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MaxCure Health Screening Packages Offers
MaxCure Hospitals offers various personalised health screening packages for you.
Take a proactive approach towards your health and stay healthy.
Book now: https://goo.gl/K7Tfnm
For appointments call: 7674999365/8008186678
Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Does smoking increase your risk of heart disease?
Smoking is a major risk for several diseases including heart disease, stroke, and several cancers. Even low-tar cigarettes and light smoking can increase the risk of heart disease substantially. There are now several alternative approaches to helping people stop smoking. These include nicotine-replacement patches and gum as well as oral medication.
Is hypothyroidism a risk factor?
Hypothyroidism can increase blood cholesterol levels and that contributes to heart disease; however, if the hypothyroidism is being treated with a thyroid hormone, then the cholesterol returns to normal.
Is heart disease hereditary?
There is an increase in the risk of heart attack if a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) has had a heart attack or stroke. That is mainly seen when the relative has had a heart attack before the age of 45 if they are male, 55 if they are female. Obviously, you cannot change your family history but a positive history should suggest the need to improve all the other risk factors like stopping smoking and decreasing cholesterol.
What changes in diet do you recommend?
I would suggest a diet that is balanced among all the main food groups, with fat content making up no more than 30 percent of calories and most of that fat being unsaturated. I would not advise patients to eat a diet that is restricted in carbohydrates or fruits and vegetables because this may adversely affect vitamin intake and blood cholesterol.
Can stress cause heart disease?
Stress can increase the risk of heart disease, although we still do not know how this happens. A sudden physical or emotional stress can certainly lead to an episode of angina or even a heart attack.
Is vitamin E good for your heart?
Vitamin E is taken by many people; however, recent clinical trials have suggested that it is not effective in reducing the risk of heart disease, at least in patients who’ve already had one heart attack. There have now been two clinical trials involving more than 20,000 patients with placebo or 400 units of vitamin E a day.
Is salt bad for your heart?
Salt in the diet can cause an increase in blood pressure in some patients. For that reason we usually recommend that salt intake be restricted to moderate levels. It is particularly important to watch salt intake if a patient has high blood pressure that is not controlled with usual therapy. Many foods, such as potato chips, peanuts, and ready-made meals, have very high salt content.
What happens if heart disease is left untreated? Does it often go untreated?
If heart disease is not treated, it can cause severe angina, heart failure with shortness of breath on even mild activities. The risk of death is increased. Most physicians are now very familiar with treating heart disease so it does not often go untreated.
Can exercise really make your heart stronger?
Exercise has huge benefits. It reduces blood pressure and increases HDL, or good cholesterol. It improves the number of blood vessels in the heart and in the rest of the body. So exercise makes it less likely that you will have a heart attack and if you do have a heart attack, it’s likely that it will be less severe. In addition, exercise is a very important component of any weight-loss program.
Frequently Asked Questions on Heart Related Problems
What are the major risk factors for heart disease?
The major risk factors for heart disease (also called cardiovascular disease or CVD) are smoking, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, age, gender, and heredity (including race).
What is high blood pressure and how is it treated?
Your heart pumps blood through a network of arteries, veins, and capillaries. The moving blood pushes against the arterial walls, and this force is measured as blood pressure.
High blood pressure results from the tightening of very small arteries (arterioles) that regulate the blood flow through your body. As these arterioles tighten (or constrict), your heart has to work harder to pump blood through the smaller space, and the pressure inside the vessels grows.
High blood pressure is so dangerous because it often has no symptoms. High blood pressure tends to run in families. Men are at higher risk than women, and blacks are at greater risk than whites.
In most cases, high blood pressure can be controlled by eating a low-fat low-salt diet; losing weight, if necessary; beginning a regular exercise program; learning to manage stress; quitting smoking; and drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all. Medicines, called antihypertensives, are available if these changes do not help control your blood pressure.
What is cholesterol and why is it so important?
