Cardiology Heart Health Care
Cardiovascular disease is an umbrella term for heart and circulatory diseases including coronary heart disease, cardiac arrest, angina, congenital heart disease, stroke, hypertension, heart valve disease, and cardiomyopathy. According to Menshealth.com, one in three Singaporeans die from heart disease every year.
Every day, 17 people die from cardiovascular disease in Singapore. Heart diseases and stroke were responsible for 30.1% of all deaths in Singapore in 2017. In 2016, cardiovascular disease accounted for 29.5% of deaths. The following are the top 5 killer heart diseases in Singapore.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when arteries supplying blood to the heart become damaged or diseased. Fatty deposits (made of cholesterol) accumulate in the inner lining of an artery-a process known as atherosclerosis. Repeated deposits of plaque narrow the blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the heart. Reduced blood flow may manifest in the form of chest pain(angina) and shortness of breath. If the surface of the plaque ruptures, blood cells may clump at the site blocking the artery which can lead to cardiac arrest.
Symptoms
• Angina
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Palpitations
• Shortness of breath
Treatment
If you have been diagnosed with CHD, the first step you should take to reduce the risk of further complications is to make important lifestyle changes. Eat healthy and exercise will reduce your risk of future health complications. Various medications can be used to treat CHD, You doctor may prescribe cholesterol-modifying medications, beta-blockers to slow your heart and calcium channel blockers to improve symptoms of chest pain.
Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac arrest is the abrupt loss of heart function to an individual who may or may have not been diagnosed with heart disease. It occurs when the heart stops pumping blood because of a malfunction in the heart that causes irregular heart beat (arrhythmia)
Symptoms
There are no symptoms before a cardiac arrest. If someone is in cardiac arrest;
• The will be unresponsive
• They will be unconscious
• They won’t be breathing, or breathing normally
A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. The patient should be immediately taken to a hospital or a heart specialist clinic. Without immediate treatment, it can be fatal. In 2015, the out-of-hospital survival rate of cardiac arrest patients in Singapore was 21.3%.
Treatment
The first line of treatment for cardiac arrest is cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). When ventricular fibrillation is determined to be the cause of cardiac arrest, defibrillation or delivery of shock through the chest walls allows the heart rhythm to resume. Top cardiologist may prescribe anti-arrhythmic drugs for long-term treatment. Coronary angioplasty may be used to open blocked coronary arteries and allow blood flow to the heart.
Cerebrovascular Disease
Cerebrovascular disease refers to conditions that can lead to a cerebrovascular event. These are conditions in which arterial inflammation and high cholesterol levels in the brain causes cholesterol to build into a thick waxy plaque which can block blood flow to the brain. Conditions that fall under cerebrovascular disease include stroke, aneurysms, transient ischemic attack, and vascular dementia.
Symptoms
• Weakness on one side(hemiparesis)
• Paralysis on one side(hemiplegia)
• Difficulty speaking
• Confusion
• Loss of consciousness
• Loss of balance
Treatment
• Lifestyle changes-eating healthy, quit smoking, drinking and exercise regularly.
• Antiplatelet medication such as aspirin
• Blood thinners
• Cholesterol medications
Arrythmia
Arrythmia occurs when the heart beats too slowly, too quickly or with an irregular pattern to to a malfunction of electrical impulses that coordinate the heartbeat.
Symptoms
• Skipping beats
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Chest pain(angina)
• Sweating
• Shortness of breath.
A number of factors can trigger arrhythmia. These include diabetes, alcohol abuse, congestive heart failure, hypertension, smoking and mental stress.
Treatment
Ablation therapy-catheters are driven to areas in the heart thought to be the cause of arrhythmia to destroy small sections of those tissues.
Cardioversion-use of medication or electric shock to reset the heart to its rhythm.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)-this device is implanted near the left collarbone, ICD monitors heart rhythm, detects abnormally slow or fast rhythm and returns it to normal.
Congestive Heart Failure
This condition results from the build-up of fluids near the heart causing it to malfunction. It occurs when ventricles cannot pump blood effectively causing build-up of fluids in the lungs, liver and lower body.
Symptoms
• Fatigue
• Swelling in ankles
• Weight gain
• Increased need to urinate.
• Shortness of breath
• Fainting
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are used to open up narrow blood vessels.
• Beta blockers for slowing the heart
• Diuretics for reducing body fluids
Hypertension
Hypertension is elevated blood pressure caused by narrowing of blood vessels. The following are risk factors of hypertension: family history, tobacco use, too much salt in your diet, obesity, and stress.
Symptoms
• Shortness of breath.
• A severe headache
• Vision problems
Treatment
• Lifestyle changes-healthy diet and exercise
• Diuretics
• Calcium channel blockers
• Renin inhibitors
• Alpha blockers and alpha-antagonists.
Conclusion
Keeping your heat healthy is a crucial defense against cardiovascular diseases. Have you received a cardiac evaluation lately? If not, consider visiting one of the top cardiologist clinic in Singapore for a heart screening.
References