Question

You are required to use at least 3 different ACADEMICALLY credible articles/books/websites as references. You can use whatever search method you like but make sure your information is credible AND published within the last 5 years. The paper should be 3 full pages,

The following needs to be covered in the paper:

1. Describe the heart disease.

2. What happens to the person who has the heart disease?

3.How it is diagnosed

4. How it is treated

5.How it can be prevented

Answer 1

HEART DISEASE OR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD) is term used for a number of disease that affect the normal functioning of heart, including coronary heart disease (CHD), peripheral arterial disease, cerebrovascular disease, congenital and rheumatic heart diseases and venous thromboembolism.

EPIDEMIOLOGY

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number 1 cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. CVDs are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease and other conditions. Four out of 5CVD deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and one third of these deaths occur prematurely in people under 70 years of age. (WHO,2019).

TYPES OF HEART DISEASE

• Coronary Artery Disease – hardening or narrowing of the coronary artery, (which supplies blood to the heart) due to the formation of cholesterol plaque
• Cardiomyopathy – disease of the cardiac muscle due to several reasons
• Angina – chest pain caused due to less blood flow to a part of the heart muscle
• Valvular Heart Disease – disease affecting one or more of the four valves of the heart
• Congenital Heart Disease – heart structure malformation at birth
• Cerebrovascular Disease – disease of the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain
• Rheumatic Heart Disease – damage to the heart muscles and valves due to rheumatic fever
• Heart attack –is permanent damage to the part of the heart muscle to which blood supply was cut off
• Heart failure- is heart’s pumping power has reduced

SYMPTOMS

• Heaviness, pressure, discomfort or squeezing pain in the chest
• Recurring pain in the upper body such as the arms, jaw, neck, back or upper stomach
• Fatigue and weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid increase in pulse (or irregular pulse)
• Dizziness, sweating and nausea
• Swelling
• Anxiety
• Cough
• Aching, burning, fullness

CAUSES

• Smoking

• Lack of sleep

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol levels

• Diabetes

• No or limited physical activity

• Unhealthy eating habits

• Overconsumption of alcohol

• Depression and mental stress

• Pollution

• Increasing age

• Family history of heart diseases

RISK FACTORS

• High BP

• high blood cholesterol levels

• smoking

• diabetes

• overweight or obesity

• lack of physical activity

• unhealthy diet and stress. ²

DIAGNOSIS

· Electrocardiogram (ECG). An electrocardiogram records electrical signals as they travel through your heart. An ECG can often reveal evidence of a previous heart attack or one that's in progress.

· Echocardiogram. An echocardiogram uses sound waves to produce images of your heart.

· Exercise stress test. Sometimes, an echocardiogram is also done while

· exercises. This is called a stress echo. In some cases, medication to stimulate your heart may be used instead of exercise.

· Nuclear stress test. This test is similar to an exercise stress test but adds images to the ECG recordings. It measures blood flow to your heart muscle at rest and during stress. A tracer is injected into your bloodstream, and special cameras can detect areas in your heart that receive less blood flow.

· Cardiac catheterization and angiogram. During cardiac catheterization, a doctor gently inserts a catheter into an artery or vein in your groin, neck or arm and up to heart. X-rays are used to guide the catheter to the correct position. Sometimes, dye is injected through the catheter. The dye helps blood vessels show up better on the images and outlines any blockages.

· Cardiac CT scan. A CT scan of the heart can help your doctor see calcium deposits in your arteries that can narrow the arteries. If a substantial amount of calcium is discovered, coronary artery disease may be likely.

A CT coronary angiogram, in which you receive a contrast dye that is given by IV during a CT scan, can produce detailed images of heart arteries.

TREATMENT

Interventions

CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Stents

Angioplasty and Stents

Angioplasty is a procedure that uses very little cutting to open blocked heart arteries. Stents can be put in during angioplasty.

Heart Bypass Surgery

This can treat heart disease when your coronary arteries are blocked.

Valve Disease Treatment

When heart valve disease needs attention, it can be treated by traditional surgery or by balloon valvuloplasty, which doesn't require as much cutting.

Cardioversion

For many people with heart disease, drugs alone won’t turn an arrhythmia into a normal heart rhythm. These people may need a procedure called cardioversion or electrical cardioversion.

EECP

This can help stimulate blood vessels to develop small branches, creating a natural bypass around narrowed or blocked arteries that cause chest pain.

Pacemakers

It’s a small device that sends electrical impulses to the heart muscle to keep up a suitable heart rate and rhythm. A pacemaker may also treat fainting spells (syncope), congestive heart failure, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD)

An ICD, or implantable cardioverter defibrillator, can treat abnormal heart rhythms.

Lead Extraction

That’s removal of one or more leads from inside the heart. Leads that are placed outside the heart during open heart surgery cannot be removed by this procedure.

Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)

It’s a kind of mechanical heart. A surgeon would place it inside your chest. It would help the heart pump oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.

Heart Transplant

A person's diseased heart is replaced with a healthy donor's heart.

Medications

ACE Inhibitors

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors

Angiotension II Receptor Blockers

Antiarrhythmics

Antiplatelet Drugs

Aspirin Therapy

Beta-Blocker Therapy.

Calcium Channel Blocker Drugs

Digoxin

Diuretics

Nitrates

Warfarin and Other anticoagulants

PREVENTION

1.Avoid use of Tobacco or quit smoking

Chemicals in tobacco can damage your heart and blood vessels. Cigarette smoke reduces the oxygen in your blood, which increases your blood pressure and heart rate.

2.Regular exercise

Daily physical activity can lower risk of heart disease. Physical activity helps control weight and reduce chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.

3. Eat a heart-healthy diet

A healthy diet can help protect your heart, improve your blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduce risk of type 2 diabetes. A heart-healthy eating plan includes:

· Vegetables and fruits

· Beans or other legumes

· Lean meats and fish

· Low-fat or fat-free dairy foods

· Whole grains

· Healthy fats, such as olive oil

Two examples of heart-healthy food plans include the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan and the Mediterranean diet.

Limit intake of the following:

· Salt

· Sugar

· Processed carbohydrates

· Alcohol

· Saturated fat (found in red meat and full-fat dairy products) and trans fat (found in fried fast food, chips, baked goods)

4. Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight — especially around your middle — increases your risk of heart disease. Excess weight can lead to conditions that increase chances of developing heart disease — including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.

5. Get good quality sleep

People who don't get enough sleep have a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and depression. Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night.

6. Manage stress

Some people cope with stress in unhealthy ways — such as overeating, drinking or smoking. Finding alternative ways to manage stress — such as physical activity, relaxation exercises or meditation — can help improve your health.

7. Get regular health screenings

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your heart and blood vessels.