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Cardiovascular Disease
Heart and blood vessel disease is called cardiovascular disease or heart disease. It includes various problems that are directly related to a process called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition where there is a build up of plaque within the arteries leading to a block which reduces the size of the artery, this in turn reduces the amount of blood that flows through it. If the artery is completely blocked, it stops blood flow to the organ or muscle completely leading to the death of that part. In relation to the heart, atherosclerosis can lead to a heart attack.
TypesThere are more than 60 different forms of heart disease. Here are the most common ones found among people all over the world.
1. Coronary heart disease:Coronary heart disease is also called coronary artery disease. It affects or damages coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart.
2. Cardiomyopathy: Cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart muscle that helps to pump blood throughout the body becomes weak.
3. Congenital heart disease: It is a defect (structural of functional) found in the hearts of individuals, right at the time of birth.
4. Arrhythmia: It a condition causing irregular heartbeat due to improper electric impulses received by the heart. It can either cause the heart to beat very fast (tachycardia) or very slow (bradychardia)
5. Congestive heart failure: Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood throughout the body effectively. Congestive heart failure occurs when excess fluid builds up in the body because of heart failure.
6. Atrial fibrillation: It occurs due to rapid and irregular electrical impulse originating from the upper chamber of the heart .
7. Heart inflammation (myocarditis and pericarditits): The heart tissue can get inflamed due to a viral infection of the heart.
8. Myocardial infarction: It is a medical complicated term used for heart attack, when the blood supply to part of heart is completely blocked due to narrowing of blood vessels.
Causes And Risk FactorsWell, every type of heart disease will have its own set of causes and risk factors but, by large, the cause of heart disease lies in malfunctioning of the blood vessels, heart muscle or electric impulses signalling the heart, as mentioned above. Here are some modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that can lead to heart disease:
1. Family history: If you have a relative who is suffering from a heart disease, you're likely to suffer from the condition. The risk is higher if any of your immediate relatives have had a heart attack before the age of 55 years.
2. Age: Age is a major risk factor for heart disease (CVD). The lifetime risk factor is high for both men at women at the age of 40 years. But, women should worry about age as a risk factor at 55, provided all other risk factors are controlled.
3. Gender: Women, on an average, suffer from heart disease approximately 9 years later than men but the progression is faster in them as compared to men.
4. Ethnicity: Genetic differences and environmental factors play a role determining lifetime risk factor for heart disease. Indians are at a high risk but the risk is higher in Americans Indians as compared to Indians.
Here are some modifiable risk factors that can be controlled to reduce the risk of heart disease.
1. High blood sugar: People with diabetes have three times higher risk of suffering coronary heart disease or stroke and a four times greater risk of dying due to heart disease.
2. Hypertension: Hypertension means increased blood pressure on the walls of the arteries. If not controlled properly, this increased pressure can cause thickening of the blood vessels.
3. Smoking: If you smoke you're twice likely to suffer from heart disease than people who don't smoke. The risk further varies with the duration and frequency of smoking.
4. High cholesterol: When the blood level of bad cholesterol (LDL) is high, cholesterol gets deposited on the walls of the arteries and blocks arteries restricting the blood flow resulting in heart disease.
5. High triglyceride level: In India, high level of triglycerides is a big concern and also determines your overall risk of heart disease.
6. Obesity: If you're overweight, you are 6 times more likely to suffer from heart disease. Obesity is linked to most of the other risk factors of heart disease.
Here are few more risk factors of heart disease
SymptomsHeart disease is a silent killer as it progress slowly and is symptomless during the initial stages. But a person could start developing heart disease at a very young age and show the symptoms not before reaching 50s or 60s.
Again the signs or symptoms of heart disease may not be the same for every type. Here are the most common signs associated with heart disease.
1. Shortness of breath (dyspnoea): Breathlessness is commonly experienced by patients with heart failure. It is also a warning sign of heart attack.
2. Chest pain: Chest pain (angina) is a classic symptom of heart attack and coronary artery disease (CAD). In some cases, chest pain is associated with inflammation of the tissue covering the heart (pericardium).
3. Swelling of feet: Swelling in the feet and ankles is seen in people with congestive heart failure where the blood pumping capacity of the heart reduces.
4. Cold sweat: A person who is likely to get a heart attack sooner may start sweating profusely without any physical exertion.
5. Tiredness or fatigue: It is one of the common symptoms of heart failure and heart attack in women is unexplained overall weakness and fatigue. Fatigue is also common in the elderly population or people with diabetes who suffer from heart disease.
Here are 8 common heart disease symptoms and warning signs you should know
DiagnosisScreening for heart function is a must, especially if you have non-modifiable risk factors that increase your susceptibility to heart disease. People who already have high cholesterol, triglycerides BP need to be extra careful and frequent with screening of heart function.
1. Blood test: Blood is the pool of several markers like blood sugar, fibrinogen level, C-reactive protein and lipids, pointing at your possibility of developing heart disease.
2. X-ray: Chest X-ray is a simple, useful imaging test for diagnosing a lot of heart conditions like congestive heart failure, enlargement of the heart and heart infections.
3. ECG: ECG or electrocardiogram is a useful test to assess heart rhythm and related heart conditions. It measures electrical activity of the heart.
