases where repair will not be effective enough for recovery. This includes replacement with mechanical valves made from durable materials like metal or carbon. This may also include use of biological tissue valves from animal tissues or from human donor tissue. Another method is transcatheter aortic valve replacement, for insertion of new valve via a catheter. 

  1. Management  

It will also be necessary to manage complications from the conditions. For instance, arrhythmias will have to be managed through cardioversion or ablation. Similarly, medicines, and changes in lifestyle may be necessary to deal with heart failure. It may sometimes also need advanced options like placement of a ventricular assist device.

What are the common valvular heart disease symptoms?

The symptoms of heart valve disease are not always the same, and will depend on the affected heart valve, apart from severity of the condition. However, some symptoms can be considered as typical and lined with different types of valvular heart disease, as listed below:

  1. Aortic valve disease

When there is aortic stenosis, the following symptoms may be observed:

  •       Difficulty breathing
  •       Pain in the chest.
  •       Overall tiredness.  
  •       Dizzy feelings. 
  •       Heart murmurs. 

Wen there is aortic regurgitation, the following symptoms may be observed:

  •       Difficulty breathing. 
  •       Irregular heartbeats.
  •       Overall tiredness. 
  •       Fluid buildup in the feet.
  1. Mitral valve disease

When there is mitral stenosis, the following symptoms may be experienced:

  •       Difficulty breathing. 
  •       Overall tiredness. 
  •       Irregular heartbeats.
  •       Continuous cough.
  •       Blood in sputum.

When there is mitral regurgitation, the following symptoms may be experienced:

  •       Difficulty breathing. 
  •       Overall tiredness. 
  •       Irregular heartbeats.
  •       Fluid buildup in the feet.
  1. Tricuspid valve disease

When there is tricuspid stenosis, the following symptoms may be observed:

  •       Swelling in the legs.
  •       Some discomfort in the abdomen. 
  •       Difficulty breathing.

When there is tricuspid regurgitation, the following symptoms may be experienced:

  •       Swelling in the legs.
  •       Overall tiredness. 
  •       Difficulty breathing. 
  1. Pulmonary valve disease

When there is pulmonary stenosis, the following symptoms may be experienced:

  •       Difficulty breathing. 
  •       Overall tiredness. 
  •       Pain in the chest.

When there is pulmonary regurgitation, the following symptoms may be experienced:

  •     Difficulty breathing. 
  •     Overall tiredness. 
  •     Swelling in the legs.

What is WHO classification of heart disease in pregnancy?

The World Health Organization relies on a system to classify heart disease in pregnancy based on the severity and impact. This is to manage the condition better among pregnant women, especially those with existing heart conditions or heart valve disease.

Different WHO classifications

Class I: No Increased Risk – this refers to pregnant women with heart conditions who do not have any increased risk of complications.  Examples of conditions in this category are asymptomatic congenital heart disease, and mild mitral valve prolapse.

Class II: Mildly Increased Risk – this refers to pregnant women with some increased risk of complications that can be managed. Examples include moderate aortic stenosis/regurgitation, stable mitral stenosis and controlled atrial septal defect.

Class III: Significantly Increased Risk – this refers to pregnant women with a significant risk of complications. This may impact both the mother and the fetus and require special care. Examples include severe aortic stenosis/regurgitation, severe mitral stenosis, uncontrolled atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias and heart failure.

Class IV: Very High Risk – this refers to pregnant women with a very high risk of severe complications. This affects cardiac function and demands specialized care from a multidisciplinary team of specialists. Examples include severe heart failure, severe left ventricular dysfunction, severe pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, and complex congenital heart defects. Severe systemic diseases also belong to this category, like advanced rheumatic heart disease or serious valve disease.

Is it possible to reverse heart disease?

It may not be possible to completely reverse heart disease, but considerable improvement can be achieved. The extent of improvement and management depends on the type and the actual stage or progression of the disease. These complex factors determine the extent of reversal. Heart valve disease can only be managed to prevent complications, and to mitigate the outcomes through interventions. Here is a quick outline of managing heart disease:

  • Changes to lifestyle – this includes a heart-healthy diet to reduce risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Regular physical activity is necessary to improve cardiovascular health as it strengthens the heart muscle and improves blood circulation. Other changes include weight management, quitting smoking, and cutting down on alcohol intake.
  • Medicines – such as statins to lower cholesterol levels; ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers to control high blood pressure. Other medicines include aspirin to prevent blood clots, and medicines for controlling blood sugar levels.
  • Procedures – such as angioplasty and stenting to open blocked coronary arteries and keep it open. Other surgeries include Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting to bypass blocked arteries. Heart valve disease related surgeries include valve repair or replacement.
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Are there any special populations and risk of cardiovascular disease?

