Major Types Of Degenerative Heart Disease

As you may know, heart disease comes in a number of types. All types are serious, degenerative conditions that can cause sudden death. Given this fact, degenerative heart disease is no doubt a health problem that needs to be considered and solved.

However, before one can solve degenerative heart disease, it is important first to know that major types of such disease. Understanding of these types can help you find the right solution and treatment.

So what are the major types of degenerative heart disease? Consider the following:

Coronary Heart Disease

This is by far the most common type. This is often associated to heart attack and chest pain, and many studies have shown that about 7 million people in the United States alone suffer from this condition.

The coronary heart disease actually occurs when the coronary arteries that carry the blood and oxygen to the heart become narrowed with fatty substances, known as plaque. The plaque builds up on the inner wall of the arteries, and when the arteries are narrowed, the blood and oxygen flow to the heart is slowed down. This may even lead to full blocking of the arteries, leading to heart attack.

Congenital Heart Disease

This type is often identified by a number of heart defects that are present at birth, hence the name. The defects may include patent ductus arteriosus, coarctation of the aorta, atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, atrioventrivular septal defect, aortic stenosis, pulmonary stenosis, transposition of the great vessels, tetralogy of fallot, truncus arteriosus, tricuspid atresia, total anomalous pulmonary venous return, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. All of these defects occur before or shortly after birth, making it one of the leading causes of deaths in newborn.

Rheumatic Heart Disease

This is also considered by many as one of the major types knowing that millions of people in the whole world are affected by it. Basically, this affects children and adolescents. It involves damage to the entire heart and its membranes. Also, it is important to note that this type is a complication of rheumatic fever that is said to have resulted from an untreated strep throat. This condition occurs with the heart valve is damaged due to the fever, leaving it incapable of opening and closing properly.

Angina Pectoris

Commonly known as chest pain, angina pectoris is a major type that affects people of different age. It is actually a specific type of pain in the chest that resulted from an inadequate flow of blood through the blood vessels. This condition is considered as one of the symptoms of almost all types of heart disease, so it is not only deemed as a disease itself, but a symptom as well.

There are other types such as atherosclerosis, arrhythmia, myocarditis, and a lot more. The best way to treat these types, however, is to ask for recommendations first from your doctor before opting for one of the available treatments. This is highly important as degenerative heart disease comes in a number of types with varying symptoms and levels of severity.

Joann Cheong

Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack

A lot is written about the so called common signs of Heart Attacks and what they are supposed to typically consist of but what is fact and what is fiction? Here we take a look at the basic issues surrounding Heart Attacks or Myocardial infarctions.

A Heart Attack is also known as a Myocardial Infarction or MI or AMI when referred to as an Acute Myocardial Infarction.These occur when the blood supply to part of the heart is interrupted causing some heart cells to die. This is most commonly due to occlusion (blockage) of a coronary artery following the rupture of a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque.An unstable collection of white blood cells (especially macrophages and lipids (like cholesterol) collectively known as Athersclerotic plaque separate from the wall of an artery.The end result of all of this (called ischemia) which is a restriction in blood supply) has been known to cause damage or death of the heart muscle tissue known as Myocardium.

Though symptoms of a Heart Attack do differ there are certain classic symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, pain in the arm, back and neck, and a growing sense of anxiety (also known as impending doom). Women may experience fewer typical symptoms than men, most commonly shortness of breath, weakness, a feeling of indigestion, and fatigue.{Approximately one quarter of all myocardial infarctions are silent, without chest pain or other symptoms.|It does have to be remembered though that 25 percent of all Myocardial Infarctions occur in silence and without classic symptoms such as chest pain.A heart attack is a medical emergency, and people experiencing chest pain are advised to alert their emergency medical services, because prompt treatment can be crucial to survival. To be quite honest in situations like these, minutes and seconds do matter.

Heart attacks are the leading cause of death for both men and women all over the world.Important risk factors are previous cardiovascular disease (such as angina, a previous heart attack or stroke), older age (especially men over 40 and women over 50), tobacco smoking, diet and exercise.

As is also imagined there are considerably more factors that are actually taken into consideration such as additional medical conditions of which potential or actual diabetes is one, obesity, high blood pressure or hypertension and/or incidence of kidney disease

Included in amongst immediate treatment for a suspected or acute heart attack is increased oxygen, the introduction of aspirin and also a liquid form of nitroglycerin known as sublingual glyceryl trinitrate.Pain relief is also often given, classically morphine sulfate.

By: Scott James