According to WHO survey, Heart disease is the number 1 cause of deaths both in men and women. Unlike CVD (Cardiovascular Disease), which describes problem related to blood vessels, heart and circulatory system, heart disease refers to issues in the heart itself. The best cardiac surgeons in India will review patient’s history and carry out some tests before carrying out further procedure.
Facts on Heart Disease
- More than 200,000 woman die each year due to heart attack, which is five times as many women as breast cancer
- 17.9 million people die annually from CVDs
- More than 42 million women are living with some form of CVD
- 85% of all CVD deaths are due to strokes and heart attacks
Causes of Heart Diseases
Heart disease is caused by damage to all or part of heart, poor supply of oxygen and nutrients to the organ and damage to the coronary arteries.
Some types of heart diseases such as Cardiac amyloidosis and cardiac myxoma are genetic, whereas some can occur before person is born. These types of diseases are known as congenital heart defects. Some major reasons which increases the risk of heart disease includes:
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
- Obesity and Overweight
- Age
- Family History, et al
There are a number of lifestyle choices that can increase the risk of heart disease. These include:
Types of Heart Diseases
There are different types of heart diseases that affect different parts of the organs.
- Congenital Heart Disease (CHD)
Congenital Heart Disease is a condition in which some goes wrong when heart is forming in baby that’s still in the womb. Septal defects are common CHDs. In this defect, there is a hole in the wall that divides left and right side of heart. In such cases, surgery is a solution.
Another type of CHD is pulmonary stenosis. A valve is narrowed which causes a decrease in the flow of blood to lungs.
- Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia refers to an irregular heartbeat and occurs when the electrical impulses in the heart do not work properly. There are various types of arrhythmias – Bradycardia, Tachycardia, Premature ventricular contractions and Fibrillation. In Bradycardia, heart rate is less than 60 beats per minute. In Tachycardia, heart rate is more than 100 beats per minute. In both the situations, heart may not be able to pump required amount of blood to body.
It may occur at any age but is common among older age people.
- Coronary artery disease
The coronary artery transports blood into and out of heart muscle. It can become damaged, usually because of plaque deposited and causing Coronary Artery disease. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is a term for accumulated plaque in the heart’s arteries. The arteries are narrowed which reduces blood flow to the heart and leading to heart attack.
In CHD, plaque first grows within the walls of the coronary arteries, thus narrowing down the arteries and decreasing blood flow to heart. The decreased blood flow can cause shortness of breath, chest pain and other diseases. A complete blockage of arteries can cause heart attack.
- Heart failure
Heart failure occurs when heart fails to pump blood efficiently. This doesn’t mean that heart has stopped or is about to stop working, it simply means that heart is not able to pump blood in normal way. Common causes of heart failure are high blood pressure, diabetes and coronary artery disease. It is common in people who are 65 years old or older, overweight and had heart attack.
The cardiologist at top heart surgery hospitals in india will diagnose heart failure by doing heart tests and physical exam. Treatments include medicines and heart transplantation if other treatments fail.
- Pulmonary stenosis
Pulmonary Stenosis is a condition in which blood flow from right ventricle to pulmonary artery is blocked. This blockage is caused due to narrowing of one or more points. An infant with this disease can turn blue and older children have no symptoms. In case, pressure is too high in right ventricle then treatment is needed.
- Heart Attack
Also known as Myocardial infarction, heart attack is a serious medical emergency. In heart attack, an interrupted blood flow destroys part of the heart muscle. It is usually caused by a blood clot developed in one of the coronary arteries or can occur if artery narrows.
During heart attack, the blood supply to heart is cut off and heart muscle begins to die. Some symptoms of heart attack are:
- Upper body pain
- Chest Pain
- Sweating
- Fatigue
- Nausea
Seek immediate medical treatment from the best heart surgeon in India if you experience any such symptoms.
Prevention
Some heart diseases, those are present from birth, cannot be prevented. Other types can be prevented by following healthy lifestyle and improve overall health:
- Exercise regularly, which will strength the circulatory system and heart, maintain blood pressure and reduce cholesterol.
- Flow healthy diet: Eat high-fiber foods, low fat and consume fresh vegetables and fruits. Additionally, reduce the amount of sugar and salt in the diet.
- Smoking is major risk for heart conditions, so quit smoking.