Heart Disease (4511 words) Essay Example For Students

Heart Disease (4511 words) Essay Heart DiseaseChapter 1 INTRODUCTIONIn todays society, people are gaining medical knowledge at quite a fast pace. Treatments, cures, and vaccines for various diseases and disorders are being developed constantly, and yet, coronary heart disease remains the number one killer in the world. The media today concentrates intensely on drug and alcohol abuse, homicides, AIDS and so on. What a lot of people are not realizing is that coronary heart disease actually accounts for about 80% of all sudden deaths. In fact, the number of deaths from heart disease approximately equals to the number of deaths from cancer, accidents, chronic lung disease, pneumonia and influenza, and others, COMBINED. One of the symptoms of coronary heart disease is Angina pectoris or clogged arteries as it usually called unfortunately, a lot of people do not take it seriously, and thus not realizing that it may lead to other complications, and even death. THE HUMAN HEARTIn order to understand angina, one must know about our own heart. The human heart is a powerful muscle in the body which is worked the hardest. A double pump system, the heart consists of two pumps side by side, which pump blood to all parts of the body. Its steady beating maintains the flow of blood through the body day and night, year after year, non-stop from birth until death. The heart is a hollow, muscular organ slightly bigger than a persons clenched fist. It is located in the center of the chest, under the breastbone above the sternum, but it is slanted slightly to the left, giving people the impression that their heart is on the left side of their chest. The heart is divided into two halves, which are further divided into four chambers: the left atrium and ventricle, and the right atrium and ventricle. Each chamber on one side is separated from the other by a valve, and it is the closure of these valves that produce the lubb-dubb sound so familiar to us. Like any other organs in our body, the heart needs a supply of blood and oxygen, and coronary arteries supply them. There are two main coronary arteries, the left coronary artery, and the right coronary artery. They branch off the main artery of the body, the aorta. The right coronary artery circles the right side and goes to the back of the heart. The left coronary artery further divides into the left circumflex and the left anterior descending artery. These two left arteries feed the front and the left side of the heart. The division of the left coronary artery is the reason why doctors usually refer to three main coronary arteries. SYMPTOMS OF CORONARY HEART DISEASEThere are three main symptoms of coronary heart disease: Heart Attack, Sudden Death, and Angina. Heart AttackHeart attack occurs when a blood clot suddenly and completely blocks a diseased coronary artery, resulting in the death of the heart muscle cells supplied by that artery. Coronary and Coronary Thrombosis are terms that can refer to a heart attack. Another term, Acute myocardial infarction, means death of heart muscle due to an inadequate blood supply. Sudden DeathSudden death occurs due to cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest may be the first symptom of coronary artery disease and may occur without any symptoms or warning signs. Other causes of sudden deaths include drowning, suffocation, electrocution, drug overdose, trauma (such as automobile accidents), and stroke. Drowning, suffocation, and drug overdose usually cause respiratory arrest which in turn cause cardiac arrest. Trauma may cause sudden death by severe injury to the heart or brain, or by severe blood loss. Stroke causes damage to the brain which can cause respiratory arrest and/or cardiac arrest. AnginaPeople with coronary artery disease, whether or not they have had a heart attack, may experience intermittent chest pain, pressure, or discomforts. This situation is known as angina pectoris. It occurs when the narrowing of the coronary arteries temporarily prevents an adequate supply of blood and oxygen to meet the demands of working heart muscles. Chapter 2ANGINA PECTORISAngina Pectoris (from angina meaning strangling, and pectoris meaning breast) is commonly known simply as angina and means pain in the chest. The term angina was first used during a lecture in 1768 by Dr. William Heberden. The word was not intended to indicate pain, but rather strangling, with a secondary sensation of fear. Victims suffering from angina may experience pressure, discomfort, or a squeezing sensation in the center of the chest behind the breastbone. The pain may radiate to the arms, the neck, even the upper back, and the pain may come and go. It occurs when the heart is not receiving enough oxygen to meet an increased demand. Angina, as mentioned before, is only temporarily, and it does not cause any permanent damage to the heart muscle. The underlying coronary heart disease, however, continues to progress unless actions are taken to prevent it from becoming worse. Signs and SymptomsAngina does not necessarily involve pain. The feeling varies from individuals. In fact, some people described it as chest pressure, chest distress, heaviness, burning feeling, constriction, tightness, and many more. A person with angina may feel discomforts that fit one or several of the following descriptions:Mild, vague discomfort in the center of the chest, which may radiate to the left shoulder or arm Dull ache, pins and needles, heaviness or pains in the arms, usually more severe in the left arm Pain that feels like severe indigestion Heaviness, tightness, fullness, dull ache, intense pressure, a burning, vice-like, constriction, squeezing