Heart Disease Myth and Facts
- Myth 1: Heart Diseases do not occur in young persons
- Fact 1: more than one third of patients with heart attacks are less than 45 years of age.
- Myth 2: Heart disease is common only in cities
- Fact 2: Heart diseases are equally common in rural/ urban and rich and poor.
- Myth 3: Heart diseases can not be prevented
- Fact 3: By heathy life style and by controlling risk factors most of the heart attacks can be prevented.
- Myth 4: Fat rich diet is not harmful.
- Fact 4: High cholesterol is bad and leads to heart problem and can be reduced by life style management and by drugs
- Myth 5: Angiography is very painful and risky
- Fact 5: Angiography is a very safe test , painless and most of the patients can be sent home same day
- Myth 6: Stents are temporary solution
- Fact 6: Currently available Drug Elluting Stents are very good and In more than 90 % cases stents provide long term relief
- Myth 7: Bypass is end of life ; you can not do anything after bypass
- Fact 7: The technique and the results of bypass surgery have improved a lot and all patient can go back to their routine work within few weeks
Warning Signs of Hypertension
Unfortunately in many cases there are no warning songs and often high Blood Pressure is diagnosed after complications such as heart attack , paralysis or kidney problem.
In nearly half the cases high blood pressure goes undetected.
Watch for hypertension if
- You have family history of hypertension specially both parents.
- You have headache Breathlessness , chest pain , fatigue, pain in legs , swelling over feet.
- Be extra careful if you have Diabetes , kidney problem.
- Always get your BP checked at every possible opportunity.
- Blood pressure will require long term monitoring and treatment.
- Salt restriction , regular exercise limited alcohol intake and quitting of tobacco consumption is the first step in the treatment plan.
- There are safe , effective and affordable medication available to reduce blood pressure when it is not controlled by life style management.
Chest Pain and Heart Attack
Chest pain is the most common symptom of heart attack however 15-20 % of heart attacks may not occur without chest pain or may present with symptoms like breathing difficulty, palpitation and dizziness Any pain from umbilicus to chin can be due to heart attack ; it can be right sided also Usually it is bad , nasty type of pain on the left or in the centre , may be associated with severe perspiration, may go to the left hand and and lasts more than half an hour Consult your doctor immediately and follow his advise.
Pain lasting for days and months , pin point pains , pain increasing with breathing or movement , piercing-cutting type of pain is usually not from the heart.
When to Check Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a very strong risk factor for development of heart diseases. Everybody by the age of 40 years should have cholesterol checked. If there are symptoms or strong family history of heart diseases it should be checked early.
Usually overnight fasting is recommended for correct reading of all lipids specially triglycerides There are safe, effective and affordable medication to reduce cholesterol.
I have chest discomfort and breathing difficulty. What should I do?
- Don't panic.
- Call for medical help.
- Lie down , remove tight clothes, Take sublingual sorbitrate if you are a known patient of heart disease
- Be careful sublingual ( Inder the tongue ) nitroglycerin tab can make you feel dizzy and can lower blood pressure so be careful
- Rush to the nearest hospital.
