Angina Pectoris is the medical condition that refers to chest pain. It is due to the insufficient amount of oxygen supply to the heart. The accumulated fatty plaques or blood clots that obstruct the coronary artery (artery that supplies blood to the heart) are the main reasons for the occurrence of this condition. Below are the important facts of angina pectoris. The cause of Angina Pectoris is due to insufficient amount of oxygen to the cardiac muscle. Predisposing factors related to chest pain are activities (too much exertion), climate (extreme cold weather), eating pattern (heavy meals), and stress (emotional conflict and anxiety). Sometimes, chest pain can occur even the person is at rest. The quality of pain associated with angina pectoris is commonly described as squeezing, vise-like heavy, pressing and tightness of the chest. Other times, the person suffering from this condition complains of burning sensation at the chest area (heartburn). The locations of pa

The increased pressure of the blood in the blood vessels is called hypertension. Nowadays, there are millions of people throughout the world, who are becoming the victims of this dreadful disease. Yet, they are unaware of the serious implications that this condition poses on their health. Sometimes, people are also not aware, that they have hypertension. In majority of the people, it is diagnosed accidentally, during routine health check-ups. What are the types of Hypertension? The normal blood pressure of a person is 120/80 mmHg. If the blood pressure of a person exceeds 140/90 mmHg, when taken on three separate occasions of a week, it is called hypertension.  Prehypertension: It is a condition, which predisposes to hypertension. When the systolic blood pressure of a person (pressure when the heart contracts) is between 120 to 139 mmHg, and the diastolic pressure of a person (pressure when the heart relaxes) is between 80 to 89 mmHg, it is called Pre-Hypertension. 

Rheumatic fever is affecting many people throughout the world, yet many people are not aware about this disease. Generally, people think that this is some sort of fever, by looking at its name, but this is one of the most important conditions related to the heart. Rheumatic fever is a type of hypersensitivity reaction. Hypersensitivity is the abnormal or excessive reaction of the immune system to certain particles called antigens. Antigens are any substances, which your body recognizes as being foreign to your body, or as foreign particles. Rheumatic fever is a type 2 hypersensitivity reaction. Why is Rheumatic fever caused? Rheumatic fever is caused due to the infection of the body with a bacteria called Group A beta hemolytic streptococcus or Streptococcus pyogenes. This Bacterium enters the body from sore throat or when having certain types of skin infection, which enters the body through the wounds. So, we need to be really careful when we suffer

Coronary Artery Disease  Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a condition in which plaques(a fatty deposit on an artery wall in atherosclerosis ) build up in the walls of the coronary arteries (the vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle). These deposits can gradually block the artery, or they can suddenly rupture, causing a more acute obstruction.  Basically, the heart muscle requires a continuous supply of oxygen and nutrients to survive, obstruction of a coronary artery rapidly leads to significant problems. CAD is caused by atherosclerosis(a disease of the arteries characterized by the deposition of plaques of fatty material on their inner walls),a chronic, progressive disorder of the arteries in which deposits of cholesterol, calcium, and abnormal cells (that is, plaques) build up on the inner lining of the arteries. Atherosclerosis – the left artery shows a normal lumen (the central cavit

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition that occurs when the heart fails to initiate its ability to pump blood. There are two types of CHF, the left side heart failure and the right side heart failure. It is considered as one of the most common form of heart diseases which requires medical attention. However, there are some simple ways that are feasible to treat this condition. These include self-care or home management recommendations. When someone is diagnosed with congestive heart failure, they are usually in need of qualified cardiologist. People with CHF can do several things at home that enhance their comfort and minimize the risk of worsening the condition. As a matter of fact, the more they become active in performing their daily routines, the better they can overcome the severity of their condition. Modifying the lifestyle practices will mark a better influence. This will not only make them become better but it enhances their opportunity to liv

