Hearty Life



cholesterol


Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. Various factors, such as stress, underlying medical conditions, and a sedentary lifestyle, make an individual more vulnerable to heart disease…..




Depression is a mental health disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. When an individual suffers from depression, they experience sadness, hopelessness…


young people heart attack


There was a time when heart attacks were restricted to older people (in their 50s, 60s, or 70s). However, in today’s day and age, heart attacks are becoming increasingly common in individuals under the…


healthy human heart


Heart disease is a significant global health concern, as it causes numerous deaths worldwide every year. Heart failure treatment typically involves medications, lifestyle changes…


heart attack


A bride in her early 20s collapsed at her wedding hours after exchanging garlands in Malihabad, UP. A man in his mid-20s collapsed during a walk with his friends in the streets…


heart-attack


Exercise is believed to be one of the most effective ways to improve cardiac health. It reduces the risk of various cardiovascular ailments, including heart valve disease, coronary…


stress and heart disease


Heart disease is one of the major causes of death worldwide, and many factors increase its risk. These include high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol levels, obesity…


myocardial infarction


Heart attacks are usually severe and potentially life-threatening. It isn’t surprising that they are one of the leading causes of death across the globe. A heart attack, medically known as…




A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, is a medical emergency that occurs when a blockage in the coronary arteries restricts blood supply to the heart. This blockage…


Obesity And Heart Disease


Obesity and heart disease are two health conditions that are closely linked. Obesity is the accumulation of excessive body fat, which can lead to a wide range of health problems…


Signs of a Heart Attack


A heart attack, medically known as a myocardial infarction, is a severe medical emergency that can cause lasting damage to the heart muscle and even lead to death…


Atherosclerosis


Atherosclerosis, also known as arteriosclerosis or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, is a chronic and progressive condition that occurs when plaque accumulates within…


Blood Clots the heart


Blood clots are a potentially dangerous condition that can form in the veins or arteries of the body. While blood clots are a natural response to injury, they can cause…


Prevent a Heart Attack


Heart attack is a leading cause of death worldwide, and it necessitates the need to see a heart disease specialist. If a patient suffers a heart attack and doesn’t…


Addison’s disease


On March 2, 2023, Indian actress Sushmita Sen revealed that she underwent an angioplasty in the heart after suffering a massive heart attack…


Workplace Stress Cause Cardiovascular Disease


Workplace stress is a common experience among employees across various industries and sectors. Simply put, it is a psychological, emotional…




Recent studies have shown that irregular sleep may also increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. In severe cases, it can result in complications, such as heart attacks, necessitating the need for angioplasty in the heart.


Heart Attack and Heart Failure


A heart attack is a life-threatening condition that requires emergency medical interventions, such as angioplasty in the heart. On the other hand, heart failure is a progressive condition that results in the gradual weakening of the heart muscles.


Angioplasty and Angiography


Angiography and angioplasty in the heart are two different procedures. Angiography is a diagnostic tool used to identify blockages, while angioplasty is a therapeutic procedure used to open up blocked blood vessels.


CPR


Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency life-saving procedure performed on individuals experiencing cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac failure. CPR aims to manually keep the blood and oxygen flowing in the body until professional medical help arrives.


Heart Healthy


A healthy heart is essential for overall well-being, and summer presents an opportunity to embrace these seasonal delights.


complex angioplasty


Complex coronary angioplasty in the heart is an advanced interventional cardiology procedure recommended for patients who have previously undergone coronary bypass surgery.


Coronary Angioplasty Procedure After a Heart Attack


Coronary angioplasty, also called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is a minimally invasive procedure performed to open blocked or narrowed coronary arteries.


Healthy Foods


Maintaining a healthy heart is of utmost importance, and a well-balanced diet plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. Heart disease, including heart attacks, is a leading cause of death worldwide.


Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair - Mitral Valve Regurgitation


TEER is a catheter-based procedure that utilizes a small, flexible device to repair the mitral valve. The procedure is typically performed in a cardiac catheterization lab under fluoroscopic guidance without the need for a sternotomy or cardiopulmonary bypass.


Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR)


Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR) is a groundbreaking procedure that offers a minimally invasive alternative to traditional open-heart surgery for treating mitral valve disease.


Angioplasty and Stent


Angioplasty and stent placement are interventional cardiology procedures commonly used to treat coronary artery disease (CAD). These procedures work together to restore blood flow to the heart muscle by widening narrowed or blocked arteries.