Are there any special populations and risk classification of cardiovascular diseases?

Introduction

India has the unenviable position of having a higher fatality rate for cardiovascular disease. Globally, the rate is 233 for every 1,00,000, while in India it is 282 for every 1,00,000 of the population. When combined with the high population levels, this works out to a very high number. Certain people are more at risk of the disease than others, and it helps to understand the people of high risk categories. Here is a detailed look at the risk of cardiovascular disease. This will help in opting for necessary screening and remedial measures to reduce the risk of a serious condition.

Severity levels of risk of developing cardiovascular disease

Before we look at the information on special populations and risk classification here is an important note. Those at high risk of CVD have a higher probability of fatalities than those with lower risk of CVD. Let’s dive into the different risk factors classified by severity.

  1. Hypertension – When high blood pressure is not controlled, this can result in possible heart failure and stroke. In addition to this there are other adverse effects due to hypertension. 
  2. Hyperlipidemia – When you have high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, this can result in possible atherosclerosis. This will, in turn put you at high risk of heart attacks and strokes.
  3. Blood sugar – When your diabetes is not controlled, this can cause damage to your blood vessels and nerves. This will, in turn build up increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
  4. Smoking – This is a major risk factor, as smoking causes damage to your blood vessels. It brings down the levels of oxygen in the blood, and facilitates development of atherosclerosis.
  5. Age – Elderly people adults are more at risk, and this is mainly because of the possible comorbid factors from advancing age. This causes increase risk of cardiovascular disease, with elevated risk of fatality.
  6. Gender – While men are known to be at higher risk for CVD, women are exposed to higher risk post-menopause. When women end up in the stage of high risk, this is comparably higher than that of men.

7. Genetic factors – If you have a family history of CVD, you are at higher risk due to the genetic component

Risk of Cardiovascular disease in women

Women are known to be at higher risk of CVD than men, and this risk increases post menopause. In terms of risk category, women can be considered as part of special populations and risk classification. There are two main reasons for high higher risk in women. The first is the biological reason, and the second is certain health conditions and changes post-menopause.

  • One of the main biological reasons is smaller sized heart and narrow blood vessels, when compared with those of men.
  • Health conditions can be broadly classified into the following:
  • Changes in hormones – Estrogen plays an important role by ensuring health of blood vessels, and helps in regulating cholesterol levels. It also possesses anti-inflammatory properties, that is good for heart health. After menopause, estrogen levels reduce, and this removes the protective effects, exposing women to higher risk of CVD.
  • Changes in metabolism – After menopause, women end up with higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, resulting in atherosclerosis. Similarly, menopause is linked to weight gain and abdominal fat. This, in turn causes insulin resistance, exposing women to higher risk of diabetes, that contributes to CVD risk.
  • Blood pressure – After menopause, women end up with high blood pressure levels. This damages arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke.
  • Sedentary lifestyle – Post menopause, women tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle, resulting in weight gain.
  • Stress – One of the outcomes of menopause, is increased stress and depression. These are known to be responsible for higher risk of CVD

Outline of WHO risk classification of cardiovascular disease and pregnancy

As outlined above, women are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease post-menopause. Women are also at risk of CVD during pregnancy, and can be considered as part of special populations and risk classification. The World Health Organization has a risk classification system in place for cardiovascular disease during pregnancy. This is in four different categories, on the basis of type and severity of the underlying cardiovascular condition. 

  • WHO Class I – When pregnant women are at low risk, due to small conditions, like mild pulmonary stenosis, patent ductus arteriosus, mitral valve prolapse.
  • WHO Class II – When there is slightly increased risk due to conditions. These include unoperated atrial or ventricular septal defect, arrhythmias, mild left ventricular impairment.
  • WHO Class II-III – This refers to pregnant women who are at risk levels classified as moderate to severe due to certain conditions. This includes mild left ventricular dysfunction, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and Marfan syndrome with mild aortic dilation.
  • WHO Class III – This applies to pregnant women who are at significantly higher risk from conditions. These include, mechanical heart valve, systemic right ventricle, Fontan circulation and complex congenital heart diseases.
  • WHO Class IV – Refers to women who are at very high risk due to specific conditions. This includes pulmonary arterial hypertension, systemic ventricular dysfunction, aortic dilation, and coarctation of the aorta

Is triglyceride/HDL ratio prediction for cardiovascular disease reliable?

