Heart Disease – Hello Doctor

What is atrial fibrillation?

May 13th, 2019 by Content Editor

Does your heart beat so fast that it feels like it’s banging against your chest wall; especially if you’re carrying stuff or bending down?

You may have atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (also called AFib or AF) is a quivering or irregular heartbeat. Changes in your heart rhythm lead to stroke, blood clots, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

According to the AME Medical Journal, there has been an increase in the global prevalence of atrial fibrillation in all regions of the world. In the European Union, it is estimated that AFib will increase from eight million adults over 55 years in 2010, to 17 million by 2060.

The rhythm of the heartbeat

Usually, your heart contracts and relaxes to a regular beat. With atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat irregularly to move blood into the ventricles (the cavity or chamber that can be filled with fluid).

When this happens, the lower chambers don’t fill completely and therefore can’t pump enough blood to the lungs and body. This can result in fatigue or dizziness, heart palpitations or chest pain. Blood may also pool in the heart, which can increase your risk of having a stroke or other complications.

Symptoms 

Now and then, people with AFib have no symptoms and their condition is only detectable from a physical exam. Others may experience symptoms such as:

Rapid and irregular heartbeat.
General fatigue.
Dizziness.
Weakness.
Shortness of breath and anxiety.
Fluttering or “thumping” in the chest.
Faintness or confusion.
Fatigue when exercising.
Sweating.
Chest pain or pressure.

Diagnosis 

To diagnose atrial fibrillation, your doctor may check for symptoms, ask for your medical history, and do a physical exam. In addition, you may have tests like:

Blood tests: This will help check thyroid problems or other substances in your blood that could lead to atrial fibrillation.

Stress test: This involves running tests on your heart while you’re exercising.

Chest X-ray: X-ray images will help your doctor see the condition of your lungs and heart.

Treatment

The general goal to treat AFib is to:

Reset the rhythm or control the rate.
Prevent blood clots.
Decrease the risk of strokes.

With the help of your doctor, you’ll be able choose the most appropriate option. This will depend on whether you have other problems with your heart and if you’re able to take medication that can control your heart rhythm. In some cases, you may need more invasive treatment, like medical procedures using catheters or surgery.

With some people, an underlying condition like a thyroid disorder may trigger atrial fibrillation. Treating the condition causing atrial fibrillation may help relieve your heart rhythm problems.

Prevention 

It’s important to live a heart-healthy lifestyle to reduce your risk of heart disease and prevent atrial fibrillation.   This includes:

Eating a heart-healthy diet.
Avoiding smoking.
Exercising more often.
Limiting or avoiding caffeine and alcohol.
Reducing stress (intense stress and anger can cause heart rhythm problems).
Using over-the-counter medications with caution, as some cold and cough medications have stimulants that may trigger a rapid heartbeat.
Maintaining a healthy weight.

References:

Sauna: the hot new therapy for a healthy heart

March 24th, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

Age is an uncontrollable risk factor for cardiovascular heart disease, unlike risk factors like smoking, drinking alcohol and a lack of exercise.

Now, new studies have shown that a sauna a few times a week could help stave off heart health problems in older people, even amongst those who are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Heat for heart health

In a 15-year study of approximately 1 600 men and women aged between 53 and 74 in Finland, it was found that just 181 people succumbed to heart-related illnesses. The study concluded that the more saunas the individuals in the group took, the lower their risk of heart disease.

The sauna is a cultural institution in Finland but is rapidly gaining popularity worldwide. Unlike other types of sauna, like the hot, humid Turkish sauna, the Finnish version is very hot and dry. These saunas are wood-lined rooms heated by stones on a stove. An occasional splash of water over the stones produces steam in an internal temperature of around 100°C.

It’s the heat that seems to be key in the sauna’s benefit to heart health. In one study, participants’ pulse rates increased by 30%, causing the heart to pump almost twice the volume of blood it would normally do at rest. This increase in heart rate is similar to what would occur during moderate intensity exercise.

Other studies have shown that sauna therapy is associated with a reduction in high blood pressure and a lower risk of stroke and cognitive decline, again supporting the concept of improved heart health.

