How cardiac stress is done?

The cardiac stress test takes about an hour, including both the preparation time and the time it takes to administer the actual test. The final test only takes about 15 minutes. The patient is allowed to have a tension check while walking on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bicycle. If they are unable to do exercise, an intravenous drug that mimics exercise so as to increase blood flow to the heart is given to the patient.

Why Cardiac stress is used?

A cardiologist may recommend a Stress test to examine the conditions like coronary artery disease, irregular heart rate, and other heart diseases or disorders.

Coronary Artery Disease: Coronary artery disease occurs when a coronary artery carrying blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart got damaged due to plaque formation.

Irregular Heart Rate: Sometimes, the heart beats very fast and sometimes slow due to improper functioning of electrical impulses that coordinate with heart rhythm. The irregular heart rate is called as Arrhythmias.

Your Cardiologist may take a stress test to decide the right time of cardiac surgery, heart transplant, and other surgeries. A more advanced nuclear stress test or echocardiographic test may also be suggested by the doctor if he is not able to diagnose the problem from the stress test.

Risks associated with Cardiac stress test

Stress tests are generally safe and secure as they are performed under the supervision of experts and doctors but some minor risks may occur during the test are chest pain, collapsing, fainting, heart attack, irregular heartbeat.

Before undergoing a stress test, always notify your cardiologist before the test about the medications you are taking as in some cases, the drug can interfere with the accuracy of the test.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. Jugaadin.com does not claim responsibility for this information.

Cold weather creates a problem in blood circulation but a person can stay warm and healthy if he takes some precautions.

How cold weather affects heart health

During winters, cold temperature constricts the blood vessels and makes it difficult to transport the blood to the brain and other major organs. This forces the heart to work harder; as a result, the heart demands more oxygen-rich blood. This mismatch of demand and supply in the blood sets the heart on the Heart attack.

The signs of a heart attack:

•             Pain in the chest that can cause discomfort

•             Pain in including the arms, back, neck, or jaw

•             Shortness of breath

•             Feeling lightheaded or nauseous

There are many steps a person suffering from cardiac problems can take to keep him warm are:

1. When there is too much cold outside, try to stay indoors and keep yourself warm with the hot water bottle and electric blanket.

2. Wear a cap, scarf, and gloves while going outside in a chilly climate. When you experience the ill effects of angina, wear a scarf wrapped freely around your mouth and nose, so you take in hotter air. This may restrain your side effects. Wrap up warm in layers. Wearing layers of clothes can help keep you hotter.

3.  Have hot drinks like vegetable soup and hot water to keep the body warm and heart-healthy.

4. Try to keep yourself safe from any infection. In case of fever, headache, cough or cold, consult your general physician or cardiologist for immediate relief.

Keep your heart safe and healthy this winter, and all year long.

Atrial Fibrillation occurs when the coordination between the upper chambers of Heart (Atrium) not work in synchronization with the Lower chambers of Heart (ventricles). In Afib, the electrical signals are fast, irregular and disorganized, and the heart may not pump as efficiently.

Afib increases the risk of Stroke and Heart Attack. In Atrial Fibrillation, the atria do not adequately pump blood, blood pools and get stuck in the heart grooves. They may cause blood clots which can restrict the blood flow to the brain. In Afib, the irregular and fast Heart Beats can cause an insufficient supply of blood to the heart which can cause Heart Failure or Heart Attack.

If your atrial fibrillation is undetected or left untreated, serious and even life-threatening complications can arise. Dr. Dinesh Sehgal (Interventional Cardiologist, Sapra Multispecialty Hospital) explains the type of Atrial Fibrillation, their causes and symptoms so to prevent a worse condition to appear from.

Types of Atrial fibrillation

Paroxysmal: These are the temporary abnormal Heart rhythms that start suddenly and then the heart returns to a normal beat on its own, usually within 24 hours.

Persistent: These are the abnormal Heart rhythms that last more than a week. In this medical treatment is needed to return the heart to a normal rhythm.

Permanent: These are the irregular heart rhythm that lasts for more than a year despite medications and other treatments. Some people with permanent Atrial fibrillation do not feel any symptoms or require medications.

Causes of Atrial Fibrillation

High blood pressure, Coronary artery disease which has led to a heart attack, Coronary artery bypass surgery, Diabetes, Myocarditis or pericarditis – infection or inflammation of the heart, Hyperthyroidism – overactive thyroid, Heavy alcohol use, Unhealthy weight, and Age.

Symptoms an AFib person suffering from can experience are

Palpitations, Short Breathing, Restlessness, Dizziness, Discomfort in the upper portion of the chest, and anxiety.

The treatment for Atrial fibrillation is based on the risks, medical profile, and symptoms that a person is suffering from.

People must be aware of the heart attack and stroke symptoms to ensure immediate treatment at the time of medical emergency. Dr. Dinesh Sehgal (Interventional Cardiologist, Sapra Multispecialty Hospital) is awaking and telling through this article about the difference between heart attack and strokes.