Yes, triglyceride/HDL ratio is regarded as a reliable indicator of special populations and risk classification of cardiovascular disease. The ratio helps assess insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. These are regarded as serious risk factors for heart diseases, like hypertension, diabetes, abdominal fat, and high cholesterol levels.

When the TG/HDL ratio is high, it essentially indicates that the person has high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol. This puts the person at higher risk of developing atherosclerosis, slowly and steadily. This makes the TG/HDL ratio, an effective and reliable predictor of future risk.

How does genetic testing help special populations and risk classification?

Genetic testing helps people of special populations in screening for conditions that could pose future or lifetime risk. Advanced genetic testing facilities are presently available in Tamil Nadu, where you can provide a sample of blood or saliva for genetic analysis. This will reveal if you are genetically predisposed to certain conditions, either by birth defects or by inherited genes. Genetic factors are one of the many reasons for high risk of CVD, and genetic testing reveals this risk.

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How Do CVD Prevention Strategies Help You To Reduce Heart Disease Risk?

How Do CVD Prevention Strategies Help You To Reduce Heart Disease Risk?

Introduction

The right approach and strategies can help prevent cardiovascular disease by almost 80%. This makes it important for greater awareness of the three different CVD prevention strategies. Each level has its own success rate and steps that need to be followed. Here is a detailed look at these prevention strategies that can save your life.

What is primary prevention of cardiovascular disease?

Cardiovascular disease, as outlined above, can be prevented in a large number of cases. This involves different stages of prevention levels. The first is primary prevention, which is intended to prevent the condition from manifesting in people how have not experienced any tell-tale symptoms. The steps in this level are mainly focused on reducing risk factors, through diet and lifestyle modification, including: 

  •       Dietary changes – You will be asked to switch over to a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables. Your diet will typically include whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. You will also be asked to reduce salt, sugar, and saturated fat intake.
  •       Physical activity – You will be recommended a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity daily or about 15 minutes of intensive activity daily.
  •       Smoking – You will be supported in stopping smoking. Cessation is a mandatory requirement to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
  •       Weight – Your weight will be monitored with recommendations to keep it under control, through a combination of the right diet and adequate exercise.
  •       Blood pressure levels – You will be required to make necessary changes in your lifestyle to regulate your blood pressure levels. If required, you may be put on medications to control blood pressure levels. 
  •       Cholesterol – Similarly, your cholesterol levels will also be monitored, with necessary recommendations for regulation through diet and exercise. You may also be required to take medications as required. 
  •       Diabetes – You will be required to control your blood sugar levels through a combination of diet, exercise, and medications.

Effects or outcomes of primary prevention

With the right diet and exercise you can reduce your risk of developing CVD by around 30%.  Smoking is known to reduce risk of coronary heart disease by a staggering 50%. Similarly, when you control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, you can reduce the risk of stroke by approximately 35%.

Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease

The next in the prevention levels is the secondary prevention stage, that is meant for people who have been diagnosed with CVD. This is also meant for people who may have had a recent cardiovascular event, like a heart attack or stroke. The purpose is to stop or slow down the progression of the condition and to avoid any future cardiovascular event. This stage involves:

  •       Medications – You will be prescribed medicines belonging to the categories like antiplatelets, statins, beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors. This is to help you manage the symptoms and to reduce the risk factors significantly.
  •       Lifestyle changes – This is to help you continue or start adopting healthy lifestyle practices. These are similar to the lifestyle changes in the primary prevention stage.
  •       Cardiac rehabilitation – This is intended to put in place a regimen involving structured exercises and awareness. This is to improve your cardiovascular health and to reduce your risk to any possible future recurrence. 
  •       Periodic check-ups – You will have to ensure periodic monitoring of your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. This is to be aware of your risk factors, and take remedial measures when the levels change.
  •       Existing conditions – Some underlying conditions are known to aggravate CVD. For instance, obesity, diabetes and hypertension are all contributing factors. You will be supported in efforts to reduce the effects of these comorbid conditions.

Effects or outcomes of secondary prevention

A diligently followed regimen of medications can reduce your risk levels considerably. For instance, antiplatelet therapy can bring down your risk by around 25%. Statins can help you cut your risk levels of major cardiovascular events by around 25%. Cardiac rehabilitation is known to bring about a reduction of around 20% in mortality rates.

