|
heart disease and coronary heart disease for
|
There are special cells in the heart that act as a natural pacemaker, sending electrical signals through their fibers to the heart muscle and regulating the heartbeat. An electrocardiogram reproduces these electrical patterns as a tracing. When there is a disturbance in any part of this conduction system, the heart may beat irregularly, or the rate may become either very slow or very fast. Irregular heartbeats can be life threatening in some cases, because the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently.
Many people with heart rhythm disorders are able to live normal lives because of the invention of the pacemaker. This device is implanted in the body, and it sends electrical signals to the heart to keep the heart beating at a normal rate. Not everyone with heart rhythm disorders needs a pacemaker; some people can be treated with drugs.
The heart has four sets of valves that control the flow of blood passing through its four chambers. Most problems are caused by narrowing and obstruction or incomplete closing. When a valve is defective and does not close completely, blood leaks back. These defects cause the heart to work harder to pump the blood, and can result in heart failure.
An abnormality in a valve is usually discovered when the doctor hears a murmur while listening to the heart with a stethoscope. Disorders of the valves may be caused by congential abnormalities or by infection or inflammation. A heart murmur does not always mean that a person has a serious disease.
An estimated 5 percent of adults, mostly women, have a condition known as mitral valve prolapse,which causes problems for only a small number of these individuals.
Increased heart rate, abnormal heart rhythm, shortness of breath, cough, fluid buildup in the body leading to swelling of the feet and ankles or abdomen, weakness, nad fatigue are some of the signs of heart failure. These vary, depending on the severity of the failure and the part of the heart affected. A variety of drugs can be prescribed to widen blood vessels, prevent the buildup of fluids, and strengthen heart contractions. In heart failure, the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. This may be due to heart muscle being weakened by conditions such as high blood pressure, myocardial infarction, or a mechanical failure in the valves. Heart failure does not mean that the heart stops pumping-that's called cardiac arrest-but rather that the heart is not working efficiently.
Related links:
Cause of Heart Disease: Heart disease is caused by cholesterol and plaque buildup in the inside walls of .....
Article on Heart Disease: coronary heart disease: disease characterized by an inadequate supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart ......
Definition of Heart Disease: Congenital Heart Disease glossary includes a list of Congenital Heart Disease .....
Back to 1st-health-insure resource.
|