allabouthearthproblems.com

Heart Disease – What it is

Peter — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:17:02 +0000

Heart disease is a general term that refers to a variety of acute and chronic medical conditions that affect one or more of the components of the heart. The heart is a muscular, fist-sized organ that is located in the left side of the chest cavity. It continuously pumps blood, beating as many as 100,000 times a day. The blood that the heart moves carries oxygen and nutrients throughout the body and transports carbon dioxide and other wastes to the lungs, kidneys, and liver for removal. The heart ensures its own oxygen supply through a set of coronary arteries and veins. The heart is also an endocrine organ that produces the hormones atrial natriuretic hormone (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), which coordinate heart function with blood vessels and the kidneys.

Internally, the heart is essentially hollow. It is divided vertically into two halves by a septum, and each side of the heart has two internal chambers � an atrium on top and a ventricle on the bottom. Venous blood enters the right side of the heart through the right atrium and is pumped by the right ventricle to the lungs, where carbon dioxide is released and oxygen acquired. Oxygenated blood from the lungs is transported to the left atrium and is pumped by the left ventricle into arteries that carry it throughout the body. Four heart valves regulate the direction and flow of blood through the chambers of the heart. It is their opening and shutting that gives the heart its characteristic �lub-dub� beat. The heart muscle itself is called the myocardium. Lining the chambers of the heart and the valves is a membrane called the endocardium. Encasing the outside of the heart is the pericardium � a layered membrane that is fibrous on the outside and serous (fluid-secreting) on the inside. The pericardium forms a protective barrier around the heart and allows it to beat in a virtually friction free environment.

Diseases affecting the heart may be structural or functional. Anything that damages the heart or decreases the heart�s supply of oxygen, makes it less efficient, reduces its ability to fill and pump, will disrupt the coordinated relationship between the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels and will harm not only the heart but the rest of the body as well.

Source: Lab Tests Online

Diet, sugary sodas alike linked to heart disease factors

Peter — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:25:25 +0000

People who drink one or more soft drinks a day have a more than 50 percent higher risk of developing the heart disease precursor metabolic syndrome than people who drink less than one soda a day, a new study has found. And it didn’t matter if it was a regular soda or a diet soda.

Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of health problems — high waist circumference, high blood pressure, low levels of “good” cholesterol,” and other health problems — that have been strongly linked to developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

The study, in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, looked at more than 6,000 healthy people, who showed no signs of metabolic syndrome, and then followed up. After four years, 53 percent of people who drank an average of one or more soft drinks per day developed metabolic syndrome. Those who drank one or more diet soft drinks a day were at a 44 percent higher risk.

“The point is that the risk is high no matter how many soft drinks one consumes and no matter what type of soft drink one consumes,” said Dr. Ramachandran S. Vasan, associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and one of the study authors. “This adds to what we already know about how soft drinks may be associated with weight gain and metabolic risk.”

The American Beverage Association took issue with the study, saying that the study proves no link between soft drinks and increased risk of heart disease.

Heart ailments

editor — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:04:06 +0000

The heart is the center of life in the body, though it is still governed by the mind, the heart literally pumps the life in the body. This is why we have to take good care of our hearts. The heart is a fragile organ, not because it is susceptible to emotional pains, though believe it or not, that in itself is also a factor to heart ailments, but the fact is, the heart is prone to taking the brunt of an unhealthy lifestyle. Not eating right and abstaining from exercise could weaken the heart. With a less than able heart, the human body can only take so much. Even mental strain can cause complications for an unhealthy heart. Stress can cause the blood in the heart to rise resulting to abnormal palpitations, this is why one should eat and exercise, so that the heart is kept in constant shape.

Importance Of Being Healthy

andrea — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:41:55 +0000

During pregnancy, our physicians thus advise to give importance to the prenatal and early life environment for the sake of an individual’s future health. Parents in general should avoid as much as possible exposure to tobacco or cigarette smoke which can eventually have an impact on the weight of a child. However, vitamins and other safe medications can be prescribed for pregnant women. This will help the child to be healthy aside from the daily nutrients that the mother takes. Also, when the child was born, there are available test that can be conducted to verify or ensure the child’s heart particularly the heart.

Heat Waves

andrea — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:55:40 +0000

Higher Temperature is not only bad for the skin but can also cause heat stroke. This manifestation is uncontrollable unless each and everyone will plant trees to lessen the heat. The human body is intended to deal with extreme heat but for certain period of time alone. In a way, our bodies can develop a biological way to tolerate heat. In situations like this, physicians do advise to exercise in warmer places in order to improve blood circulation. Bicycling has been a recommended exercise for the health and at the same time, be careful with our food intake as well.

The Environment

andrea — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:54:30 +0000

Extreme or unseen events can complicate especially if our climate is affected. Other factors that can cause heart problems are the pollution levels emitted by factories and cars as well as natural phenomenon. With concrete skyscrapers and people living in the cities in the near future, our environment will completely change and if it is expected to get worst, it can contribute to heart disease. When lungs become irritated with the airborne impurities, there would also be a bad reaction to the heart. Reason why as early as now there is a campaign warnings to be watchful with our surroundings.

Don’t muse over problems!

editor — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:52:56 +0000

If you have had a fight with someone, experts say that you should stop musing over it. Past is past, let go of it. It has been proven by UC Irvine that the more you sulk on it, the higher your risk of developing heart issues later on in life. Of course, stress is a key player here. UC Irvine said that just by thinking about the scenario, repeating the scenes over and over again in your mind can make your blood pressure sky rocket. If it is an office problem, it is best if you leave it in your office and not mull over it at home. If it is a family problem, better try to mend your relationship with your family right now so that you won’t have to worry about anything when you get home. Isn’t home a place to relax?

Photo taken from http://www.fotosearch.com

All about hypertension and Alzheimer’s.

editor — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 11:18:58 +0000

Who would ever think that high blood pressure and Alzheimer’s disease are connected? Although high blood is not the cause of Alzheimer’s, it can be a contributing factor to the said disease that targets the memory of old people. When a person has high blood, the flow of his or her blood in the brain is greatly reduced. The blood travels to the arteries with great speed (shoots up) and this is affecting the activity of the brain. It is only recently that high blood is being associated with brain ailments. Statistics by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute show that about 50 million Americans suffer from hypertension. That’s something to look at.

Photo taken from http://a.abcnews.com

Urgent ED Treatment May Prevent Heart Attacks

Peter — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:25:50 +0000

Researchers and medical experts have found a link between erectile dysfunction and heart attacks, the first being a sure fire indicator of a coming storm. Blamed on circulatory problems erectile dysfunction is a growing problem amongst men but due to the total fragility of their condition, many fail to seek proper attention. It has been found that the onslaught of ED is a surefire sign of a heart attack between two to three years, a period that can be used to treat symptoms and other underlying heart problems before they cause more damage. Massive heart attacks are extremely fatal, resulting in extreme disability for survivors but with proper management of the developing disease, it may be possible to stem the coming of the fatal attack, if caught in the nick of time.

Metabolite Profiling Key to Detecting Heart Attacks

Peter — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 05:14:15 +0000

Mild heart attacks can go unnoticed and can be blamed on heartburn but new diagnostic methods using metabolite profiling have been developed to allow a better understanding of how they change the chemical composition of the blood and the metabolites that are contained within. This is why people are advised to seek medical attention to allow better understanding of the mechanisms that researchers have found as promising. There are specific changes to the levels of metabolites or metabolic chemicals hat are released by the body through the blood that signifies trauma to the heart. The heart may be signaling the brain that there is someting wrong and that a sudden release of these metabolites are needed to help it cope.