Tertiary prevention of cardiovascular disease

The third stage of the prevention levels is tertiary prevention. This is for people who have been diagnosed with advanced cardiovascular disease. This is also for people who have suffered some recent or past cardiovascular events that are classified as major/serious. The idea is to bring down complications, and help in altering the ability of the person for routine activities. This is achieved through the following: 

  •       Advanced interventions – The person will be put through procedures like angioplasty, stent implantation, coronary artery bypass grafting etc.
  •       Chronic disease treatment – The patient is treated for chronic conditions in a comprehensive and intensive manner. This includes conditions like heart failure, arrhythmias, and other health issues that impact heart health. 
  •       Palliative care – The patient is assisted with palliative care to manage symptoms in a dedicated manner. This will also improve the quality of life of patients in cases where the effects are debilitating.

Effects or outcomes of tertiary prevention

Advanced interventions such as angioplasty and coronary artery bypass grafting can significantly improve chances of survival. This is also known to help the patient live with a better quality of life without the need for assistance.  Implanted devices for heart failure patients can reduce risk of death by around 23%. Effective management of underlying chronic diseases can reduce the need for repeat hospitalization by around 30%.

Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of cardiovascular disease

With the right preventive strategies, you can reduce the risk of CVD significantly. In the first stage, or even before any of the prevention levels, you could opt for screening. This could be for common indicators of risk, such as blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Another important facet of preventive screening is genetic testing.

With genetic testing you can screen for genetic components that contribute to risk of CVD. For instance, your risk of CVD could be due to an inherited condition or it could be a genetic mutation at birth. These conditions or risks can be screened with advance genetic testing facilities that are available in Tamil Nadu. A simple blood or saliva sample is all that is required for a detailed analysis that will rule out or confirm your future or lifetime risk of CVD.

It is therefore possible in most cases to reduce the risk of CVD through a combination of actions. This includes screening, lifestyle modifications, medications and advanced interventions.

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How you can reduce your risk of heart disease with proven prevention strategies?

How you can reduce your risk of heart disease with proven prevention strategies?

Introduction

One of India’s famous television show comedians, Sunil Grover had a heart attack in 2022, and underwent a surgery. He survived and continues to lead a normal life with modifications in lifestyle. There are many examples of Indians emerging out of heart disease, due to timely treatment. However, these situations could have been avoided with the right cardiovascular disease prevention strategies. With the right approach, you can avoid the condition or reduce the effects of the condition. Here is how you can reduce your risk through practical methods.

Why is prevention and control of cardiovascular disease important for Indians?

Before we look at prevention strategies, let’s first take a look at the reasons that put South Asians more at risk of heart disease. Statistics show that the number of South Asians with diabetes, high blood pressure is very high, compared to other ethnicities. 

This is because people from South Asia store fat in a manner that is different from others. The fat is in heavy concentration on the liver, and around abdominal organs. This is one of the reasons for higher prevalence of diabetes and resultant cardiovascular disease.  Similarly, South Asians are known to have higher levels of lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a). This is known to put the person at higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Preventive measures of cardiovascular disease

With the reasons for cardiovascular disease highlighted above, it is time to look at prevention strategies. You need to reduce your risk due to the following reasons that contribute to risk of cardiovascular disease.

  1.   Wrong diet.
  2.   Sedentary lifestyle.
  3.   Smoking.
  4.   Alcohol consumption.
  5.   Existing health conditions – hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes.
  6.   Obesity.
  7.   Genetic reasons.
  8.   Ethnicity.
  9.   Psychological reasons, stress.
  10.   Age, gender.
  11.   Environmental reasons.
  12.   Inflammatory, autoimmune conditions.

Top strategies for prevention cardiovascular disease

The above section has listed out the reasons that need to be tackled in order to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Here is how you can put these in practice as part of prevention strategies to reduce your risk.

  1. Do not smoke – This should be the first action point if you are a smoker.  If you are not a smoker, stay away from places that are designated smoking rooms. Smoking reduces oxygen levels in the blood, and this increases blood pressure levels and heart beat rate.
  2. Ensure daily activity of one hour – This is an effective method, with multiple benefits. From reducing weight, to helping in regulating blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. All of these are contributing factors to cardiovascular disease. You need to have a routine that could include brisk walking, running, strength training etc.
  3. Stick to the right diet – Your diet is a major contributing factor to cardiovascular disease. Therefore, choose a diet that is good for your heart. This should typically include, vegetables, fruits, lean meat, fish, whole grains, healthy fat and airy products that are free from fat.

