Heart Disease
Everything You Need To Know About Heart Disease
There is nothing more frightening to a person than the thought of developing heart disease. All too often it goes undiagnosed until the more serious symptoms appear and the terminology used to describe their condition will often leave the patient scared and at a loss to comprehend what is happening to them. To alleviate some of that fear, we will go over the different kinds of heart disease, their symptoms and treatment, so that you can go to your next physical feeling informed and aware of the danger signs.
Being diagnosed with any form of heart disease can be frightening and you will have a lot of questions about your treatment. Everyone here at Trinity Primary Care realizes that and want you to know that we are here for your every need, call us today.
What is Heart Disease?
This term is actually one used as a general description for a host of different conditions involving the heart. As a diagnosis, it begins with physical examinations that reveal a heart murmur or a whooshing sound heard between heartbeats. This will lead to the doctor performing more tests to determine exactly what is going on inside your heart, like angiography or echocardiograms. The murmur is just the first clue that something is happening that may develop into something more and you must keep in mind that there are several conditions that fall under this general diagnosis, each one with similar symptoms.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease occurs when the main arteries that supply blood to the heart become blocked by arterial plaque. The plaque is made up of fat cells and other debris that cling to the walls of the artery, slowing the flow of fresh blood to the heart. Without regular infusions of fresh, oxygenated blood the muscles of the heart can deteriorate over time. This condition is an aftereffect of high cholesterol and hypertension, both very treatable conditions if caught early enough.
Symptoms of coronary artery disease include a painful discomfort in your chest that is often mistaken for heartburn. This pressure might also be felt in the neck, jaw, arms, throat, back and left shoulder. You may also experience shortness of breath, palpitations or irregular heartbeats, weakness, dizziness, sweating and nausea. All of this is caused by your heart having to work twice as hard to get the blood it needs.
Crucial Warning Signs
Some conditions can happen without warning, like heart failure or a heart attack and will have a defined set of warning signs that everyone needs to be particularly attentive to.
Potential warning signs of heart disease:
• Pain or heaviness in the chest or left arm
• Pressure resembling heartburn
• Discomfort in the back, jaw, throat or arm
• Sweating, nausea or dizziness
• Weakness, anxiety, and shortness of breath
• Irregular or rapid heartbeats
It is crucial to seek medical attention immediately at the first sign of any of the following symptoms. Treatment afterwards will depend upon the exact nature of the condition.
Heart Disease
Everything You Need To Know About Heart Disease
There is nothing more frightening to a person than the thought of developing heart disease. All too often it goes undiagnosed until the more serious symptoms appear and the terminology used to describe their condition will often leave the patient scared and at a loss to comprehend what is happening to them. To alleviate some of that fear, we will go over the different kinds of heart disease, their symptoms and treatment, so that you can go to your next physical feeling informed and aware of the danger signs.
Being diagnosed with any form of heart disease can be frightening and you will have a lot of questions about your treatment. Everyone here at Trinity Primary Care realizes that and want you to know that we are here for your every need, call us today.
What is Heart Disease?
This term is actually one used as a general description for a host of different conditions involving the heart. As a diagnosis, it begins with physical examinations that reveal a heart murmur or a whooshing sound heard between heartbeats. This will lead to the doctor performing more tests to determine exactly what is going on inside your heart, like angiography or echocardiograms. The murmur is just the first clue that something is happening that may develop into something more and you must keep in mind that there are several conditions that fall under this general diagnosis, each one with similar symptoms.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease occurs when the main arteries that supply blood to the heart become blocked by arterial plaque. The plaque is made up of fat cells and other debris that cling to the walls of the artery, slowing the flow of fresh blood to the heart. Without regular infusions of fresh, oxygenated blood the muscles of the heart can deteriorate over time. This condition is an aftereffect of high cholesterol and hypertension, both very treatable conditions if caught early enough.
Symptoms of coronary artery disease include a painful discomfort in your chest that is often mistaken for heartburn. This pressure might also be felt in the neck, jaw, arms, throat, back and left shoulder. You may also experience shortness of breath, palpitations or irregular heartbeats, weakness, dizziness, sweating and nausea. All of this is caused by your heart having to work twice as hard to get the blood it needs.
Crucial Warning Signs
Some conditions can happen without warning, like heart failure or a heart attack and will have a defined set of warning signs that everyone needs to be particularly attentive to.
Potential warning signs of heart disease:
• Pain or heaviness in the chest or left arm
• Pressure resembling heartburn
• Discomfort in the back, jaw, throat or arm
• Sweating, nausea or dizziness
• Weakness, anxiety, and shortness of breath
• Irregular or rapid heartbeats
It is crucial to seek medical attention immediately at the first sign of any of the following symptoms. Treatment afterwards will depend upon the exact nature of the condition.