Aortic Valve Repair, Replacement and Surgery

Aortic valve surgery is usually done on patients who have a leaking aortic valve. In many cases, surgery to repair, or replace, the existing valve is the only option. The faulty valve, in severe cases, is not functioning properly and in is allowing blood to regurgitate. When talking about aortic valve repair, replacement and surgery there are a few options. First off, the surgery could consist of repairing an already existing valve. This will most often consist of a surgeon reinforcing the aortic valve to ensure that is working correctly. Reinforcing the valve will give it the strength it needs to open fully or close completely. The next option is aortic valve replacement. The valve will either be replaced with an artificial valve or a valve made out of donated human tissue or animal tissue. The doctor will make the call on which kind of valve replacement is right for your situation.
Aortic Valve Repair

* Repair of the structural support. This is when the surgeon will shorten the cords that support the valves. When theses valves are shorter it will allow the aortic valve to close completely.
* Reshaping is where the aortic valve is cut and then sewn back together in a new shape. Reshaping the aortic valve will allow it function properly. When the valve becomes misshaped it cab have difficulty regulating blood flow.

Aortic Valve Replacement

* A mechanical valve will be put in place of your natural aortic valve. These mechanical valves are made out of polymers or metals. The mechanical valves are very safe and will ideally last for a lifetime.
* Using human donated tissue or animal tissue is a permanent solution to a faulty aortic valve. The tissue will be used in place of the pre-existing aortic valve. Surgery that involves using tissue is very effective at first but gradually becomes weaker and weaker as time goes by. The aortic valve will need to be replaced every 10 to 20 years if tissue is used.
* A small incision of 3 or 4 inches will be made on the chest. The incision will act as the entry point that the surgeon will use in order to insert the new aortic valve.

Aortic valve repair, replacement and surgery should be a serious consideration if your aortic valve is leaking or not functioning properly otherwise. Make sure to work with a qualified surgeon in order to get the best, most effective results.

Aortic Valve

Aortic valve

What an aortic valve is:

The heart valve present in between the left ventricle and aorta is called aortic valve which is a tricuspid valve. In some people about 1% of the population has inborn bicuspid aortic valve. The valve is named so because it is present in between the left ventricle and aorta as well as it controls the flux of blood from left ventricle towards aorta.

Function:

When there is a ventricular systole the pressure in the left ventricle increases and this leads to the greater pressure in the left ventricle as compared to the aorta and ultimately this all results in the opening of the aortic valve. As the aortic valve the blood flux moves from left ventricle into the aorta. At the completion of the ventricular systole the ventricular pressure drops suddenly and at the same time the pressure in the aorta rises and this leads to the closure of the aortic valve. This opening and closing of the aortic valve produces the heart sound S2.

Disorders relating aortic valve:

There are two types of disorders responsible for the improper working of the aortic valve and those are:

• Aortic stenosis
• Aortic regurgitation

Aortic stenosis stands for the incomplete opening of the aortic valve hence blood doesn’t completely move into the aorta while aortic regurgitation is the disorder in which the aortic valve doesn’t close properly and in return the blood moves towards the wrong direction i.e. back towards the left ventricle is the disorder in which the aortic valve doesn’t close properly and in return the blood moves towards the wrong direction i.e. back towards the left ventricle.

Causes of aortic valve disorders:

Rheumatic fever is the common cause of both aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation while other causes of aortic stenosis are degenerative calcification and inborn bicuspid aortic valve. Enlargement of the aorta, infective endocarditis, myxomatous, Marfan’s syndrome and breakdown of the aortic valve are responsible for the aortic valve regurgitation.

Bicuspid aortic valve:

It is an inborn disorder of aortic valve and it is present in only 1% of the population. In this congenital disorder there are two leaflets of the aortic valve instead of the three leaflets. This disorder is left undiagnosed until the symptoms of aortic stenosis occur in later life. The occurrence of aortic stenosis in bicuspid aortic valve people is faster then the people with normal tricuspid aortic valve. Turner’s syndrome is also a cause of associated bicuspid aortic valve.