The first step in dietary modification should be reduction of salt, sugar, refined carbohydrates, processed food, saturated fat, and trans-fat. 

  1. Keep your weight under strict control – Monitor your weight and keep it under control. Overweight people are at risk of heart disease through high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Your body mass index (BMI) should never be 25 or more than 25. 

If you find your weight to be on the higher side, target small weight loss goals. For example, try to bring your down by 5%. This will bring clear benefits such as lower triglycerides and lower blood sugar levels. 

  1. Tackle stress – This is an overlooked reason and it is important that you take necessary measures to keep stress under control. Stress increases blood pressure levels apart from causing behavior changes that can increase your risk. For example, people with stress end up overeating, drinking or smoking.
  2. Screening – Periodic monitoring of your health is mandatory. Especially if there are any factors that increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. This screening will be a marker and help you understand when you need stronger measures to reduce your risk. The tests that you need to take periodically include blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
  3. Avoid infections – Some infections are known to contribute to heart health issues. The best option is to avoid getting infections through proper vaccination and other preventive health care methods.

Other tips for prevention for cardiovascular disease

In addition to the above prevention strategies, it is necessary to be aware if you are genetically predisposed. You should also include one-time genetic testing to screen for genetic predisposition to heart disease.

You need to check if you have a family history of heart disease. Similarly, genetic testing will let you know if you have any genetic mutations from birth. Finally, genetic testing will also determine if you have any inherited conditions that put you at risk of heart disease. Advanced genetic testing facilities are now available in Tamil Nādu, that help you check for these risks through blood or saliva sample analysis.

What are modifiable and non-modifiable reasons for heart disease?

There are certain reasons for cardiovascular disease that can be modified through medications, lifestyle changes etc. For example, you can reduce your weight, your cholesterol levels and your blood pressure levels. These are all known as modifiable risk factors.

There are other reasons that cannot be modified. For example, advancing age is known to be a non-modifiable risk factor. Similarly, inherited conditions, your ethnicity and gender cannot be changed. The only option in the event of non-modifiable risk factors is to have a clear understanding of the risk and take suitable remedial measures to reduce the risk. This could be in the form of medications, in surgical procedures and having a proper response system in place.

This will help you deal with all risks more effectively and in a timely manner. Remember, a large number of people have been saved from heart disease due to timely intervention. The best bet, however, would be to get yourself screened, learn of your future and lifetime risk, and take suitable remedial measures.

 

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How will prediction of heart disease help?

How will prediction of heart disease help?

Introduction

Studies have revealed that people who exercise for around 30 minutes daily, reduced risk of coronary heart disease by 14 percent. This clearly indicates that there are effective methods for the prediction of heart disease that can be combined with different options for reducing risks. For instance, medications, lifestyle modifications, surgical interventions and the right exercise regimen

What is the best exercise for heart disease?

There are multiple exercises that have been determined as good for the heart. This may vary slightly depending on the person. The whole idea is to ensure that you are physically active in some way after relying on reliable prediction of heart disease risk. Exercise is primarily to strengthen the heart muscle, manage weight, and preventing damage to the arteries. This could be from conditions such as high levels of cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. 

The right type of exercises include aerobic exercise and resistance training. Let’s look at how this will help you.

Aerobic exercises

  •       This helps to improve your circulation, and this has many positive outcomes. For instance, your blood pressure levels will reduce and your heart rate will stabilize. Additionally, when you take a treadmill test, the results of the exercise will indicate better cardiac output.
  •       Various conditions such as type 2 diabetes, which contribute to heart disease risk can also be controlled with aerobics. Your aerobics sessions need for a minimum of 30 minutes daily, five days a week or more.

What exercises belong to this category?

Also known as cardio, refer to activity that is continuous and rhythmic to increase your heart rate and breathing. Different exercises within this group target large muscle groups, and examples include walking at a steady pace, running, swimming, cycling, playing tennis and jumping rope.

Resistance Training  

  •       This is intended to have a more focused effect on your body. This is mostly for people with more body fat, as it brings down your body fat while developing leaner muscles. In certain people with heart disease risk, specialists recommend a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training.
  •       This combination will increase HDL cholesterol levels while simultaneously reducing LDL cholesterol levels. You will have to ensure two days of resistance training a week, and there could be a gap of one or two days between sessions. 

What exercises belong to this category?

The intent of resistance training is to make your muscles contract to external resistance. This could be from free weights, resistance bands or even your own body weight. Other than effects on cholesterol levels, it will help regulate blood sugar, control weight and improve muscle. Exercises include working out with dumbbells, barbells, and resistance bands. Your own body weight can be used as resistance training through push-ups, squats and chin-ups.