What is Heart Attack:

A Heart attack occurs due to reduced and blocked supply of blood to a coronary Artery which in turn blocked the blood supply to the Heart. The reduced and blocked supply occurs due to the presence of Plaque (fat and cholesterol deposits) that blocked the path of blood. Plaque formation is not a one-day activity, it gets formed over several years which can result in blood clots and death of heart muscle too. Heart muscles die due to insufficient supply of oxygen to it. When there is damage or death to the heart muscle due to a lack of oxygen, a heart attack can occur. Every 30 seconds, a person dies from a Heart attack.

What is Stroke:

A stroke is a medical condition that is related to Brain damage. It occurs when a blood vessel carrying essential nutrients to the brain gets damaged or blocked due to a blood clot. The low supply of blood to the brain stops the brain from working and hence stroke occurs.

Thus, we can see clearly that the similarity between heart attack and stroke is they both occur due to low oxygen and nutrient supply but to two different organs. 

Differences in symptoms:

Heart attack symptoms include Chest pain, upper body discomfort, pain that radiates down the left arm, shortness of breath, a cold sweat, tiredness, nausea, light-headedness or dizziness. In men and women, heart attack symptoms differ.

Strokes symptoms include sudden numbness in the face, arm, or leg, usually on one side of the body, confusion or difficulty speaking or understanding speech, difficulty in walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination, sudden severe headache, vomiting, dizziness, etc.

People who experience a heart attack or stroke need rapid treatment to prevent further damage and complications. If you experience any of these signs or are afraid you might have a heart attack or stroke, visit your health physician or cardiologist as early as possible. If you want to discuss your heart health to prevent heart attacks and have a better understanding of your risk factors, speak to the cardiologist as heart disease includes both heart attacks and strokes.

This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.

There are three approaches when dealing with heart diseases: invasive, non-invasive, and interventional cardiology.

The difference between these three approaches explained by Dr. Dinesh Sehgal, Director Cardiology Department at Sapra Multispecialty Hospital.

Non-invasive: The non-invasive procedure usually involves external tests rather than the insertion of body fluids, needles, or other such devices to diagnose heart disorders, cardiovascular diseases, or other heart conditions. This feature usually prevents further complications of the heart. Overall, this does not include the breakdown of the skin or any part of the body. These procedures are as simple as listening to the heartbeat, being non-invasive to perform such tasks, as well as taking a pulse and blood pressure. This evaluation is also useful in cases where patients are suspected to have valve disease, chest pain or another history of heart diseases. Further conditions treated in this way are nuclear cardiology, echocardiography (to identify the pumping of blood, infection, or any structural abnormalities), cardiac electrophysiology (electric currents to produce and evaluate the heartbeat). , Treadmill stress test (how to perform one under stress). Holter – Heart monitor, echocardiogram, trans-esophageal echocardiogram, myocardial perfusion scan and CT scan (for diseases of the heart and atherosclerosis). In most of these procedures, imaging using ultrasound waves, tape recorders, or electric currents are used to monitor cardiac activity.

Invasive: It is a minimally invasive procedure to identify heart abnormalities. Such procedures are usually minor surgeries that need to be broken into the patient’s skin. These include perforation, catheterization, incision, etc. Such procedures are used in situations such as angioplasty (arteries blocked by a balloon are opened to increase blood flow) and Stenting (a stent – a thin metal needle inserted to open a vein). In addition, invasive procedures are conducted for coronary angiography, coronary artery bypass grafting, valve replacement surgery, electrophysiology, right heart catheterization, permanent pacemaker digestion, automated transplant cardiac defibrillator (ACID), for acute chest pain. The equipment used is usually laparoscopic and remote controlled for these procedures.

Interventional: The interventional cardiologists perform treatment / traditional treatments for severe cardiovascular diseases to ensure that blood is delivered to the heart later and to other parts of the body. This approach uses a small catheter used to repair arteries or vessels or other parts of the heart surrounding areas i.e. treatment of structural heart diseases. Occasionally, angioplasty and stenting may be referred to as traditional procedures because they are catheter-based and require the opening of blocked arteries. Other conditions treated by this method are coronary artery disease (narrowing of the arteries), heart valve disease (not working well in relation to blood flow), peripheral vascular disease (clogged or hardened arteries and veins), Pericardiensis, transesophageal echocardiograms, and plaques. Invasive and interventional cardiology is closely related to where cardiologists work on similar techniques to overcome a patient’s disease.

Dr. Dinesh Sehgal told “What basically Heart Pain is”? Typical heart pain must be taken seriously and instant attention is needed. Typical heart pain is a central pressure like feeling over the chest, often depicted as an elephant is sitting on the chest. Heart pain can radiate to the arms, back, and jaws. With exertion, it often worsens, association with shortness of breath, and calms down with rest. Nausea and sweating can accompany heart pain. If Heart pain happens at rest and persists for long, then heart pain is unstable and immediate medical attention should be sought.