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition that occurs when the heart fails to initiate its ability to pump blood. There are two types of CHF, the left side heart failure and the right side heart failure. It is considered as one of the most common form of heart diseases which requires medical attention. However, there are some simple ways that are feasible to treat this condition. These include self-care or home management recommendations. When someone is diagnosed with congestive heart failure, they are usually in need of qualified cardiologist. People with CHF can do several things at home that enhance their comfort and minimize the risk of worsening the condition. As a matter of fact, the more they become active in performing their daily routines, the better they can overcome the severity of their condition. Modifying the lifestyle practices will mark a better influence. This will not only make them become better but it enhances their opportunity to live a longer

Recent research involving people have found that higher sodium intake was associated with increased mortality from cardiovascular disease. At the same time, higher potassium intake was associated with lower mortality risk. Most likely elevated blood pressure related to high sodium intake is one of the reasons for this increase in heart disease. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Interestingly, vegetarians in general have a lower incidence of heart disease than non-vegetarians, even when they consume the same amount of salt per day as meat eaters. Why is this the case? Well, in general vegetarians consume higher amounts of potassium (found in fruit, vegetables and legumes) which is essential for heart health. In general, the average potassium to sodium consumption ratio in is 1:2. This means that people are consuming twice as much salt as potassium – but the optimal ratio is 5:1, that is, 5 times as much potassium as sodium. So n

According to World Health Organization (WHO), over ten million individuals around the world suffer from Congestive Heart Failure (CHF). 50% of the total rate comes from U.S. The number of CHF cases has rapidly increased for the past 40 years. Based on clinical studies, men have more prevalence rate of suffering from CHF compare to women. In terms of races, the African-American people have 50% chance of getting the condition compare to Caucasians. The U.S. Center for Disease Control reported that 20% of people with CHF die within a year, another 50% will die within the next 5 years and the quality of living is significantly poor despite of the management and treatment plan reinforcements. There are two types of CHF. These are the left-sided CHF and right-sided CHF. The left-sided CHF originates at the left ventricle of the heart. Normally, the left ventricle pumps blood going to the heart and to the rest of the body. If the left ventricle is congested, there will be shor

Only a minimal quantity of sodium occurs naturally in the foods. Most sodium is added to the processed foods through processing. To help everyone reduce their sodium intake, we will provide the following recommendations for their perusal:  Reading the labels of the goods Read the labels of the purchased goods for sodium content;  Use food products with no added salt or lesser sodium content; and  Be sensible enough to know that broth, foods, and soy sauce that are cured or pickled have higher contents of sodium.  If you are preparing or cooking foods  Instead of using salts for cooking, choose alternative condiments with low content of sodium. These include lime, spices, herbs, vinegar, cooking wines, and lemon to improve the flavor of the foods; Avoid using salt when cooking rice or pasta; Make sure to rinse the canned foods such as tuna. This will help remove some sodium from it; and Avoid using of condiments like teriyaki sauce and soy sauce. Restrict yourself

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension The recent modification to the recommended dietary program for hypertension is based on the clinical research made by the National Blood, Heart and Lung Institute. The team had investigated the effects of blood pressure to whole dietary program called Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH). The research found that high blood pressure can be reduced (without controlled sodium intake or weight loss scheme) through eating based on dietary plan. This dietary plan includes low in saturated fat, cholesterol, total fat and rich in veggies, fruits and dairy products with low-fat contents. The DASH dietary plan focuses on meals around the vegetables and fruits instead of poultry meats. Also, it is high in fiber which allows about 2 – 3 times the amounts of magnesium, calcium, and potassium that most Americans can consume. It also includes an extra food groups that contain dried peas, beans, seeds, and nuts from which 4 – 5 servings

A heart-healthy diet is very essential for managing and controlling coronary artery disease (CAD). This specific type of diet can help reduce the progression of atherosclerosis (narrowing of arteries). When incorporated with other heart-healthy activities, it may even help reverse or stop the worsening of the condition. What’s better, a heart-healthy diet can help lower the low density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol levels. It can also help regulate the glucose level and blood pressure of the person. Additionally, this tool can also promote weight management. To help the person lower their cholesterol levels, it is recommended for them to practice low-fat diet. It is advisable for them to restrict their total fat intake (Tran’s fats, saturated fats, mono-unsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats) to less than 35% of total calories in a day. They need to restrict themselves from taking Trans fats and unsaturated fats to less than 6%. It is also recommended to keep track o