What is the best exercise for weight loss?

Weight management is important to reduce heart disease risk. You could try a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training to burn calories, and improve metabolic rate. Doctors explain that with more muscle mass, you will burn more calories. When combined with the right diet you can achieve weight loss. Try the following exercises for improving heart health:

  •       Walking.
  •       Running or jogging.
  •       Cycling.
  •       Swimming.
  •       Dancing. 
  •       Lifting weights. 
  •       Push-ups, squats, lunges, and planks.
  •       High-Intensity Interval Training

How effective is exercise for heart disease?

Similar to the documented results of prediction of heart disease, there are documented results of benefits of exercise on heart health. For instance, moderate high intensity aerobic exercises will lower risk of coronary heart disease.  Similarly, some conditions are known as contributing factors of heart disease, and exercise helps tackle conditions, such as:

  •   Reducing blood pressure levels. 
  •   Improving HDL cholesterol levels, and reducing triglyceride levels.
  •   Managing weight, obesity.
  •   Regulating blood sugar and insulin levels.

·   Reducing C-reactive protein levels.

Additional benefits of exercise on heart disease risk

A person who has had a heart attack or other heart conditions, will significantly benefit from regular exercise. For instance, moderate aerobic activity will make the heart work better and will clearly reduce the risk of a second heart attack. This is known to work best when the exercise is combined with other actions, such as proper diet, lifestyle modifications, including giving up smoking.

A note of caution – Intensive aerobic activity is not recommended or safe for people who have heart disease. You will have to seek advice from your doctor about the right type of activity that is safe and appropriate. People with certain conditions are almost always recommended moderate activity, that will not aggravate the condition.

Will genetic testing help in heart disease prediction?

Yes, genetic testing is known to be a reliable method for prediction of heart disease, arising from specific conditions. For instance, there are many reasons that contribute to heart conditions. This could be lifestyle, underlying health conditions, diet, and genetic reasons. Genetic reasons could be due to an inherited condition, or a congenital defect.  

With genetic testing you can get a clear report if have conditions that are genetic in nature. This will let you know if you are at risk of heart diseases, either in the future, or during your lifetime. Advanced genetic testing facilities in Tamilnadu help determine this risk through simple blood or saliva samples. Based on the results, your cardiologist may either rule out such risks from genetic reasons, or confirm these risks.

Depending on the final assessment, you can then take up preventive or remedial measures to lower your risk. You can also lower the impact of the conditions, through a combination of exercise, medications, diet and lifestyle changes. By combining reliable methods of prediction of heart disease with the right remedies, you can steer yourself away from risks.

Genetic testing is also a good choice when you have a family history of heart conditions. If a parent or a sibling has had a heart condition in the recent past, you could opt for a genetic test. This will help to understand if you share the same risk of the heart condition.

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Why you need to know the different types and conditions of cardiovascular disease?

Why you need to know the different types and conditions of cardiovascular disease?

Introduction

Around 85% of fatalities from cardiovascular diseases are due to heart attack and stroke. The remaining fatalities are linked to other conditions in CVD. Did you know that cardiovascular diseases are broadly classified into 04 different conditions and 13 disorders? Let’s take a good look at the different types and conditions of cardiovascular diseases.

What are the different cardiovascular disease conditions?

As outlined above, the number of disorders that cause CVD are many; however, there are four main types and conditions of cardiovascular disease. These four types include coronary heart disease, stroke and transient ischemic attack, peripheral arterial disease, and aortic disease. Here is a quick outline of these four types.

    1. Coronary heart disease – This is due to a blockage or reduction of flow of blood to the heart muscle. When the flow of oxygen rich blood is reduced or blocked, it causes an increased strain on the heart. This results in one of three different outcomes:
      1. Chest pain, medically known as angina.
      2. Heart attacks, due to blockage of blood flow to heart muscle.
      3. Heart failure, due to inability of the heart to pump blood.
    2. (i) Stroke – This occurs when blood supply to the brain is blocked, resulting in possible fatality or brain damage.
    3. (ii) Transient ischemic attack – This is more like a stroke and is often called a mini stroke, with a single difference. The blockage of blood supply to the brain is temporary in nature.
    4. Peripheral arterial disease – This is due to blockage of blood flow in the arteries that supply blood to the limbs. This typically affects arteries that carry blood to the legs.
    5. Aortic disease – This refers to conditions that impact the large blood vessel that moves blood throughout the body from the heart. This blood vessel is the aorta, and when it becomes weak and begins to bulge, it is known as aortic aneurysm. This is one of the most common conditions in aortic disease.