The symptoms of a typical heart pain include tiredness or just slowing down or being unable to do as much as in the past. Fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness may occur. Indigestion may be there with some leg swelling and shortness of breath.

 If you have symptoms of heart pain such as those outlined, it is important to visit cardiologist as early as possible. If symptoms occur at rest or more frequently then instant medical attention is needed.

1. Sinus bradycardia- In this AV node impedes the functioning of electrical impulse i.e. pumping blood. Because of this, the heart rate decreases to 45 beats per minute. In this situation electrical signals pass through the upper part of the heart. But due to the damage done to AV node, there is no beating in the lower part of the heart. Because of this, the speed of the beat gets interrupted.

2. AV node disease – If your AV node is not working at all but the upper chamber or upper chest has a normal heart rate, that is, your heart beats 80 times every minute. While in the lower chamber your heart beats 40 times a minute. So this means that your overall heart rate is low. Similarly, if there is any damage to the AV node, then your heart rate decreases despite being able to beat the muscles of the lower chamber.

3. Complete heart block – In this condition there can be any problem ranging from damage to heart muscle to blockage in the arteries due to coronary problems or heart attack. In some cases, the lower chamber of the heart is not able to beat properly due to a problem in AV node. This can also result in complete heart block, which can be dangerous.

4. Hypothyroidism – Decreased levels of thyroid cause bradycardia whereas increased levels of thyroid leads to tachycardia (increase in Heart Beat). It makes the lower chamber beats 40 – 50 times per minute due to the pressure of thyroid hormones on the cyanus node. The treatment of bradycardia in this condition depends on the method of treatment for hypothyroidism.

5. Any Heart disorder present at birth (congenital heart defect) can also cause bradycardia.

6. Medications, including some drugs for other heart rhythm disorders, high blood pressure and psychosis can also reduce the heart rate.

It is termed as silent killer because people who are suffering from High blood pressure are unaware of its consequences. Many people are not able to find out that they are suffering from High Blood pressure. The symptoms are very common and everyone should know before its get too late. The common symptoms are a severe headache, Irregular heartbeat, Fatigue, eye problems, Chest pain, Difficulty in breathing. If hypertension persists for a long time, it can lead to Heart attack and Heart Stroke. So, it is advisable to always check your blood pressure on a regular basis to prevent fatal effects.

This World Hypertension Day, take a pledge to live a healthy lifestyle to prevent high blood pressure.

Disclaimer: This content includes generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. Jugaadin.com does not claim responsibility for this information.

There are many reasons which cause damage to the heart muscle:

1. Heart attack: Due to sudden blockage in coronary artery, heart pumping efficiency gets affected.
2. High blood Pressure: Blood pressure is the force that blood pushes to the walls of the arteries. High pressure will eventually weaken the heart muscle and its pumping efficiency.
3. Diabetes can cause damage to heart muscle due to high blood sugar level
4. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism
5. Myocarditis: Inflammation of heart muscle caused by virus also causes heart failure.

Types of heart failure are:

Left side Heart failure: This is the most common form of heart failure. From the left side of the heart, blood goes to all the parts of body. When muscle is not working properly, then blood backs up into the lungs and not effectively pumped.

Right Side Heart failure: This failure occurs due to left side heart failure as fluid occurs to build up in lungs in left side failure. The working of right side heart is to pump blood to the lungs for oxygenation.

Diastolic Heart failure: This is also known as diastolic dysfunction. When heart muscle becomes stiff, it can’t pump blood effectively.

Systolic Heart failure: when heart size is abnormal, then it fills improperly with blood causes no pumping or less flow of blood to the other parts of the body.

 If any person feel congested lungs, shortness in breath, fluid retention, swollen legs, increased weight, fatigue, tiredness, inability to do daily chores and fast heart beat, then they should immediately consult a cardiologist and ask for an evaluation of their heart.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist/cardiologist or your own doctor for more information. Jugaadin News does not claim responsibility for this information.

The Symptoms for Heart Attack are :

• Pain or discomfort in the center or left side of the chest
• Pain or discomfort in the upper body – like the arms, back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper stomach
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• Stomach ache that feel like heartburn
• Feeling dizzy, light-headed, or unusually tired
• Frequent  sweating

Signs of a heart attack often come on suddenly. But sometimes, they develop slowly – hours, days, or even weeks before a heart attack happens.

The tips we should follow to lower the risk of heart disease must include:

• Lowering cholesterol and blood pressure: High BP and Cholesterol can cause heart attack. should have regular checkups for cholesterol level and blood pressure.
• We should have healthy diet that must include fruits and vegetables, whole grains  and must low in sugar and trans fat.
• We should do physical activity for at least half an hour to stay healthy and to lower the risk of heart attack.
• Stress can also be a reason for heart disease. So we should manage our stress level by doing meditation, yoga and deep breathing.

Consult your doctor if any of the symptoms occur.