sensation in the chest, throat or upper abdomen Extreme tiredness, exhaustion of a feeling of collapse Shortness of breath, choking sensation A sense of foreboding or impending death accompanying chest discomfort Pains in the jaw, gums, teeth, throat or ear lobePains in the back or between the shoulder bladesAngina can be so severe that a person may feel frightened, or so mild that it might be ignored. Angina attacks are usually short, from one or two minutes to a maximum of about four to five. It usually goes away with rest, within a couple of minutes, o r ten minutes at the most. (LIVING WITH ANGINA)Different Forms of AnginaThere are several known forms of angina. Brief pain that comes on exertion and leave fairly quickly on rest is known as stable angina. When angina pain occurs during rest, it is called unstable angina. The symptoms are usually severe and the coronary arteries are badly narrowed. If a person suffers from unstable angina, there is a higher risk for that person to develop heart attacks. The pain may come up to 20 times a day, and it can wake a person up, especially after a disturbing dream. Another type of angina is called atypical or variant angina. In this type of angina, pain occurs only when a person is resting or asleep rather than from exertion. It is thought to be the result of coronary artery spasm, a sort of cramp that narrows the arteries. Causes of AnginaThe main cause of angina is the narrowing of the coronary arteries. In a normal person, the inner walls of the coronary arteries are smooth and elastic, allowing them to constrict and expand. This flexibility permits varying amounts of oxygenated blood, appropriate to the demand at the time, to flow through the coronary arteries. As a person grows older, fatty deposits will accumulate on the artery walls, especially if the linings of the arteries are damaged due to cigarette smoking or high blood pressure. When people are very tense, they usually over-breathe or hold their breath altogether. Shallow, irregular but rapid breathing washes out carbon dioxide from the system and the blood will become over-oxygenated. One might think that the more oxygen in the blood the better, but overloaded blood actually does not give up oxygen as easily, therefore the amount of oxygen available to the heart is reduced. Carbon dioxide is present in the blood in the form of carbonic aci d, when there is a loss in carbonic acid, the blood becomes more basic, or alkaline, which leads to spasm of blood vessels, almost certainly in the brain but also in the heart another factor maybe atherosclerosis. ATHEROSCLEROSISThe coronary arteries may be clogged with atherosclerotic plaques, thus narrowing the diameter. Plaques are usually collections of connection tissue, fats, and smooth muscle cells. The plaque project into the lumen, the passageway of the artery, and interfere with the flow of blood. In a normal artery, the smooth muscle cells are in the middle layer of the arterial wall; in ATHEROSCLEROSIS they migrate into the inner layer. The reason behind their migration could hold the answers to explain the existence of ATHEROSCLEROSIS. Two theories have been developed for the cause of ATHEROSCLEROSIS. The first theory was suggested by German pathologist Rudolf Virchow over 100 years ago. He proposed that the passage of fatty material into the arterial wall is the initial cause of ATHEROSCLEROSIS. The fatty material, especially cholesterol, acts as an irritant, and the arterial wall respond with an outpouring of cells, creating atherosclerotic plaque. The second theory was developed by Austrian pathologist Karl Von Rokitansky in 1852. He suggested that atherosclerotic plaques are aftereffects of blood-clot organization (thrombosis). The clot adheres to the intima and is gradually converted to a mass of tissue, which evolves into a plaque. There are evidences to support the latter theory. It has been found that platelets and fibrin (a protein, the final product in thrombosis) are often found in atherosclerotic plaques, also found are cholesterol crystals and cells which are rich in lipid. The evidence suggests that thrombosis may play a role in ATHEROSCLEROSIS, and in the developmen t of the more complicated atherosclerotic plaque. Though thrombosis may be important in initiating the plaque, an elevated blood lipid level may accelerate arterial narrowing. (FIGHTING HEART DISEASE)Chapter 3C.I.P portion of my paper cannot be in-depthly discussed until I finish my community service At Canterbury Inn medical assisted center. This why at this time cannot give a accurate evaluation of my work until it finished. The Resting Place EssayOnce the section of vein has been removed, it is attached to the heart. One end of the vein is sewn to the aorta, while the other end is sewn into the affected coronary artery just beyond the diseased segment. The grafted vein now becomes the new artery through which the blood can flow freely beyond the obstruction. The original artery is thus bypassed. The whole operation requires about four to five hours, and may be longer if there is more than one bypass involved. After the operation, the patient is sent to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for recovery. The angina pain is usually relieved or controlled, partially or completely, by the operation. However, the operation does not cure the underlying disease, so the effects may begin to diminish after a while, which may be anywhere from a few months to several years. The only way patients can avoid this from happening is to change their lifestyles. AngioplastyThis operation is a relatively new procedure, and it is known in full as transluminal balloon coronary Angioplasty. It entails squashing