What symptoms indicate possible complications of cardiovascular disease?

The four main types and conditions of cardiovascular disease have certain tell-tale symptoms that indicate possible complications.

Symptoms of coronary artery disease

You may experience pain the chest, like a full feeling or some kind of pressure. This is known as angina and is considered as a strong symptom that needs to be treated. You may also experience overall weakness, apart from difficulty breathing. Another possible symptom is swelling in the hands or the feet. Your heart beats may race or beat abnormally, and these palpitations are another strong indication of CAD.

Symptoms of stroke and TIA

In the event of a stroke or TIA, your face may droop on either side. Additionally, you find it hard to smile, and you’re your eyes, mouth may appear drooping. You may also be unable to lift your arm or arms as a result of extreme weakness or numb sensation. Your speech may be slurred and sound incomprehensible.

Symptoms of peripheral arterial disease

In the event of onset of peripheral arterial disease, you are likely to experience pain in your leg that could cramping in nature. This pain aggravates when you walk and feels better when you take rest. You may also experience a numb sensation in your legs apart from loss of hair.  Another possible symptom is ulcers on your legs, where these open sores persist and are difficulty to treat.

Symptoms of aortic disease

This condition typically does not present symptoms. However, when the condition has worsened, it could cause the blood vessel to rupture. This could end up with extensive bleeding that could be life threatening in nature.

What conditions or types of cardiovascular disease can be diagnosed early?

Certain types and conditions of CVD can be diagnosed early, thereby preventing complications at a later stage. This will minimize the impact of the disease and in some instances, can help you prevent it. Some of the conditions that can be diagnosed include:

  1. Valvular heart disease – This condition can be diagnosed through medical examination and tests. For instance, echocardiogram, ECG/EKG, CT Scan, and cardiac catheterization can help detect the condition.
  2. Congenital heart disease – This refers to a defect by birth, and can be detected before birth, or later at any stage. This is diagnosed through cardiac MRI, ultrasound, echocardiogram and cardiac catheterization.
  3. Hypertension – This can be diagnosed through simple blood pressure tests. This may require periodic testing, as the condition is known to develop slowly and silently.

Is it true that I can get cardiovascular disease due to air pollution?

Yes, unfortunately, this is true. However, this will only happen after long term exposure to air pollution. This is responsible for types and conditions of cardiovascular disease, by contributing to atherosclerosis. Pollution is also known to cause high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels, and both of these conditions indirectly contribute to CVD.

What are the sources of this environmental pollution?

Common sources include power plants, industries, automobiles, and smoke from forests. Particulate matter may be present all through the year, and are know to stay suspended in air for weeks. Pollution levels will increase in roads that have high vehicular traffic, and when the weather is calm and less windy. This permits air pollution to build up, as the stagnant air has higher concentration of particles.

Is genetic testing as a diagnostic method an effective option?

Yes, genetic testing is a very important diagnostic method. This is because, one of the reasons for CVD is the genetic component. This means you can inherit it, apart from possible genetic mutations at birth. The best way to detect this is through genetic testing. This will give you a clear confirmation or rule out the risk, genetically.

Based on the results, you can seek expert treatment, including medications, lifestyle modifications or preventive surgical procedures. Advanced genetic testing facilities are presently available in Tamil Nadu, giving you a clear analysis of genetic risk of CVD. A simple blood or saliva sample is all that is required for the analysis and comprehensive report generation.

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Why you need to know all about the symptoms of heart disease?

Why you need to know all about the symptoms of heart disease?

Introduction

One of India’s famous choreographer Remo D’Souza was saved by his quick thinking wife. Remo experienced sharp pain and dismissed it as indigestion. When the symptoms persisted, Remo’s wife used her Apple Watch to carry out a quick check. Based on the results, he was wheeled in for treatment and intervention saved him. The number of cases that end up in unfortunate outcomes is because of lack of awareness of heart disease symptoms. Lets take a good look and understand how to identify possible symptoms in time.

What are the common heart disease symptoms?

