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Heart Disease
About one in every four deaths in the United States is due to heart disease, making it the leading cause of death. Ask questions about various heart diseases here.
995 Questions
If a person has endocarditis myocarditis or pericarditis what areas in order are infected?
Endocardium, myocardium, pericardium
What condition is the severe chest pain associated with myocardial ischemia?
what is the medical term meaning obtaining fluid from a joint in order to examine for diagnosis
How can sodium channel blockers terminate re-entry in cardiac arrhythmia?
Cardiac arrhythmia is cause by the presence of an ectopic focus or a re-entry mechanism where an action potential is delayed for some reason and enters nearby muscle fibres that are no longer refractory causing depolarisation and establishing a circuit movement.
There are three classes of anti-arrhythmic drugs which block sodium channels:
Class IA drugs block open Na+ sodium and can increase the effective refractory period. They produce a frequency-dependent block As they dissociate slowly away from these Na+ channels, they can prevent the Na+ channel from contributing towards an action potential if the frequency is high. Disopyramide one such example. It is used to treat ventricular arrhythmia by resulting in a negative inotropic effect.
Class IB drugs block closed Na+ sodium. It is often used to treat ventricular arrhythmia after an acute myocardial infraction. Lidocaine is one such example. It has little effect on normal cardiac tissues as it dissociates quickly from the Na+ channels. However, many Na+ channels are closed in ischemic cases due to anoxia. Lidocaine can hence act on these closed Na+ channels.
Class IC drugs are the most potent when it comes to blocking Na+ channels. They slowly dissociate from the Na+ channels and it leads to depressed conduction in the myocardium. These agents can prolong the RP and QRS intervals. Flecainide is one such example and it is used the treat atrial fibrillation.
How does fast food increase heart disease?
oil, oil is the answer. when the oil enters the blood stream, it goes int to the arteries, building a hill of errm fat!. when it hardens it is not sticky. lets say u run, your heart beats faster, them u get a heart attatcks. when u get a heart attacks your heart loses unreplacable heart muscles. Conclusion? constant heart attacks can lead to loss of heart tissue than is very important and is unreplacable. result? heart disease! I hoped i helped!
What are possible complications of implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator?
inflammation of the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart; heart attack; congestive heart failure; and post-operative stroke. Serious infections can develop in the area
What is the process which leads to heart disease?
colestrol builds up as you eat lots of fatty food which contail colestrol.
this gets stuck in blood vessels when one has been ruptured.
after a while the colestrol stops the blood flow leading to heart disease
Is it normal to have rales in having a congestive heart failure?
Yes, it is considered a sign/ symptom of CHF if the heart has been damaged on the left side. It is caused by fluid backing up into the lungs (pulmonary edema) because the left side of the heart is not able to keep up with the amount of blood being pumped from the healthy right side. The crackling sound is caused by the air being pushed through this fluid.
If the heart has been damaged on the right side, you will see a build up of fluids usually in the ankles causing considerable swelling.
What leads to Canavan disease?
It results when the body produces less than normal amounts of a protein called aspartoacylase
Cigarette smoking does not affect coronary heart disease true or false?
False, Cigarette smoking does affect coronary heart disease.
What will to much cholsteral do for your boddy?
After the theories accepted today it is a risk for atherosclerosis and infarctus myocardii.
What are the main components of a implantable cardioverter-defibrillator?
Similar in structure to a pacemaker, an ICD has three main components: a generator, leads, and an electrode
What causes conginental heart disease?
Congenital Heart Disease - is the failure of the heart to develop during the 1st Trimester of pregnancy and any defect in the structure of the heart or major blood vessels. It is also called the Blue Baby Syndrome and Cystosis.
Causes of the Congenital Heart Disease :
1. Rubella (German Measles)
2. Drugs
3. Alcohol
What is a blood cloth in the vessels leading to the brain?
A blood clot in the vessels leading to the brain is a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), a stroke, or a cerebral thrombosis. Such a clot can block oxygen provision to the brain and cause permanent damage.