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance (lipid) found in all body cells. Your liver makes all of the cholesterol your body needs to form cell membranes and make certain hormones. Extra cholesterol enters your body when you eat foods that come from animals (meats, eggs, and dairy products). Although we often blame the cholesterol found in foods that we eat for raising blood cholesterol, the main culprit is saturated fat, which is also found in our food.
Cholesterol travels to cells through the bloodstream in special carriers called lipoproteins. Two of the most important lipoproteins are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Doctors look at how LDL and HDL relate to each other and to total cholesterol.
LDL particles deliver cholesterol to your cells. LDL cholesterol is often called “bad cholesterol” because high levels are thought to lead to the development of heart disease. Too much LDL in the blood causes plaque to form on artery walls, which starts a disease process called atherosclerosis. When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, you are at greater risk for having a heart attack.
HDL particles carry cholesterol from your cells back to your liver, where it can be eliminated from your body. HDL is known as “good cholesterol” because high levels are thought to lower your risk for heart disease.
What is coronary bypass surgery?
Bypass surgery improves the blood flow to the heart with a new route, or “bypass,” around a section of clogged or diseased artery.
The surgery involves using a section of blood vessel from another part of the body to bypass a part of the diseased coronary artery. This graft creates a new route for blood to flow, so that the heart muscle will get the oxygen-rich blood it needs. The procedure may be a double, triple, or even quadruple bypass depending on the number of arteries affected.
Coronary bypass surgery has proved safe and effective for many patients who have the procedure. You can expect to stay in the hospital for about a week after surgery, including at least 1 to 3 days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Your doctor will recommend a cardiac rehabilitation program to help you recover.
What treatment options are available to a patient with narrowed or blocked arteries?
A severely narrowed coronary artery may need treatment to reduce the risk of a heart attack. Coronary bypass surgery is one form of treatment, but there are other therapies that have been found effective among carefully selected patients.
Angioplasty, which opens narrowed arteries, is performed by interventional cardiologists. They use a small balloon-tipped catheter that they inflate at the blockage site to flatten the plaque against the artery wall. A thin wire is inserted into an artery in the leg and is guided to the site of narrowing in the coronary artery. The catheter is slipped over this guidewire and positioned at the blockage, where the balloon is inflated. After treatment, the wire, catheter, and balloon are removed. The hospital stay and recovery time for this procedure are shorter than that of bypass.
A stent procedure is often used in conjunction with balloon angioplasty. It involves implanting a mesh-like metal device into an artery at a site narrowed by plaque. The stent keeps the vessel open for proper blood flow.
Atherectomy may be an option for certain patients who cannot have balloon angioplasty. A high-speed drill on the tip of a catheter is used to shave plaque from artery walls.
Laser ablation uses a catheter that has a metal or fiberoptic probe on the tip. The laser uses light to “burn” away plaque and open the vessel enough so that a balloon can further widen the opening.
Percutaneous transmyocardial revascularization (PTMR) is performed by a cardiologist in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Using a laser that has been fedthrough a catheter to the hear, the cardiologist creates tiny holes in the heart muscle. These holes become channels for blood to flow to oxygen-starved areas of the heart. Researchers believe that the procedure may cause new vessels to form, reducing the pain of angina. PTMR is used for patients who have not responded to other treatments such as medicines, angioplasty, or coronary artery bypass surgery.
What is mitral valve prolapse?
The mitral valve regulates the flow of blood from the upper-left chamber (the left atrium) to the lower-left chamber (the left ventricle). Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) means that one or both of the valve flaps (called cusps or leaflets) are enlarged, and the flaps’ supporting muscles are too long. Instead of closing evenly, one or both of the flaps collapse or bulge into the atrium. MVP is often called click-murmur syndrome because when the valve does not close properly, it makes a clicking sound and then a murmur.
MVP is one of the most common forms of valve disease. It happens more often in women and tends to run in families. Most of the time, MVP is not a serious condition. Some patients say they feel palpitations (like their hearts skip a beat) or sharp chest pain. If you have MVP, let your doctor know if you are going to have dental or general surgery so he or she can follow current guidelines about taking antibiotics prior to surgery.
