Best Heart Surgery Hospitals in India
Your Heart pumps blood through the circulatory system to all parts of the body and hence it is known as the blood-pump of the body. The blood thus circulated carries food and oxygen to the cells (so that they can function properly) and carries away carbon dioxide and waste materials.
A very large number of people suffer from heart disease and millions of them die each year worldwide. There are many types of heart diseases that affect your heart. The various heart diseases include diseases of your blood vessels, such as coronary artery disease, heart rhythm problems heart infections and heart problems that you may have at the time of birth.
Sometimes the term "heart disease" is often used interchangeably with "cardiovascular disease." Cardiovascular disease is caused by disorders of the heart and blood vessels, and includes coronary heart disease (CHD) cerebrovascular disease (stroke), raised blood pressure, peripheral artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease and heart failure. Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally and more people die annually from cardiovascular diseases than from any other cause. Some of the common causes of cardiovascular disease are tobacco and excess alcohol use, physical inactivity, stress and an unhealthy diet.
Common Cardiovascular Diseases
- CoronaryHeart Disease (CHD): This is also known as Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) or Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)and is the most common type of cardiovascular disease in many countries around the world. In simple, Coronary Heart Disease refers to problems with the circulation of blood to the heart muscle. The circulation of the blood may be affected due to one or more blockages in the coronary arteries. Coronary arteries are the vessels that deliver oxygen-rich blood to heart muscle. A partial blockage in the coronary arteries may cause symptoms such as chest pain (angina) and shortness of breath. A complete blockage of an artery may causedamage to the heart muscle tissuesand may lead to a heart attack. In some people there may be multiple blockages.
- Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke): Just like heart muscle, your brain also needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to function properly. For this you should have an interrupted circulation of blood to the brain. In some people the circulation of blood in the blood vessels of the brain might get disturbed. Because of this the cells may start dyeing due to the lack of oxygen rich blood. Such a situation may cause a stroke. A stroke is an emergency medical condition since it may cause serious brain damage and possibly death if the treatment is delayed. The sooner you get the treatment for stroke lesser the damage is likely to occur.
- Peripheral Vascular Disease: In Peripheral Vascular Diseasethe blood circulation is affected due to blockage in the arteries to your limbs, primarily in the legs. If you have Peripheral Vascular Disease then you may have pain in the calves, thighs or hips especially when walking, running or climbing stairs.You may feel cramps, a dull pain or a sensation of heaviness in the muscles of your legs.Peripheral vascular disease is also known as Peripheral arterial disease.
- Cardiomyopathy: Cardiomyopathy refers to the diseases of the heart muscle where the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thick or rigid. If the cardiomyopathy worsens then the heart becomes weaker. In such a situation, the heart may not be able to properly pump blood through the body and maintain a normal electrical rhythm. This can lead to weakening of the heart orheart failure which in turnmay causefluid to build up in the lungs, ankles, feet, legs, or abdomen and in some cases it might also cause heart valve problems.There are different causes, signs and symptoms, and treatments available.
- Valvular Heart Disease: Valvular Heart Diseaseis the disease of the valves of the heart. Your heart is a pump that pumps blood through the circulatory system in your body. The blood carries all the vital things that help your body function.The direction of blood flow is controlled by a set of four valves. Each valve opens and closes once per heartbeat. The valvesplay a major role in helping the blood to flow into the main arteries in one direction and preventingthe regurgitation of blood in reverse direction. In case of Valvular Heart Disease, the heart valves become less effective in controlling the flow of blood. The valves may fail to close fully or leak or the outlet of the valve may become narrowed. The problems with the valves maylead to the reduction of the blood flow and an increase in the pressure on heart wall.It may also cause back pressure in the lungs or the peripheral tissues. Valvular Heart Disease cause significant reduction of effective blood circulation causing congestion of the lungs and peripheral tissues. It may also lead poor oxygen supply to the vital organs.
- Rheumatic Heart Disease: Rheumatic Heart Diseases are the heart disorders that can occur as a result of rheumatic fever. Rheumatic Heart Disease may cause damage to the heart valves. This may lead to a heart valve disorder.Rheumatic Heart Disease may affect heart valves during childhood and the actual heart problems may develop or may be seen in later years. In most of the cases the affected valves have to be replaced by a valve replacement surgery.
- Congenital Heart Disease: Congenital Heart Disease is the disease that arises due to the defect/s in the structure of the heart that is present at birth. These defects can be as simple as a small hole in one of the inner walls of the heart or they can be very complex which may seriously affect the flow of blood in heart and lungs. Some congenital heart problems may need surgical intervention and in some cases more than one operation may be required.
Major diet changes,
smoking cessation and exercise have not improved the coronary
artery disease. 