Does heart disease make the white of your eyes yellow?
Not usually. This is more likely to be a symptom of liver disease, cancer, or a disease of the spleen.
Fruits.
Interesting Facts About Cardiomyopathy?
Approximately 50,000 Americans suffer from a serious health problem that is called cardiomyopathy. This is a condition that is affected by the size of your heart and how it functions as well as weak heart muscles. Of the many types of cardiomyopathy that exist, the most common forms include dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and restrictive cardiomyopathy. These heart disorders may affect any age group and some are inherited or found in families. Cardiomyopathy also affects other body organs and systems, including the liver and lungs.
Common CausesAlthough some of the causes of cardiomyopathy are unknown, a few are due to defective genes that affect the growth of the heart's muscles. However, since cardiomyopathy is often unpreventable, knowledge of the major causes will help in reducing some of the risks factors. Common causes may include:
- Cocaine and alcohol use
- Deficient nutrition such as calcium, thiamine and selenium
- Heart related diseases, including coronary artery disease and congenital heart defect
- High blood pressure and diabetes
- Amyloidosis, which is abnormal protein that affect how the body works
- Use of chemotherapy drugs
- Late stages of kidney disease
- Pregnancy and systemic Lupus
- Viral infections resulting from diseases such as Lyme and HIV.
There are exams that may be used to identify cardiomyopathy. These include chest x-rays and MRI, ECG, coronary angiography, echocardiogram as well as some lab tests such as blood work and coronary risk profile. Some of the symptoms may not be noticeable during the beginning stages of the disease; however, over time they may worsen. Some of the symptoms may include irregular and fluttering heartbeats, abdominal swelling and shortness of breath even during rest, dizziness, fainting and fatigue and swelling of the ankles, legs and feet.
TreatmentThe main goal of treatment is to reduce the risks of heart failure and the form of cardiomyopathy will determine the type of treatment plan pursued. One of the common treatment methods used is a heart transplant. Other treatment options include medications, education of the patient, changes in your diet as well as treating the cause of the disorder.
Overall, cardiomyopathy is a serious and chronic condition that may deteriorate rapidly, due to factors such as alcohol consumption, illegal drug use and refusing to take medication or taking them improperly. However, the outlook will vary depending on the type and cause of the disease, your response to treatment and the extent of your heart problem.
Are people who have defibrillator exempt from wearing seat belts?
No way. But a doctor's order might go a long way in traffic court. In general, if you are so ill that you can't wear a seat belt, you are not fit to be on the road.
Which drug is used to treat heart disease?
Ischaemic heart disease may be present with any of the following problems:
- Angina pectoris (chest pain on exertion, in cold weather or emotional situations)
- Acute chest pain: acute coronary syndrome, unstable angina or myocardial infarction ("heart attack", severe chest pain unrelieved by rest associated with evidence of acute heart damage)
- Heart failure (difficulty in breathing or swelling of the extremities due to weakness of the heart muscle)
The diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease underlying particular symptoms depends largely on the nature of the symptoms. The first investigation is an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), both for "stable" angina and acute coronary syndrome. An X-ray of the chest and blood tests may be performed.
Myeloperoxidase has been proposed as a biomarker.
Various treatments are offered in people deemed to be at high risk of coronary artery disease. These include control of cholesterol levels in those with known high cholesterol, smoking cessation, and control of high blood pressure.
How do vitamin or fiber deficiencies contribute to obesity and heart disease?
Not heart disease. Heart disease is generally caused by saturated fat built up in the persons arteries and veins causing the heart to push harder to get the blood circulating. So there is strain on the heart which makes it prone to heart attack and a lot more likely to get heart disease.
Does heart disease worst in the past or the present?
Heart disease is worse in the present than in the past. First: people are living longer. That means hearts have more time to degenerate. Second: people are fatter. That means fat is clogging arteries leading to the heart. Third: People are walking less. That causes the arteries to lose flexibility and become harder. The only positive feature is that people are smoking less. That causes less damage. So, getting older, fatter, and lazier makes heart disease worse.
