Heart diseases are the leading cause of illness worldwide. Nearly one in four deaths in India and elsewhere are reported as to be caused by heart diseases. Arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, and coronary heart disease are a few types of heart diseases. Though most of the types can be cured by medication and surgeries, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, and habits like smoking can help prevent coronary diseases mainly. Read on to find different causes, diagnosis, and treatments of heart diseases in the following sections.

Diagnosis and treatments of heart diseases

An active lifestyle and good habits can help reduce heart diseases to a great extent, while certain types of heart disease, classified as congenital heart disease, occur from birth. It is essential to understand different kinds of heart diseases as the symptoms of heart diseases depend on the conditions that are affecting the individuals.

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Symptoms of heart diseases

Patients who have a chronic illness like diabetes might not experience any symptoms. Breathlessness or angina mostly triggered by strenuous activities, and chest pains are some of the common symptoms associated with heart diseases. Heart attacks occur because of different heart diseases. Following are some of the symptoms of a heart attack.

• Symptoms similar to indigestion, bloating, and stomachache
• Pains that occur through the body, typically starting from chest to arms, neck, abdomen, jaw or back
• Dizziness and lightheadedness
• Palpitation
• Nausea and vomiting

Congenital heart diseases symptoms are evident when the kid reaches the age of 13, and the patients may show a wide range of symptoms, along with the typical symptoms, like:

• Excessive fatigue
• Fast heartbeats and breathing
• Blue tints in the skin
• Clubbed fingernails

Diagnosis of heart disease

The doctors may go through your medical history and description of symptoms, and ask you to go through some of the standard medical tests. Listening to the heart murmurs might give the physician some clue regarding the type of heart issue. You may be advised to get an electrocardiogram or ECG after the initial screening. ECG is a process in which the electrical recordings show whether your heart is in trouble or not. The abnormalities of electrical records are the indicator of Ischemia.

Few other tests used for diagnosing heart problems are, CT, MRI scans, Angiography, and Echocardiograms. These tests provide essential information regarding the functioning of the heart and the blood vessels. Stress testing and Electrophysiology tests are some other tests used in the diagnosis and treatments of heart diseases.

Lifestyle, diet and heart health

Your heart health is dependent upon a healthy lifestyle you lead. Obesity and being overweight can lead to high blood pressure and diabetes, which can gradually lead to heart malfunctions. Being overweight can also lower the ability of the heart to pump blood efficiently. Follow these simple diet regulations and lifestyle habits to have a happy heart.

• Increase the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Include proteins from sources like nuts, seeds, soy-based items, and fish
• Try including whole, unprocessed high fibre grains and supplements
• Drink a lot of water
• Exercise a lot. Physical activities can boost the HDL levels improving the overall heart health.
• Quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption considerably.
• Incorporate lifestyle habits like meditation or yoga into your everyday routine.

Diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases

Diagnosis and treatment of heart disease are essential for controlling the symptoms and stabilizing the health conditions. Though regulating diets, reducing stress, and changing lifestyle can help you maintain great heart health, essential medication and surgeries are essential for severe cases.

Coronary heart diseases

Coronary arteries supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscles by circulating blood. The deposits of cholesterol can damage these arteries and lead to high BP and cholesterol. Surgical treatments like angioplasty and open-heart surgery are recommended as the treatment.

Heart failures

Congestive heart failures occur when the heart becomes stiff and stops pumping blood efficiently. The medications mostly include administering diuretics to flush the body of fluids, ACE inhibitors to control sodium & potassium, and beta-blockers to block the adrenaline action. Implanting defibrillators and pacemakers are also treatment methods for heart failures. Severe cases may involve transplanting heart.

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmia is the irregular heartbeat. This condition occurs when the heart’s electrical impulses fail to coordinate with the heartbeat. The heartbeats could be too fast, too slow, or too erratic. The treatments involve administering drugs like beta-blockers, warfarin, and dabigatran. Cardioversion, the treatment method that involves sending electric shocks, is also a standard method.

Cardiomyopathy

The weakening of heart muscles leads to the dilation of heart chambers resulting in the improper blood pumping. Coronary artery diseases are the main reason that leads to cardiomyopathy. The treatment typically involves the same as that done for heart failures. In extreme cases, heart transplants are recommended.

Congenital heart diseases

This is a general term used for mentioning heart deformities present since birth. Septal defects, Obstruction defects, and Cyanotic heart diseases are some forms of congenital heart diseases. Medications can cure some of the minor conditions, but the complex ones need to be surgically treated.