The importance of screening and timely heart disease treatment
The importance of screening and timely heart disease treatment
Introduction
Sunil Shetty ranks among renown Indian celebrities famous for physical fitness. However, despite being tagged as among the fittest, Sunil Shetty underwent angioplasty in the year 2014 for a heart condition. He survived and now urges society to take prudent steps for maintaining a healthy and incident free life. Let’s have a quick look at the need for early screening to ensure better outcomes from heart disease treatment. Here are some common and effective approaches for some of the different sub-categories of heart disease.
What is ideal approach for rheumatic heart disease treatment?
This is a chronic heart condition due to rheumatic fever, usually after an untreated or improperly treated infection such as strep throat or scarlet fever.
Symptoms include the following:
- Difficulty breathing.
- Overall weakness.
- Swollen feet.
- Pain in the chest.
- Rapid heartbeats.
Diagnosis is a combination of checking the patient’s medical history, physical examination, and certain diagnostic tests. Rheumatic heart disease treatment is focused on managing symptoms, and ensuring that that is no further heart damage. This is achieved through medications, like antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medicines, diuretics, calcium channel blockers, and anticoagulants. Changes to lifestyle include dietary modifications and ensuring that strenuous activities are avoided. Surgical procedures may involve valve repair or replacement.
What is congenital heart disease treatment and how can it be detected?
Congenital Heart Disease, as the name indicates refers to heart abnormalities in people from birth. The nature of these defects impact the structure of the heart, and causes disruption in the flow of blood through the heart. As a result, the patient ends up with insufficient oxygen circulation. There are different types of congenital heart disease, such as:
- Cyanotic Heart Disease.
- Acyanotic Heart Disease.
- Obstructive Heart Disease.
How Congenital Heart Disease can be detected?
It is important to note that congenital heart disease treatment is better with early detection. This can be diagnosed through prenatal screening, screening of infant, post-natal screening, diagnosis when symptoms are noticed and genetic testing.
Prenatal Screening includes the following tests
- Fetal Echocardiogram – This is an ultrasound test during pregnancy that can detect heart abnormalities in the fetus.
- Ultrasound – This is a routine prenatal ultrasound to identify heart defects.
Screening of new born infant includes the following options
- Pulse Oximetry – To measure the oxygen levels in blood, as low levels may be an indication of a heart defect.
- Physical examination – Checks for heart murmurs and signs like a bluish appearance in the skin.
Postnatal diagnosis includes the following methods
- Echocardiogram – For detailed images of the structure of the heart, this will offer diagnosis of CHD in infants.
- Chest X-ray – This detects structural abnormalities, mostly with the size and shape of the heart.
- Electrocardiogram – This detect arrhythmias by measuring electrical activity in the heart.
- Cardiac MRI/CT Scan – Imaging tests for a detailed view of the heart.
- Cardiac catheterization – This is an advanced procedure for detailed information about heart function and pressure in the chambers.
Genetic testing for congenital heart disease
This is regarded as one of the most effective and early detection methods. Tests help to identify genetic mutations and syndromes related to heart defects.
- Genetic mutations – Genetic testing helps identify risk for certain types of heart defects. For instance, atrial septal defects, and aortic valve abnormalities.
- Syndromes – Testing can help identify some syndromes like Down Syndrome which causes atrioventricular septal defects. Similarly, DiGeorge Syndrome is linked to construal heart defects, while Turner Syndrome is associated with aortic coarctation.
Important information about valvular heart disease treatment
This condition is due to improper functioning of one or more of the heart’s valves that regulate blood flow. The four valves in the heart ensure that blood flows in the right direction. The types of Valvular Heart Disease include the following:
- Valve Stenosis – Aortic Stenosis, Mitral Stenosis.
- Valve Regurgitation – Mitral Regurgitation, Aortic Regurgitation.
- Valve Prolapse
What are the causes of Valvular Heart Disease?
The main reasons or causes for valvular heart disease include congenital defects, Rheumatic heart disease, infective endocarditis, degeneration with age, and other conditions.
Common symptoms of Valvular Heart Disease
The symptoms of this condition include the following:
- Difficulty breathing.
- Overall weakness.
- Swollen feet.
- Pain the chest.
- Change in heartbeats.
- Heart murmur.
How is the valvular heart disease diagnosed?
Diagnosis involves a combination of the following:
- Physical Examination for heart murmurs.
- Echocardiogram for detailed images of the structure of the heart.
- Electrocardiogram to look for heart stress or damage.
- Chest X-ray to identify fluid in the lungs.
- Cardiac MRI for detailed images of the heart valves.
- Cardiac catheterization to assess valve function.
Valvular heart disease treatment includes lifestyle changes, medications, or surgical procedures in some instances. Medication such as diuretics, anticoagulants, beta-blockers, ACE Inhibitors, ARBs, and antiarrhythmics are part of the treatment regimen. Changes in lifestyle include dietary, exercise regimen, quitting smoking, and weight management. Procedures include the following:
- Valve Repair – Balloon Valvuloplasty, Annuloplasty, Leaflet Repair.
- Valve Replacement – Mechanical Valves, Bioprosthetic Valves, Transcatheter Valve Replacement.
- Heart Valve Surgery – Open-Heart Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery.
Which medicine for heart disease is commonly prescribed?
The medications prescribed for heart disease depend on the type and the actual condition or stage of the disease. Heart disease treatment through medications may include the following categories.
- Aspirin – to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
- Statins – to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
- ACE Inhibitors – for high blood pressure, heart failure, and post heart attacks. These medicines relax blood vessels and reduce blood pressure.
- Beta-Blockers – to treat high blood pressure, angina, and heart failure.
- Diuretics – to reduce fluid buildup in the body.
- Nitroglycerin – to relieve chest pain, also known as angina. This works by relaxing blood vessels and enhancing blood flow.
- Warfarin – to prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of stroke.
- Calcium Channel Blockers – to treat high blood pressure, angina, by relaxing blood vessels.
- Digitalis to increase the strength of the heart’s contractions.
- SGLT2 Inhibitors – for diabetes management, and heart failure.
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Education: Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh Experience: A dedicated health writer with 8 years of experience covering a range of health topics, including public health and nutrition. His work has appeared on reputable Indian health websites and journals such as India Health Journal and The Health Times. Ravi also collaborates with Indian health agencies on public health campaigns.