Common Heart Problems


There are many different types of ailments that can affect the heart. Some of them, such as heart attacks and arrhythmias, can be life-threatening if left untreated. A variety of factors, including genetics, lifestyle choices, and underlying medical conditions.


Weak Heart


A weak heart, also known as heart failure, is a condition characterized by the heart’s inability to pump blood efficiently, leading to reduced circulation and inadequate oxygen supply to the body’s tissues.


Risk Factors of Heart Disease


Heart disease remains a significant global health concern, accounting for a considerable number of deaths worldwide. While it is well known that factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and obesity can contribute to heart disease, there are several other lesser-known risks that also play a crucial role in its development.


Dr C Raghu


Vitamin D deficiency is not a major risk factor for heart attacks. According to Dr C. Raghu, The major risk factors for heart attacks remain hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and family history.


Alcohol and Heart


Alcohol addition and binge drinking, combined with workplace stress can cause cardiovascular ailments, such as heart failure, hypertension, etc. They can also increase your risk of experiencing a silent heart attack.


Cholesterol Lowering Drugs


Cholesterol lowering drugs, also known as lipid-lowering medications, are prescribed to help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and mitigate associated cardiovascular risks.


Salt Substitution and Heart Disease


Excessive salt consumption is a known risk factor for heart failure, heart valve disease, coronary artery disease, and other cardiovascular complications, primarily due to its impact on blood pressure and blood vessel health.


Hypertension and Severe COVID-19 Disease


The relationship between hypertension and severe COVID-19 is complex. Factors such as ACE2 receptor expression, inflammation, and immune response influence their connection.


Heartburn vs. Heart Attack


Heartburn and heart attack are two medical conditions that can cause chest pain. However, the two conditions differ in their causes, symptoms, and treatment.


Angioplasty Surgery


Angioplasty in the heart has emerged as a crucial lifesaving procedure for those suffering from heart-related issues. This minimally invasive surgery.


Aortic Stenosis Treatment


Aortic valve stenosis is a condition that affects this vital valve and can lead to serious health complications.


Angioplasty Surgеry


In today’s fast-paced world, heart health has become a significant concern for many. Whеthеr you’vе been diagnosed with a heart condition or simply want to еnsurе your heart’s well-being


Hearty Life

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Heart is a complex organ and can get affected by diseases that can affect various systems of the heart. The common heart ailments that would be observed include:

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) – accumulation of cholesterol plaques within the walls of the blood vessels (coronary arteries) supplying the heart. This leads to obstruction to blood flow of the heart that can cause chest pain or heart attack. 

Valvular heart disease: Heart valves are flap-like structures akin to doors between rooms. They control the blood flow between various chambers of the heart. They play a key role in blood circulation. 

There are four valves in the heart

  • mitral and aortic valves on the left side of the heart 
  • tricuspid and pulmonary valves on the right. 

These valves can either get narrowed (stenosis) or get “leaky” (regurgitation).

Cardiomyopathy: This disease affects the heart muscle leading to inefficient heart pumping efficiency. Cardiomyopathy can be either due to:

  • Direct heart muscle diseases – Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Restrictive Cardiomyopathy.
  • Indirect heart muscle diseases –
    • Consequent to 
      • heart attack (ischemic cardiomyopathy)
      • infective (myocarditis) and 
      • heart rhythm problems
  • Heart Rhythm problems (Arrhythmias)- Normal heart rate is between 50-100 beats per minute. The maintenance of heart rhythm within a specific range is possible due to an efficient electrical system of the heart also called the conduction system.
    • Slow heart rate – Bradycardia usually due to retardation of conduction within the conduction system of the heart. The most common cause is due to age related degeneration of the conduction system. The garden variety disease causing slow heart rate is called complete heart block.
    • Fast heart rate – Tachycardia in this disease there is an accelerated conduction of electrical impulses – if the fast heart arises in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles) it is called ventricular tachycardia if it arises in the upper chambers (atria) of the heart it is called supraventricular tachycardia.

Doctors usually recommend a battery of tests based on the system of the heart that has been affected. Based on a detailed history followed by a detailed physical examination, appropriate battery of tests would be suggested. The diagnosis of the heart ailment is critically dependent on the results of tests.

In addition to confirming the diagnosis, test results might indicate the disease complications and thus your doctor is able to stage the disease and the possible outcomes.