It’s a frightening truth that innumerable people across the globe are becoming victims of heart diseases, day by day. Mitral stenosis is a kind of heart disease, which affects plethora of people, belonging to different geographical area, ethnicities, races, and cultures, etc.  Mitral stenosis is the disease inflicting the mitral or bicuspid valve of the heart. Our heart is made up of 4 chambers, and again divided into right sided chambers, and left sided chambers. Mitral valve is present between the 2 left sided chambers of the heart. Narrowing of the Mitral valve is known as Mitral stenosis.  Mitral stenosis causes: There are myriad causes of Mitral stenosis, and let’s talk about a few of them:  One of the most common causes of Mitral stenosis is another heart disease called Rheumatic fever. This disease has serious implications on the heart, along with many other organs of the body.  It adversely affects the valves of the heart, mainly the Mitral valve.  Althoug

Rheumatic heart disease is a cardiovascular problem which is caused by rheumatic fever. The heart valves are damaged due to streptococcal infection (usually, triggered by an untreated sore throat).  The main goal for treating rheumatic heart disease is to reduce the occurrence of its signs and symptoms. Additionally, the treatment plans are prescribed to prevent the complications and correct the imbalances of the cardiac functioning.  Homeopathic therapy is a form of a treatment plan that is used to replace pharmaceutical medications. This therapy was established to people who have allergic reactions to the medications and to supply the needs of unfortunate patients (people who can’t afford to buy medicines for rheumatic heart disease).  The most common and effective homeopathic treatment is the herbal formulation. This natural treatment plan is composed of natural herbs that are proven effective for treating rheumatic heart disease.  Ginseng There are two

Hypertension (HTN) refers to the increase blood pressure (above 120/80 mmHg). According to the May 2012 statistical report from World Health Organization, there are approximately 290,000 cases of maternal deaths with relation to Heart Disease caused by hypertension. 1/3 of the figure comes from India with 20% prevalence rate and Nigeria with 14% incidence rate. JUVENILE HYPERTENSION IS A CONDITION THAT AFFECTS CHILDREN.THE DATA TAKEN FROM THE WHO RECORDS SHOW THAT IN 10-YEAR STUDY (2002-2012), THERE ARE 7.6 MILLION DEATHS YEARLY OCCURRING TO CHILDREN WITH HEART DISEASE CAUSED BY HYPERTENSION. This simply tells everyone that hypertension is one of the leading causes of mortality deaths in the world. Everybody is not exempted for this case especially if they are engaged with several unhealthy lifestyle practices. In line with this, we will provide you with information regarding the preventive care for hypertension. It provides strict emphasis on the foods that can help re

Millions of people around the world suffer with heart disease. Some people are more likely than others to get heart disease, while others have a lower chance of getting it. What are the causes of heart disease? Can you prevent it from occurring to you? As a rule, there are many people who are likely to get it. Heredity does have a say in heart disease. When heart disease runs in a family, chances are likely that the other generations will end up with it if they don’t watch what they eat. It is important for these people to avoid foods that are high in cholesterol. They should refrain from drinking too much alcohol and they should not smoke. These are all factors that can decide if you will get heart disease. Obesity is just one reason for heart disease. Along with this are diabetes, heredity, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and peripheral artery disease. Although many of these causes can be prevented, not all of them can. That is why if you have diabetes, periphe

General belief of the people is that, only the adults and that too people with unhealthy lifestyle and food habits, become prone to heart diseases. But, there are some heart diseases, which are seen among the infants. They are called the congenital heart diseases. They are present in the infants since the time of birth. Coarctation of aorta also belongs to the category of congenital heart diseases. Many small babies are becoming the victims of this malady, which adversely influences their health. Now, we know that coarctation of aorta is an ailment of the babies. But, many of us haven’t heard of this illness before. This is a completely new thing for us. Do you know what the disease is actually about? Well, coarctation of aorta is nothing but, the narrowing of the aorta. Now, you might ask me what this aorta is. Aorta is the biggest artery of our body. Artery is a blood vessel, which supplies the blood carrying oxygen to the entire body.  Coarctati