Heart disease and detection
Heart disease is a major health concern & there are many myths also.
Table of Contents
The heart as everyone knows is the most important organ of our body. We must take measures to keep it healthy.
There are certain tests to diagnose the health of the heart. Some are:
- Eelectrocardiogram (ECG)
- Exercise stress tests.
- X-rays.
- Blood tests.
- Coronary angiography.
- Radionuclide tests.
- MRI scans.
- CT scans
Symptoms of heart attack
Never ignore and stay alert if you feel certain symptoms like:
- Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure, and chest discomfort (angina)
- Shortness of breath.
- Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper belly area, or back.
- Pain, numbness, weakness, or coldness in the legs or arms if the blood vessels in those body areas are narrowed.
- Sweating
Generally at what age heart disease starts?
People aged 65 and older are much more likely than younger people to suffer a heart attack, have a stroke, or develop coronary heart disease (commonly called heart disease) and heart failure, though nowadays many young people do suffer from it as a result of unhealthy and stressful life.
How do you know if something’s wrong with your heart?
The intensity of the pain does not always relate to how severe the problem is.
Some people may feel a crushing pain, while others feel only mild discomfort.
Your chest may feel heavy or like someone is squeezing your heart.
You may also feel a sharp, burning pain in your chest.
Early signs of heart blockage
- Slow or irregular heartbeats, or palpitations.
- Shortness of breath.
- Lightheadedness and fainting.
- Pain or discomfort in the chest.
- Difficulty in doing exercise, due to the lack of blood being pumped around the body.
Early signs of heart disease & types of heart disease
- Blood vessel disease (such as coronary artery disease)
An accumulation of fatty plaques in your arteries can damage your blood vessels and heart.
It leads to narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can cause a heart attack, chest pain (angina), or stroke.
Coronary artery disease symptoms may be different for men and women. For instance, men are more likely to have chest pain.
Women are more likely to have other signs and symptoms along with chest discomforts, such as shortness of breath, nausea, and extreme fatigue.
Symptoms
- Chest pain. chest tightness, chest pressure, and chest discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Pain, numbness, weakness, or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed,
- Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen, or back.
You might not be diagnosed with coronary artery disease until you have a heart attack, angina, stroke, or heart failure.
It’s important to watch for cardiovascular symptoms and discuss concerns with your doctor.
Cardiovascular disease can sometimes be found timely with regular check-ups.
Diseased heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)
When there is some disease in the muscles of the heart then in the early stages of cardiomyopathy, you may have no symptoms.
As the condition worsens, symptoms may include:
- Breathlessness with activity or at rest
- Swelling of the legs, ankles, and feet
- Fatigue
- Irregular heartbeats that feel rapid, pounding; or fluttering
- Dizziness, light-headedness, and fainting
Abnormal heartbeats (heart arrhythmias)
In this disease, the heartbeat is not normal. Your heart may beat too quickly, too slowly, or irregularly.
Symptoms:
- Fluttering in your chest
- Racing heartbeat (tachycardia)
- Slow heartbeat (bradycardia)
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Light-headedness
- Dizziness
- Fainting (syncope) or near fainting
Heart Defects
Serious heart defects that you’re born with (congenital heart defects) usually are noticed soon after birth.
Symptoms:
- Pale gray or blue skin color (cyanosis)
- Swelling in the legs, abdomen, or areas around the eyes
- In an infant, shortness of breath during feedings, leads to poor weight gain
Less serious heart defects are not diagnosed until later childhood or early adulthood.
Symptoms:
- Easily getting short of breath during exercise or activity
- Easily tiring during exercise or activity
- Swelling in the hands, ankles, or feet
Heart valve problems (valvular heart disease)
There are 4 valves in the human heart when anyone or other does not function well due to some reason then the problem arises.
Symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular heartbeat
- Swollen feet or ankles
- Chest pain
- Fainting (syncope)
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Fainting
Can you reverse heart disease?
Unluckily, there is no cure for coronary artery disease, and you can’t reverse this condition once you’re diagnosed.
But you can make changes in your lifestyle to lessen your risk of developing additional health problems, such as a heart attack.
How long can you live with heart disease?
Although there have been recent improvements in congestive heart failure treatment, researchers say the prediction for people with the disease is still miserable, with about 50% having an average life expectancy of fewer than five years.
Of those with advanced forms of heart failure, nearly 90% die within one year.
What is the best test to check for heart problems?
A coronary angiogram is a type of X-ray used to examine the coronary arteries supplying blood to your heart muscle.
It’s considered to be the best method of diagnosing coronary artery disease – conditions that affect the arteries surrounding the heart.
Can the heart repair itself?
No, the heart can’t repair itself. The heart is unable to regenerate heart muscle after a heart attack and lost cardiac muscle is replaced by scar tissue.
Scar tissue does not contribute to cardiac contractile force and the remaining viable cardiac muscle is thus subject to a greater hemodynamic burden.
Can exercise cure heart problems?
Being physically active is a major step toward good heart health.
It’s one of your most effective way for strengthening the heart muscle, keep your weight under control, and ward off artery damage from high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure that can lead to heart attack or stroke.
Takeaway
Becoming aware of heart diseases, and symptoms, and acting accordingly will save you from worsening the situation.
To avoid heart disease follow a healthy routine that includes exercises and diet along with a systematic routine that includes proper sleeping time.