Get the best out of sauna therapy

Evidence suggests that the frequency of using a sauna is closely linked to the risk of heart disease. People who used the sauna more than four times a week, and those who sauna-bathed for more than 45 minutes a week showed a significant reduction in their risk of fatal cardiovascular disease-related events. Furthermore, those people who exercised regularly and used a sauna had a significantly lower risk of dying from heart disease than people who didn’t exercise regularly and used a sauna.

There were some underlying factors that could have improved the study outcomes:

Sauna baths are inherently relaxing, so lowering stress levels could be an additional factor to consider.
Sauna baths are also accessible across the board to all Finns, so the socioeconomic risk factor – poverty – associated with cardiovascular disease did not apply.

Sauna safety

Dashing off immediately to the sauna might seem tempting, but it’s always best to check with your doctor before you start any sort of activity that affects your heart. If you’re already fit, there should be no problem, but some conditions may exempt you from sauna therapy. If you have fluctuating blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, unstable angina and advanced heart failure or heart valve disease, sauna therapy may not be for you.

If you can and do sauna, here are some tips to help make the most of the experience:

Don’t drink alcohol before, after or during your sauna
Keep to a reasonable time limit: 15 to 20 minutes is enough.
Don’t cool down too fast. This puts your circulatory system under considerable stress.
Stay hydrated: quench your thirst with a few glasses of water after each sauna.
Try to sauna at least four times a week, or for 45 minutes a week.
Listen to your body. If you aren’t feeling well, skip the sauna.

References:

How flu, yeast and parasites can cause heart disease

January 30th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Myocarditis is a heart condition where the myocardium becomes inflamed. If you’ve never heard of the myocardium it’s simply the middle layer of your heart wall. This muscle pumps blood in and out of the heart, and to the rest of the body.

When this muscle becomes inflamed, its ability to pump blood becomes less effective, and you may have trouble breathing and an irregular heartbeat. It can also cause blood clots, heart attack, and stroke.

Heart conditions can be difficult to diagnose. Speak to Hello Doctor about the signs and symptoms to watch out for.

Continue reading “How flu, yeast and parasites can cause heart disease”

Heart-attack: do women have it worse?

February 17th, 2016 by The Hello Doctor Team

You feel a searing pain in your chest, you fall down and then you’re in an ambulance speeding towards the emergency room! Isn’t that how all heart-attacks happen? Well, that’s how they look in the movies, but real-life heart attack symptoms can be silent and sneaky. And, just to complicate matters a bit more: women may get very different symptoms to men! It all seems a bit unfair. Continue reading “Heart-attack: do women have it worse?”

What you need to know about heart disease

July 15th, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

Heart disease is the most common cause of death in many developed countries, and one of the main risk factors, are obesity. In the last couple of years, though, our knowledge about heart-disease has changed a bit. Here’s an update on the latest you need to know to prevent heart disease: Continue reading “What you need to know about heart disease”

Life after a heart attack

March 22nd, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

A heart attack can strike at any time, but by making key lifestyle changes you can help aid recovery, protect your heart and prevent further complications of heart disease.

Continue reading “Life after a heart attack”

What do you know about your heart health?

February 9th, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

Fact: the average adult heart beats 70 times a minute; 100 000 times a day; three and a half million times a year; and 2.5 billion times during a lifetime! But just like any pump, without proper care and maintenance, it won’t go the distance. Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and cutting down on salt are all very effective measures when it comes to keeping your heart healthy. However, in addition to this, there are key preventatives moves your pharmacist can help you with too.

Continue reading “What do you know about your heart health?”

Salt: Getting to the heart of the matter

January 11th, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

In very small amounts, pure salt is essential, and maintains the mineral balance in literally every cell in your body. It also works to regulate fluid balances and promote proper circulation, and assist with nerve impulse and muscle contraction. Too much salt, however, can be fatal and is closely linked to serious health conditions such as heart disease and stroke.

Continue reading “Salt: Getting to the heart of the matter”