Everything you need to know about heart disease

Everything you need to know about heart disease
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Heart disease is one of the leading causes of deaths across the world. Around six million people die from this condition every year which means one in every four deaths is caused due to heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for several populations of different ethnicities including caucasians, hispanics and black people. Though heart disease is one of the deadliest diseases, it can also be prevented in most people by following healthy lifestyles.

Different types of heart diseases:

A wide range of cardiovascular problems are included in heart diseases. The different types of heart diseases are as follows:

  • Arrhythmia: It is a condition in which heart beats abnormally
  • Atherosclerosis: It is a condition in which hardening of arteries occurs.
  • Cardiomyopathy: This condition weakens or hardens up the heart muscles.
  • Congenital heart defects: These are irregularities of the heart present from the time of birth.
  • Coronary artery disease: It is caused due to build up of plaque in the arteries of the heart.
  • Heart infections: it is generally caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites.

What are the symptoms of heart diseases?

Different heart diseases exhibit different types of symptoms.
Arrhythmias: Symptoms of arrhythmias depend on whether the heart beats too fast or too slow. Symptoms of arrhythmias include:

  • Lightheadedness
  • Racing heartbeat
  • Slow pulse
  • Fainting spells
  • Dizziness
  • Chest pain

Atherosclerosis:

Symptoms of atherosclerosis may include:

  • Coldness and numbness in the limbs
  • Unusual pain
  • Weakness in the legs and arms

Congenital heart defects:

Some of the symptoms of congenital heart disease are:

  • Blue tinged skin
  • Swelling in the legs
  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Irregular heart beat

Coronary artery disease:

Symptoms of CAD include:

  • Nausea
  • Feeling of indigestion
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain

Cardiomyopathy:

Symptoms of Cardiomyopathy may include:

  • Fatigue
  • Swollen legs
  • Bloating
  • Shortness of breath

Heart infection:

The various symptoms of heart infections are as follows:

  • Chest pain
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Skin rash
  • Chest congestion

Causes of heart diseases:

Different types of heart diseases are caused due to different reasons.

  • Atherosclerosis and CAD is caused due to plaque buildup in the arteries.
  • Causes of arrhythmias are diabetes, CAD, heart defects, high BP, excessive consumption of caffeine etc.
  • Congenital heart defects are caused when the baby is still developing in the womb. Heart structure may also change as you mature causing heart defects.
  • Cardiomyopathy is caused due to long term high BP, heart valve problems, drinking alcohol or use of drugs etc.
  • Bacteria, viruses and parasites are the main cause of heart infections.

Risk factors for heart diseases:

Various risk factors which may cause heart disease are as follows:

  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • Physical inactivity

How is heart disease diagnosed?

  • Physical examination and blood tests: Doctors will conduct physical examination on the basis of symptoms that a person is experiencing. They may also order frequent blood tests to check cholesterol levels and the signs of inflammation.
  • Non-invasive test: Various noninvasive tests used to diagnose heart disease are Electrocardiogram(ECG), echocardiogram, stress test, carotid ultrasound, Holter monitor, tilt table test, CT scan, heart MRI etc.
  • Invasive test: This may include Cardiac catheterization, coronary angiography, Electrophysiology study etc. to detect heart disease.

Treatments available for heart disease:

The three main categories of treatments to treat heart disease are:

  • Lifestyle changes:
    Healthy lifestyle choices can prevent heart disease to a great extent. A person should consume low sodium and low fat diet and must include fresh fruits and vegetables. Regular exercise can also help to treat heart disease.
  • Medications:
    Doctors will prescribe various medicines as per your health status and diagnosis to cure or control the progress of heart disease.
  • Surgery or invasive procedure:
    In case of complicated heart disease, surgery or a medical procedure becomes necessary to treat the disease. The medical procedure performed by the doctor will depend on the type of heart disease.

How to prevent heart disease:

Here are some methods which can be followed to prevent heart disease:

  • Try to maintain healthy blood pressure
  • Maintain proper cholesterol level
  • Find different ways to manage stress levels
  • Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle
  • Quit smoking and regulate your alcohol consumption

Is there a cure to heart disease?

Heart diseases cannot be cured and require a lifetime of treatment and proper monitoring. Many of the symptoms of heart disease can be managed by following proper lifestyle, medical procedures and medications.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of heart disease try to consult a doctor. You can also fix an appointment with the best cardiologists at YASHODA HOSPITALS AND RESEARCH CENTRE, NEHRU NAGAR, GHAZIABAD. They can help you in relieving your symptoms by providing proper diagnosis and treatment for heart disease.

Some of the best cardiologists in Delhi NCR:

Dr. Rajat Arora is the Group Director Of Yashoda Group of Hospitals, Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Arora has experience of performing more than 500 PCIs (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) and 6000 coronary angiographies. He also performs various kinds of congenital heart disease interventions such as ASD device closure, VSD device closure and RSOV closure. Apart from these he also performs all types of pacemaker insertions, ICD device and CRT therapy.

Dr. Amit Rai is the senior consultant in the Department of cardiology and medicine and has 34 years of experience in the field of clinical cardiology and medicine.

Dr. Alok Sehgal is one of the best cardiologists in Delhi NCR with over 20 years of experience in the medical field. He performs more than 150 angioplasties and over 500 diagnostic cardiac procedures annually. He specializes in all kinds of diagnostic peripheral vascular diseases, cardiac catheterization, angiographic studies and coronary and peripheral arterial disease.

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Yashoda Hospital

Yashoda Hospital

Yashoda Hospital is one of the best super specialty hospitals in Ghaziabad, Noida & Delhi NCR. Yashoda Hospital aims at providing the best healthcare services across the country and not just in Delhi NCR, Ghaziabad & Noida. Being a super speciality hospital, Yashoda Hospital has a number of dedicated specialities under one roof- gastroenterology, general surgery, obstetrics & gynaecology, cardiology, pulmonology & internal medicine, orthopedics, urology and many more.

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