the atherosclerotic plaque with balloons. A very thin balloon catheter is inserted into the artery in the arm or the leg of a patient under general anaesthetic. The balloon catheter is guided under x-ray just beyond the narrowed coronary artery. Once there, the balloon is inflated with fluid and the fatty deposits are squashed against the artery walls. The balloon is then deflated and drawn out of the body. This technique is a much simpler and more economical alternative to the bypass surgery. The procedure itself requires less time and the patient only remains in the hospital for a few days afterward. Exactly how long the operation takes depends on where and in how many places the artery is narrowed. It is most suitable when the disease is limited to the left anterior descending artery, but sometimes the plaques are simply too hard, maki ng them impossible to be squashed, in which case a bypass might be necessary. (HEART DISEASE)SELF-HELPThe only way patients can prevent the condition of their heart from deteriorating any further is to change their lifestyles. Although drugs and surgery exist, if the heart is exposed to pressure continuously and it strains any further, there will come one day when nothing works, and all that remain is a one-way ticket to heaven. The following are some advices on how people can change the way they live, and enjoy a lifetime with a healthy heart once more. WorkA person should limit the amount of exertions to the point where angina might occur. This varies from person to person, some people can do just as much work as they did before developing angina, but only at a slower pace. Try to delegate more, reassess your priorities, and learn to pace yourself. If the rate of work is uncontrollable, think about changing the job. ExerciseEveryone should exercise regularly to ones limits. This may sound contradictory that, on the one hand, you are told to limit your exertion and, on the other, you are told to exercise. It is actually better if one exercise regularly within his or her limits. Exercises can be grouped into two categories: isotonic and isometric. People suffering from angina should limit themselves to only isotonic exercises. This means one group of muscle is relaxed while another group is contracted. Examples of this type of exercise include walking, swimming leisurely, and yoga; some harder exercises are cycling and jogging. Weight LossThe more weight there is on the body, the more work the heart has to do. Reducing unnecessary weight will reduce the amount of strain on the heart, and likely lower blood pressure as well. One can lose weight by simply eating less than their normal intake, but keep in mind that the major goal is to cut down on fatty and sugar foods, which are low in nutrients and high in calories. DietWhat you eat can have a direct effect on the kind of condition you are in. To stay fit and healthy, eat fewer animal fats, and foods that are high in cholesterol. They include fatty meat, lard, sweets, butter, cream and hard cheese, eggs, prawns, offal and so on. Also, the amount of salt intake should be reduced. Eat more food containing a high amount of fiber, such as wholegrain cereal products, pulses, whole-meal bread, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. Alcohol, tea and coffeeAlcohol in moderation does no harm to the body, but it does contain calories and may slow the weight loss progress. People can drink as much mineral water, fruit juice and ordinary or herb tea as they wish, but no more than two cups of coffee per day. CigarettesIt has been medically proven that cigarettes do the body no good at all. It makes the heart beat faster, constricts the blood vessels, and generally increases the amount of work the heart has to do. The only right thing to do is to quit smoking, it will not be easy, but it is worth the effort. StressStress can actually be classified as a major risk factor, and it is one neglected by most people. Try to avoid those heated arguments and emotional situations that increase blood pressure, as well as stimulate the release of stress hormones. If they are unavoidable, try to anticipate them and prevent the attack by sucking an angina tablet beforehand. RelaxationHelp your body to relax when feeling tense by sitting or lying down quietly. Close your eyes, breathe slowly and deeply through the nose, make each exhalation long, soft and steady. An adequate amount of sleep each night is always important. CONCLUSIONAngina pectoris is not a disease which affect a persons heart permanently, but to encounter angina pain means something is wrong. The pain is the hearts distress signal, a built-in warning device indicating that the heart has reached its maximum workload. Upon experiencing angina, precautions should be taken. This mean you should go see a doctor now!!! Dont hesitate. A persons lifestyle also plays a major role in determining the chance of developing heart diseases. If people do not learn how to prevent it themselves, coronary artery disease will remain as the single biggest killer in the world, by far. BibliographyBIBLIOGRAPHYAmsterdam, Ezra A. and Ann M. Holms. TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEART new York, Facts on File, 1984Houston, B. Kent and C.R. Snyder. TYPE A BEHAVIOUR PATTERN, John Wiley Sons, Inc., 1988Pantano, James A. LIVING WITH ANGINA, New York, Harper Row, 1990. Patel, Chandra. FIGHTING HEART DISEASE, Toronto, Macmillan, 1988. Shillingford, J.P CORONARY HEART DISEASE: THE FACTS,Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1982. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION BASIC RESCUER MANUAL, Canada, 1987Tiger, Steven. HEART DISEASE, New York, Julian Messner, 1986. Medicine Essays