Related : Basics about Heart Failure

Blood tests:

  1. Complete blood count (CBC): A complete blood count helps to detect infection, anaemia and other blood disorders. Anaemia is a common finding in heart failure, plus it also contributes to worsening of heart failure. A low platelet count may be caused by medications such as diuretics or heparin.
  2. Cardiac troponins (cTn1, cTnT, high sensitivity troponins): It is an important blood biomarker useful for the detection and predicting outcomes of chest pain or heart attack. Cardiac troponins may also be high in other heart related conditions like acute myocarditis, coronary vasospasm and non-cardiac conditions (e.g. sepsis, chronic kidney disease).
  3. Electrolytes, urea and creatinine: Assessment of kidney function is essential in all cardiac patients. Both kidney and cardiac disease share the same risk factors and either disease can lead to poor outcomes of the other disease. In addition, cardiac drugs’ doses need to be modified considering the kidney function.
  4. Liver function tests:: Certain drugs such as statins and amiodarone, which are commonly prescribed for patients with heart disease, can trigger liver failure. Liver failure could also be a consequence of heart failure.
  5. Thyroid function test: Medication for heart disease like amiodarone may cause hyper or hypo thyroidism. Altered thyroid hormone can also cause heart dysfunction and responsible for coronary artery disease.
  6. Brain Natriuretic Peptides (BNP or N-terminal pro BNP): BNP is a useful tool to differentiate between cardiac and non-cardiac causes of shortness of breath. High levels of BNP and N terminal pro BNP is associated with increased severity of heart disease and greater risk of hospitalization.
Related: Types of Heart Failure

Electrocardiography(ECG):

This test detects and records the electrical activity of the heart. This is a simple, non-invasive test which is very useful to determine abnormalities in the heart rate, rhythm and to identify risk of damaged heart muscle or other structural changes in the heart. This test detects the presence of arrhythmias and coronary artery disease.

Exercise stress testing:

Exercise makes your heart work harder. Exercise stress testing is done either on a treadmill or cycle ergometry with the patient connected to an electrocardiogram. Exercise stress testing may identify myocardial ischaemia, haemodynamic/ electrical instability, or other exertion-related signs or symptoms. When an individual is not able to exercise, medications are given to stress the heart and the response is evaluated.

Chest X-ray:

Chest X ray is very useful to differentiate whether shortness of breath is due to a respiratory disease or heart disease. It can also help in detecting complications of heart failure such as cardiomegaly, interstitial oedema, pulmonary oedema and pleural effusions.

Coronary angiography:

Coronary angiography is useful to determine the health of the coronary arteries. In this test, a catheter is inserted into the coronary arteries and a dye is injected to produce clear X ray images of the coronary arteries. This helps to find out the presence, location and extent of vessel narrowing. The results also help to decide which type of treatment would be most appropriate for correction of heart problem.

Echocardiography:

This test gives an ultrasound image of the heart. Echocardiography can provide information about the size and shape of heart chambers, blood flow velocities, heart muscle function when they contract and relax, abnormalities of the movement of the heart wall, valve function, and presence of thrombus (blood clot) in the heart.

Stress echocardiography helps in detecting decreased blood flow to heart during exertion. In this test, echocardiography is done immediately post stress. The stress can be exercise or could be induced by medications.

Myocardial perfusion scanning (MPS):

MPS is a non-invasive test which helps to determine how well blood flows through your heart muscles. In this test, a small amount of a radioactive substance is injected into the blood. The test evaluates the severity of coronary artery disease and provides guidance regarding the need as well as success of invasive procedures like angioplasty and stent insertion. 

Cardiac Computerized Tomography (CT):

Cardiac CT provides detailed images of the heart. This helps to identify structural abnormalities in the heart and blood vessels such as aneurysms, valve dysfunction and damage to the pulmonary vasculature. Cardiac CT also provides information about patency of grafts following coronary artery bypass graft.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI):

Cardiac MRI uses strong magnetic fields and radiofrequency to provide detailed 3D images of the heart and surrounding structures. The image provides accurate information about cardiac volumes, muscle mass, contractility, and how efficiently the heart is pumping. Like cardiac CT, cardiac MRI also helps to provide information about patency of grafts following coronary artery bypass graft.

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      Call us now if you are in a medical emergency need, we will reply swiftly and provide you with a medical aid.


      Dr. Raghu | Heart Specialist in Hyderabad
      Yashoda Hospitals, Sardar Patel Rd, behind Hari Hara Kala Bhavan, Kummari Guda, Shivaji Nagar, Secunderabad, Telangana 500003



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