There are many more heart function tests. Here's detailed information about them: 8 tests that can tell if you have heart disease
TreatmentLifestyle changes are diet medication form a major part of treatment of heart disease. But heart disease can be treated with medicines and surgical interventions depending on your condition.
Medicines for heart disease
There are several classes of drugs that help in treatment of heart disease depending on factors that pose a risk.
Due to improved healthcare and technology, heart disease can be well treated with heart surgeries. Here are some commonly used surgical treatments
Although you cannot do anything about the non-modifiable risk factors, you manage controllable risk factors and easily reduce your overall heart disease risk.
1. Quit smoking: Even occasional or 'social smoking' is dangerous and increases the risk of heart disease. The good news is that no matter how long you have been smoking, you will feel better, and begin reaping rewards as soon as you kick the habit.
2. Eat healthy food: Eating healthy is a starting point of keeping heart disease at bay. Simple changes like switching to heart-healthy cooking oils, limiting salt and sugar can help prevent heart disease. Add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet.
3. Avoid leading a sedentary lifestyle: Exercising daily is a must, even if it is for 30-45 min. Regular physical activity helps you control your weight and reduce your chances of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which may put a strain on your heart.
Here are more expert tips to prevent heart disease
The content has been verified by Dr. Santosh Kumar Dora, Cardiac Electro Physiologist, Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai.
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Symptoms & Types
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Kidney Disease and HypertensionHypertension is a major cause of kidney disease and kidney failure. There are symptoms to watch for -- and treatment options. Learn more.
High Blood Pressure and Eye DiseaseUntreated hypertension can affect your eyesight, causing damage to the blood vessels in the retina. Known as hypertensive retinopathy, learn more about this condition and its prevention.
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What Is Labile Hypertension?
Your blood pressure regularly rises and falls, but if your blood pressure changes too much within minutes, this may be one of the signs of labile hypertension.
A blood pressure reading has two numbers. The first number represents systolic blood pressure, which indicates the amount of pressure your blood puts on the walls of your arteries when your heart beats. The second number represents diastolic blood pressure, which indicates the amount of pressure your blood puts on the walls of your arteries in between heartbeats.
Abnormalities in either of these readings can lead to a diagnosis of high blood pressure, but the systolic reading is often more important.
Having a high systolic reading puts you at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease over the age of 50. Your blood pressure naturally increases as you age because:
The American Heart Association outlines five stages of blood pressure: normal, elevated, hypertension stage 1, hypertension stage 2, and hypertensive crisis.
Normal blood pressure. A normal blood pressure reading is less than 120/80 mmHg. Here, "mmHg" stands for millimeters of mercury because the traditional blood pressure gauge — called sphygmomanometer — contains mercury used for measurements.
Elevated blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure is indicated by 120 to 129 mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic measurements. If you get either of these readings, your doctor will ask you to manage your blood pressure to prevent worsening your condition.
Hypertension stage 1. If your blood pressure begins to consistently measure between 130 and 139 mmHg systolic or between 80 and 89 mmHg diastolic, you're in hypertension stage 1. Your doctor may recommend a specific diet and certain lifestyle changes to lower your blood pressure. If you have other cardiovascular risk factors, they may also prescribe a blood pressure medication at this stage before it worsens.
Hypertension stage 2. If your blood pressure consistently measures 140/90 mmHg or higher, you're in hypertension stage 2. It's very likely that you'll be prescribed a blood pressure medication at this stage.
Hypertensive crisis. If your blood pressure reading ever exceeds 180/120 mmHg, your life may be in danger. As a precaution, make sure you measure it again in five minutes to see if it has become lower. If it stays still high, you may be in a hypertensive crisis, and you need to seek immediate medical attention.
Hypertensive crisis is typically accompanied by symptoms like:
Unusual, and sometimes unexplained, spikes in your blood pressure — called labile hypertension — may indicate something is wrong with your health.
Diagnosing labile hypertension is very qualitative. This means that this condition cannot be measured on any scale like the stages of hypertension are — there is no minimum number that your blood pressure has to spike and no minimum number of spikes that have to happen. It's diagnosed depending on what your normal blood pressure range is. Signs of labile hypertension include:
Labile hypertension is usually situational. Spikes in your blood pressure happen in response to stressful life situations. Examples include:
High blood pressure is especially concerning if you develop it when you are in your teens or early twenties or you are over the age of 60. While it still requires medical attention, it's more common to develop high blood pressure in your 40s, especially if you have a family history of high blood pressure. Regardless of age, your doctor will try to distinguish between true hypertension and labile hypertension concerns.
Your doctor will pursue a labile hypertension diagnosis by giving you a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor. If the results show unusual spikes in blood pressure, your doctor will search for the underlying cause.
If your doctor determines that a medication or a lifestyle choice is contributing to your labile hypertension symptoms, they'll ask you to make changes in those to improve your health. They may also prescribe a different medication or suggest that you make changes like:
If you have an underlying medical condition that is causing labile hypertension, your doctor will treat that condition to help control your blood pressure for improved quality of life. Examples of such medical conditions include:
Many times these conditions cause damage before you even realize it's happening. That's why it's important to talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding your blood pressure.
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