What does the term “enlarged heart” mean?
An enlarged heart means the heart is larger than normal because of heredity or disorders and diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, and viral illnesses. Sometimes doctors do not know what makes the heart enlarge.
What is a stroke and what are the warning signs of stroke?
A stroke is an injury to the brain that may also severely affect the body. A stroke happens when blood supply to part of the brain is cut off or when there is bleeding into or around the brain. This can happen if a blood clot blocks an artery in the brain or neck or if a weakened artery bursts in the brain.
Risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, smoking, heart disease, diabetes, and a high red blood cell count. The risk of stroke also increases with age. Heavy alcohol use increases your risk of bleeding (hemorrhagic) strokes.
The warning signs for stroke may include a sudden, temporary weakness or numbness in your face or in your arm or leg; trouble talking or understanding others who are talking; temporary loss of eyesight, especially in one eye; double vision; unexplained headaches or a change in headache pattern; temporary dizziness or staggering when walking; or a transient ischemic attack (TIA).
What is carotid artery disease?
Carotid artery disease is a form of disease that affects the vessels leading to the head and brain (cerebrovascular disease). Like the heart, the brain’s cells need a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood. This blood supply is delivered to the brain by the 2 large carotid arteries in the front of your neck. If these arteries become clogged or blocked, you can have a stroke.
Carotid artery disease is usually caused by atherosclerosis, which is a hardening and narrowing of the arteries. As we age, fat deposits, cholesterol, calcium, and other materials build up on the inner walls of the arteries. This build-up forms a wax-like substance called plaque. As the plaque builds up, the arteries become narrower, and the flow of blood through the arteries becomes slower.
Lifestyle changes, medicines, transcatheter interventions, or surgery can be used to treat carotid artery disease and lower your risk of a stroke.
Heart Failure Symptoms
What Are Heart Failure Symptoms?
If you have heart failure, you may not have any symptoms, or the symptoms may range from mild to severe. Symptoms can be constant or can come and go. Heart failure symptoms are related to the changes that occur to your heart and body, and the severity depends on how weak your heart is. The symptoms can include:
- Congested lungs. A weak heart causes fluid to back up in the lungs. This can cause shortness of breath with exercise or difficulty breathing at rest or when lying flat in bed. Lung congestion can also cause a dry, hacking cough or wheezing.
- Fluid and water retention. A weak heart pumps less blood to your kidneys and causes fluid and water retention, resulting in swollen ankles, legs, and abdomen (called edema) and weight gain. This can also cause an increased need to urinate during the night as your body attempts to get rid of this excess fluid. Bloating in your stomach may cause a loss of appetite or nausea.
- Dizziness, fatigue, and weakness. Less blood to your major organs and muscles makes you feel tired and weak. Less blood to the brain can cause dizziness or confusion.
- Rapid or irregular heartbeats. The heart beats faster to pump enough blood to the body. This can cause a fast or irregular heartbeat.
Exercise and heart disease
- How Exercise can safe yout heart
Getting regular exercises is very important to your heart health, whether you are currently healthy or already have a heart condition. Fortunately, getting enough exercise, and getting it safely, can be relatively easy to do for more people. These articles will tel you what you need to know about getting the right amount of exercise for your heart.
- How muck Exercise is Necessary to keep your Heart Healthy
The Institute of Medicine says that in order to maintain optimal cardiovuscular health, atleast an hour a day exercise is needed.
- How Exercise Makes you Healthy
Regular exercise have several beneficial effects on your body that can improve the function of your respiratory system, metabolism and even your brain.
- Heart-Healthy Exercise Guidelines
Exercising regularlly is one of the best things you can to prevent heart disease and several other important medical problems, and to improve your changes of remaining vital well into your old age.
Top 5 Fruits for Your Heart Health
Bananas
Benefits: Vitamins B6 and C, fiber, magnesium*, potassium*
What to look for when buying bananas: Firm, with the stem intact. Size does not affect quality.