Depending on the type and intensity, symptoms of heart disease may differ from patient to patient. However, there are certain symptoms that are common to the various types of heart disease. These include the following:

  • Pain in the chest – Known as angina, this is a sensation of pressure, tightness, or pain in the chest. This could also be experienced as some kind of discomfort, and is often experienced after some kind of physical activity.
  • Difficulty breathing – You may experience difficulty breathing, even after slight exertion or even when you are resting.
  • Overall tiredness – This fatigue may be experienced during or after light physical activity.
  • Heartbeat changes – You may experience abnormal, irregular heartbeats, or fast paced heartbeats. Your heart may experience some kind of a pounding sensation.
  • Swelling – You may also experience swelling in your legs, or abdomen as a result of fluid retention.
  • Dizzy feelings – Another symptom is a lightheaded feeling, or a feeling like fainting.
  • Losing consciousness – Medically known as syncope, this sudden loss of consciousness is also a possible symptom.
  • Pain – This pain or discomfort may be experienced in some parts of the body. The pain may radiate to your shoulders, your arms, or back.
  • Feelings of nausea – You may experience a sensation of indigestion, and feel nauseous, along with pain in the abdomen.
  • Profuse sweating – If you are suddenly breaking out in to a cold sweat, this is typically linked to some issue in the chest.

What are the early signs of heart disease?

As outlined in the introduction, most people fail to recognize the early symptoms of heart disease. This is because some of the early symptoms are similar to symptoms of other conditions. This results in dismissing the symptoms as consistent with other conditions, resulting in possibly serious outcomes. By understanding and recognizing these symptoms early, you can seek timely medical intervention. Symptoms that can be considered as early signs include the following:

  • Discomfort in the chest – This could be experienced as mild pain, or pressure in the chest, and could be intermittent in nature.
  • Difficulty breathing – You may feel short of breath either during light physical activity or while resting.
  • Overall tiredness – Feelings of unusual tiredness may be experienced after some moderate physical activity.
  • Heartbeat – This may change to irregular heartbeats or could start racing.
  • Swelling – Early signs include swelling that is mild and in your legs.
  • Dizzy feelings – This is another early symptom, when you feel faint without any plausible reason.
  • Indigestion – These are difficult to identify, as the symptoms are similar to that of patients experiencing indigestion.
  • Pain – You may also feel some kind of discomfort or pain in the shoulders, or back.
  • Disturbed sleep – Another early symptom is difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep.

While the above symptoms are not exclusive to heart disease, a combination of these factors can help identify the cause as heart disease.

What are the symptoms of heart disease in women?

Women typically experience similar symptoms as that of men, however, there are certain symptoms that are slightly different. A major difference is intensity of the symptoms – as women tend to have subtle or less intense symptoms. Here is a good look at symptoms of heart disease in women.

  • Pain in the chest – While this symptom is common to both men and women, the actual experience is slightly different. Men experience severe pain, while women feel it as some kind of pressure or tight sensation. It is relatively mild in terms of pain and discomfort.
  • Difficulty breathing – This symptom may be experienced by women even without chest pain, unlike most men.
  • Pain – The sensation of pain is more or less the same among men and women.

Other symptoms commonly experienced by men – Women experience other symptoms such as vomiting, overall tiredness, excessive sweating, indigestion and a lightheaded feeling. Other common symptoms include pain in the upper part of the body and difficulty in remaining asleep

What are the early signs of heart disease in males?

Information about early symptoms of heart disease in men are explained in the previous sections. Here is a quick look at the key differences in symptoms between men and women.

Men experience the following typical symptoms

Common symptoms such as tightness in the chest, pain in the arm, and difficulty breathing. The discomfort in the chest may be experienced as a squeezing sensation, and could either be intermittent or constant. Pain may also radiate to the upper body such as the arms, shoulder, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

Women experience the following typical symptoms

Atypical symptoms may include nausea, indigestion, tiredness and anxiety. Other symptoms experienced by women in include dizzy feelings, sweating, vomiting and pain in the neck, upper back, or abdomen. 

The pain in the chest may be experienced as some of dull and heavy pain.  Difficulty breathing during physical activity. Younger women are unlikely to have the kind of chest pain that men experience. However, this changes after menopause and the symptoms are more intense.

Genetic testing to follow up on symptoms

After identification of symptoms as that of heart disease, it is necessary to follow up with diagnostic tests to rule out or confirm your suspicions. Blood tests, ECG/EKG, Echocardiogram, X-Ray and Troponin Tests all help to closely look at various markers of heart disease. An important part of the tests are the genetic tests to look for genetic component of the heart disease.

Advanced genetic testing facilities are presently available in Tamil Nadu and this helps identify if you are at risk due to genetic reasons. For instance, this will identify if you have inherited certain conditions. This will also identify if you have congenital conditions with future or lifetime risk of heart disease.

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