Heart Attack Types: Understanding Symptoms And Risks

Heart diseases are on the rise among the younger population in India. Research suggests that India is all set to become the world capital of heart disease by 2020. Heart ailments also referred to as cardiovascular diseases are problems that affect your heart’s muscles, its rhythm (commonly also known as the heartbeat), and the blood vessels. While these ailments may be fatal, one can prevent or treat them by adopting certain healthy habits in their lifestyle.

Types of Heart Disease:

Heart ailments have a range that may differ for men and women. Some of them are:

• Arrhythmia:

  Arrhythmia is an abnormality where your heartbeats are too fast or too slow. This could be caused by diabetes, stress, high blood pressure, etc. Other symptoms could be dizziness, frequent fainting, chest pain, and slow pulse rate.

• Congenital Heart Defects:

  A congenital heart defect is a condition present at birth that may remain undetected. The general symptoms range from difficulty in breathing, fatigue, swelling of limbs, etc.

• Cardiomyopathy:

  Under this condition, your heart’s muscles either harden or grow weak. This ailment may be hereditary or may have external causes. Fatigue, swollen legs, fast pulse rate and shortness of breath are some of the symptoms.

• Heart Infections:

  The presence of bacteria or viruses can cause heart infections. The symptoms of such infections could be chest pain, fever, rashes, cough, etc.

Heart Disease Treatment and Diagnosis:

Your doctor will conduct a physical examination and ask you to get a blood test done. This test is conducted to check your blood cholesterol level. If there is any irregularity, the next step would be to undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG). This test helps your doctor to monitor your heart’s electrical activity and detect any form of abnormality. For further diagnosis, he may suggest other tests like echocardiogram (ultrasound test), stress test, CT scan, heart MRI, etc. The results of these tests will assist him to prescribe a suitable treatment.

Every heart ailment does not require immediate surgery. The treatment depends on the type of heart ailment one has. In most cases, doctors prescribe certain medications to cure heart disease or control it. However, depending on the nature of the heart ailment, doctors may recommend surgery or other medical procedures to treat it.

How to Prevent Heart Disease?

While you cannot control all the risk factors surrounding heart conditions, you can adopt certain habits to avoid them. Some of the changes that you could adopt are:

• Keeping a Tab on your Blood Pressure and Cholesterol level:

  Try to ensure that your cholesterol and blood pressure levels are in control. The ideal level would depend on your health history and other risk factors.

• Managing your Stress:

  Stress is one of the major causes of heart disease among youth. You should find ways to manage it in order to reduce the risk of heart problems. If you are frequently anxious or are going through a rough time, consult your doctor.

• Adopting a Healthy Lifestyle:

  Exercising regularly and following a healthy diet will help you keep your heart in great shape. By avoiding food with excess fats, you can keep your body in healthful condition. Quit unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking.

Lifestyle changes can’t happen overnight. But you need to start taking care of your body especially if you have a family history of heart conditions. Don’t hesitate to consult your doctor for more information.