Storing: Room temperature is best.
Using: Best eaten fresh. Freeze peeled, overripe bananas to use later in baking.
*Potassium and magnesium lower blood pressure.
- Oranges
Benefits: Vitamins A, B6, and C; folate; potassium; fiber
What to look for when buying oranges:Shiny skin free of blemishes. Oranges with small navels are best; a large navel means it’s overripe.
Storing: Keep on the kitchen counter 3-5 days. If not eating right away, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Using: Eat fresh-the white layer of skin on a fresh orange curbs appetite for up to four hours. Or slice into a salad with romaine and red onion.
Women & Heart Disease
- Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined.
- Heart disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute.
- Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
- Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease.
- The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women and men, and are often misunderstood.
Lifestyle Changes After a Heart Attack
Surviving a heart attack is often a life-changing event. In addition to recovering from any procedures that were performed to stop and treat the heart attack, most patients will also face making sometimes extensive lifestyle changes. These lifestyle changes are designed to target risk factors for heart disease and stop or slow the progress of disease. While making lifestyle changes is never easy, doing so after a heart attack is an important part of looking toward the future. Read below for common lifestyle changes and how you can get support in making them.
smoking cessation
Cigarette smoking is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease, so quitting is one of the most important things you can do for your heart health. After you quit, your risk of a heart attack drops sharply after just one year. If you smoke and wish to quit, your physician and other qualified medical professionals and support groups can help you, even if you have tried in the past without success.
Blood Pressure Management
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a very common cardiovascular condition in the United States, affecting approximately one out of three U.S. adults. High blood pressure damages the artery walls and heart muscle over time. Damaged arteries are more likely to accumulate heart-attack causing plaques (deposits of a fatty substance in the artery wall). Managing your blood pressure through a combination of medication, diet and exercise will help prevent a recurrent heart attack. Speak with your physician about a long-term plan to lower your blood pressure if it is high.
Diet
Eating a nutritious diet can help keep cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose, and body weight within healthy ranges, reducing risk for cardiovascular disease and slowing the progression if you already have it. Your physician can help you identify how to adopt a more heart-healthy diet, as well as refer you to a nutritionist or other qualified medical professional to give you ongoing, detailed support.
Medication
You may not immediately think of taking medication as a lifestyle change, but beginning a medication regimen or adding to your existing one can take some adjustment. Taking your medication exactly as prescribed is vital for doing everything you can to prevent a recurrent heart attack. If you anticipate any problems with taking your prescribed medications – ranging from forgetfulness to financial cost – speak with your physician. He or she may have suggestions for how you can resolve your medication problems or refer you to a counselor with expertise in addressing the problem. Never stop taking your medication without first speaking with your physician; doing so can be dangerous. Additionally, be sure to discuss any side effects from the medication with your physician.
Why should I change my lifestyle after a heart attack?
There is evidence that lifestyle affects your risk of having a heart attack. Making changes to your diet, how much exercise you take, your alcohol intake, cutting down on smoking and losing weight if you’re overweight can all reduce your risk of another heart attack.
Changes to your diet
Eat a Mediterranean-style diet, with more bread, fruit, vegetables and fish, and less meat. Choose products made from vegetable and plant oils (such as olive oil) instead of products such as butter and cheese.
Avoid foods that contain a lot of fat (especially saturated fat), salt and added sugar.
Eat two to four portions of oily fish a week, such as herring, sardines, mackerel, salmon, trout and tuna. A portion is about 140g (a small tin of oily fish or a small fillet of fresh fish).
Choose healthy ways of cooking and preparing your food. Don’t fry food or roast it in fat. Instead, steam, poach, bake, casserole, microwave or stir fry. Read more information on cutting down on saturated fats and healthy eating.
Don’t take beta-carotene (a type of vitamin A) supplements. Be aware that taking vitamins C or E or folic acid won’t help prevent another heart attack.
Health Checkup Packages in A.P 