Heart Disease

There have been many shocking deaths in recent times, of young people due to heart disease. When something like that happens, people sit up and take notice and start wondering, how this could happen? But after a few days, we get back to our busy lives and carry on. However, matters of the heart are to be ignored only at great risk.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) contribute to about 28% of deaths in India. Another alarming statistic is of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Now more than 21% of diabetics in India have CAD and most of it happens in urban areas. The mean age at which Indians get heart attacks is 53 years, which is about ten years younger as compared to developed countries.

Generally, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and obesity are said to be the risk factors for heart diseases. However, there could well be some other factors at play that may explain the deaths of young, healthy people without habits. Even genetics is an aspect that could be a cause of concern. Pollution, lifestyle, and mental health are other factors contributing to heart diseases. Here are some of the heart diseases which are prevalent:

Heart Valve Issue

You might have heard about people with heart valve issues. The common symptoms of this issue, are palpitations, breathing difficulty, feeling weak with slight exertion, heaviness in the chest, and changes in heartbeats. At times, we may just ignore these symptoms thinking they are age related, or due to exhaustion. Another symptom you can watch out for is gaining weight rapidly. Also, if you notice swelling in the feet or ankles, or constant bloating symptoms, it could indicative of heart valve disease.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

The built up of plaque in the artery causes blocks that result in a heart attack. Plaque is a fatty acid, the built up of which narrows the coronary arteries causing issues. This is commonly called heart disease and at times also referred to as ischemic heart disease. With this issue, people often experience angina or chest pain, which is also the most common symptom of this condition. Angina could also give pain in the jaw, arm, neck, shoulders, back etc. Along with pain, angina also gives some burning sensation and heaviness in the chest. Many a time, people misdiagnose it to be gastric issues due to these common symptoms and delay seeking help. Often proving to be fatal. Watch out for faster heartbeats, nausea, sweating, dizziness, palpitations, breathing difficulty, etc. along with angina.

Cardiomyopathy

In this condition, the heart muscles enlarge. The causes vary from hypertension to ischemic heart disease. At times, few treatments like that of cancer may also cause this issue. Fainting sensation and chest pain on exertion are most common symptoms of cardiomyopathy. Palpitations may also be experienced, even when you are resting.

Heart Arrhythmia

Feeling dizzy, pounding in the chest, extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeats, etc. are the common symptoms of this condition. Artrial fibrillation is a type of heart arrhythmia that makes you feel dizzy with extreme chest discomfort. These are caused by CAD, drug or alcohol abuse, hypertension, smoking of caffeine addiction, etc. Stress and some medications may also cause heart arrhythmias.

Pericarditis

In this condition, people experience a low fever and feel tired with the slightest exertion. Sharp pain in the chest may also be experienced. At times, the pain may also spread to the neck, shoulders, back, arms, etc. Swallowing, coughing etc becomes extremely painful in this condition. This condition may be caused by various issues like trauma, heart surgery, infections, auto-immune diseases, cancer, and more.

Diagnosis

To be on the safe side, if you experience the above mentioned symptoms, and suspect that it could be something to do with the heart, it is best to immediately seek treatment. Many small clinics too can help you diagnose the issue with simple tests like ECG and ECHO. Detailed tests may also include CT or MRI scans, and angiography. At times stress testing is also the art of health check-ups.

Treatment

It differs from person to person based on the diagnosis. It may include medications and surgery. For example, a few people may need to have a pacemaker fitted or a heart transplant even. However, most often lifestyle changes are part of the suggested treatments to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet, giving up unhealthy habits, regular exercise etc., may also be prescribed by the doctor. The key is to follow the advice and go for regular check-ups to ensure that issue is caught early.

Many of the suggested treatment options are the prevention factors too. Eating healthy, regular exercise, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, managing stress, sleeping well, regular screening for diabetes and blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. can help prevent heart issues.

Given above is some basic information related to heart diseases, I hope this helps in understanding the common heart issues in a better way.

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Anil Malik

Mumbai, India

14^th April 2022