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

Physical examination for people with heart diseases is very important. It provides baseline data for medical doctor to properly evaluate the current condition(*health status) of the person. Moreover, it is highly recommended that people ages 40 and above needs to have annual check-up. This is to monitor the overall state of well-being. Disease of the heart is the leading cause of death to elderly people. That is why they need to undergo series of tests to check the status of their heart. Below are the possible physical evaluation done by the doctors to assess the heart condition.  Body Mass Index (BMI*)   The BMI refers to the weight of the person in relation to its height. It provides an acceptable estimation of the body fats. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines, a BMI of lesser than 18.5 is described as underweight. People with BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 are considered normal. Those who have 24 to 29.9 are considered as overweight and people who ha

Several studies and researches from around the globe recommend that taking sufficient amount of vitamins B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cyanocobalamin) and folic acid (folacin) can help maintain healthy blood vessels and heart. Folic Acid, B6 and B12 works in combination to help lower the blood level of homocysteine (a natural form of protein that is broken down in the blood). Scientific study shows that low level of homocysteine can reduce the risk of the person from getting heart diseases.  The most leading sources of folic acids are ready-to-eat cereals, veggies, fruits, dry beans, enriched breads, and citric juices. In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required folic acid to be added in the enriched grain-based staples like rice, pasta and bread. On the same issue, the FDA also authorized ready-to-eat cereals to be completely fortified of folic acid up to 100% of the daily value (400 mcg). The only food allowed containing this high

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

Cardiology transcription is a specialized record of medical transcription that deals with creation, transfer and storage of vascular health records of a particular patient. When a patient visits hospital or healthcare facility, the doctor, after proper diagnosis, dictates all observations and records them in a recording device.  This recorded voice is sent to a transcriptionist, who converts it into a computer text file. The text file is sent back to the doctor, who can now easily store it in his or her computer and retrieve it easily, whenever needed during the course of treatment. The transcriptionist should be well versed in cardiac terminology and have good knowledge about the cardiovascular system of the body so that he or she can easily understand the dictation and convert it into an error free, electronic text. When it comes to cardiology transcription, following types of medical reports are generally, transcribed: MUGA scan – It is known as Mu

Chest pain causes concern in the patient as it is mostly related to an heart attack or severe pain and people are nowadays knowledgeable of the serious consequences of the symptom. However not all times is a chest pain necessarily originating from or caused by diseases of the heart. There are plenty of other structures in the thoracic cavity and a systematic approach is needed to arrive at the correct diagnosis or in other words to find out the ?real culprit? causing the chest pain. Of special importance is the issue of chest pain in women, as this group is less liable to get heart disease till menopause. Estrogen is said to confer a protective effect and prevents the development of atherosclerosis. Myocardial infarction or Coronary artery disease (CAD) is very rare in menstruating women. As menopause approaches and estrogen levels go down, the probability of development of CAD catches up with those in men. Even then, there are lots of young to middle

Coronary heart disease, is the narrowing blockage of the coronary artery, a large blood vessel that supplies blood to the heart. This narrowing is caused by fatty deposits in the artery itself and is the leading cause of heart attacks.. Cardiac disease of all types is, indirectly, the leading cause of maternal death. The risk of developing coronary heart disease increases significantly with age beyond 35 years and more significantly even in those over 50 years. Many factors have led to the increase in the number of pregnant women who suffer with coronary heart disease. The age at which women are able to conceive and sustain a pregnancy has, on average, increased with many factors driving this, not least, increases in health care and fertility medicine. Lifestyle changes have, without doubt, contributed to the rise in younger women developing coronary heart disease. The huge rise in obesity is an obvious starting point and, according to current statistics, the n

Doctors will ask you many questions about your symptoms and your medical history. You will be asked about any conditions you have that may cause heart failure (such as coronary artery disease, angina, diabetes, heart valve disease, and high blood pressure).So it’s good to have your health data with you when you visit your doctor You will be asked if you smoke, take drugs, drink alcohol (and how much you drink), and about what drugs you take. You will also get a complete physical exam. Your doctor will listen to your heart and look for signs of heart failure as well as other illnesses that may have caused your heart muscle to weaken or stiffen. Your doctor may also order other tests to determine the cause and severity of your heart failure. These include:  Blood tests. Blood tests are used to evaluate kidney and thyroid function as well as to check cholesterol levels and the presence of anemia. Anemia is a blood condition that occurs when there is not enough hemo

Symptoms include: Not feeling comfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm, or below the breastbone. Not feeling comfort radiating at the back, jaw, throat, or arm. Fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (similar to heartburn). Sweating, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness. Feeling very weak,anxiety, or shortness of breath. Fast or irregular heartbeats. During a heart attack, symptoms generally last 30 minutes or longer and are not relieved by rest or taking oral medications. Early symptoms may start as a mild discomfort that increases to severe pain. Few people have a heart attack without having any symptoms, which is known as a “silent” myocardial infarction (MI). It happens more often in people with diabetes than others. If you discover you are having a heart attack, DO NOT DELAY. Call for emergency help.Fast treatment of a heart attack is very essential to lessen the amount of damage to your heart.

The American Heart Association (AHA) identified four basic categories for heart diseases. Primarily, it is based on the effectiveness of the pharmaceutical and natural treatment that helps reduce or eliminate the mortality and morbidity rates of heart diseases. People with categories 1 and 2 risk factors can reduce their risk for having heart diseases through preventive measures. These precautionary measures include modification of diet (eating patterns), losing weight, managing of blood pressure (normal BP), and avoidance of addictive activities (smoking and alcohol intake). Additionally, there are the 4 categories that were established by AHA to help assess and evaluate an individual who is at risk for developing heart diseases:  Category 1 In this category, the major factors along with proper medical interventions are proven to reduce the risk of the person to suffer from heart diseases. These risk factors include: High serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) leve

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

Heart failure is a condition which refers to the inability of the heart muscle to pump sufficient blood. Lack of oxygen supply to the heart is one of the causes for heart failure.  It is classified as: Right-sided or Left-sided Chronic or Acute Systolic or Diastolic The objective of the treatment is to enhance the pumping action of the heart. Additionally, treatment must reverse the signs and symptoms by solving the compensatory mechanism (failure to supply sufficient blood to the body). Targeting the main problem is solved through prompt treatment.  These include: Use of medication (digoxin). The action of this medication is to strengthen the heart muscle. It improves contraction of the heart to pump blood for the body. Prolonged period of bed rest. Use of vasodilators (increase the opening of the vessels to accommodate blood circulation). The purpose of this medication is to increase the cardiac output. It works to minimize the impedance of blood flow. Use of anti

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

There are two types of heart failure. Heart failure is one of the most fatal cardiovascular problems that killed almost millions of people across the globe. It is enlisted under the top ten causes of mortality in adults. This phenomenon involves the sudden malfunctioning of the heart (failure to pump blood), which reduces the amount of blood supply to other vital organs in the body. The left-side heart failure affects the left atrium and left ventricle. The common manifestations of this type involve respiratory-related symptoms.Commonly, people suffering from left-side heart failure complain of difficulty of breathing. The right-side heart failure is more systemic. It affects the major veins and arteries in the body. Most common signs and symptoms associated to this type are edematous, swelling, and distention of the veins. What are the Possible Causes of Heart Failure? Medically, there are other health problems that can contribute to the development of heart fail