Aortic valve replacement:

The replacement of a diseased aortic valve with a new healthy valve is called aortic valve replacement. There are different diseases which can leads to the aortic valve replacement. Two conditions can lead to aortic valve replacement which is either the leakage of the aortic valve or the partial closure of the aortic valve. There are further two types of aortic valve replacement which depends upon the type of valve used to replace the diseased aortic valve. There are two types of aortic valves which are:

• Biological aortic valve:
This type of aortic valve is extracted from a living being and is placed in the diseased patient.

• Mechanical valve:
This type of valve is also called artificial aortic valve as this valve is made up of cloth, metal or artificial tissues.

Myocarditis

Myocarditis is a type of heart disease that is the inflammation of myocardium. Myocardium is the part of the heart that has more muscles compared to other parts. Myocarditis is caused by infections that can be viral or bacterial. The usual signs of myocarditis are heart failure quickly, chest pain and sudden death. There are various kinds of heart diseases from which people suffer. The neglect and wrong diagnosis of the disease can ave fatal consequences and at times affects the other parts of the body as well. Any kind of symptoms should not be neglected. Expert help should always be taken when there is need. Heart diseases are rampant among those who lead an extremely stressful life that involves physical and mental stress. However there are other causes as well like genetic and congenital defects that cause heart disease. The signs and symptoms showed by individuals having myocarditis are usually varied.

People having myocarditis have signs like stabbing chest pains, palpitations that is caused by arrhythmias, congestive failure of the heart. The congestive heart failure leads to hepatic congestion, edema and a feeling of breathlessness. Myocarditis can also cause fever that is the rheumatic fever and sudden death at times. Myocarditis is most of the times caused by viral infections due to which there are symptoms like diarrhea, pain in the joints and extreme fatigue. Myocarditis is linked with pericarditis often. Many patients show signs and symptoms that points to concurrent myocarditis and pericarditis. There are many factors that leads to the formation of myocarditis in the heart. The factors causing myocarditis have been identified by experts.

Viral infections like the presence of viruses like enterovirus, Coxsackie virus, rubella virus, polio virus, cytomegalovirus, and hepatitis C can cause myocarditis. Bacterias like brucella, corynebacterium diphtheriae, gonococcus, haemophilus influenzae, actinomyces, tropheryma whipplei, and vibrio cholerae are the causes of myocarditis. Spirochetal like borrelia burgdorferi, leptospirosis and protozoal infection like toxoplasma gondii and trypanosoma cruzi are the causes of myocarditis. Parasites like Echinococcus granulosus, visceral larva migrans, Wuchereria bancrofti, schistosoma, Taenia solium and trichinella spiralis. Drugs too are the contributing factors in causing myocrditis. Drugs containing chemotherapy, ethanol, and antipsychotics can cause this heart disease along with toxins and heavy metals. Electric shock, hyperpyrexia, and radiation too causes the disease.

Myocardium can be diagnosed on the results of electrocardiographic results (ECG), elevated CRP and/or ESR and increased IgM (serology). Markers of myocardial damage (troponin or creatine kinase cardiac isoenzymes) are advanced. The ECG show the diffusion of the T wave inversions and the elevations of saddle-shaped ST-segment. These are also found in pericarditis. The best way to detect myocarditis is biopsy of the myocardium that can be done by angiography. The biopsy can be done by the tissue sample of the endocardium and myocardium. A pathologists tests it under light microscopy, immunochemistry and special staining methods. Histopathological features of myocardium are myocardial interstitium accompanied by edema and inflammatory infiltrate, with ample lymphocytes and macrophages. Focal destruction of myocytes are the reasons for failure of myocardial pump.

How to lower cholesterol fast and naturally!

Cholesterol is really a soft, fatty substance produced in liver and also present in some foods. Although the body needs cholesterol, too much cholesterol can lead to serious problems for example disease heart. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths in both women and men in the United States.

Excess cholesterol adheres to the walls of the arteries. Your arteries become narrow, slowing or blocking blood is the oxygen flow to his heart. This can lead to a increased risk of heart attack. The blood and oxygen they are able to not reach your brain also increase their risk of stroke. Have you checked your cholesterol High cholesterol does not cause symptoms, so many people know that their levels are extremely high until it's past too far. It is important for adults to them look at your cholesterol at least one time every 5 years. A blood test called a lipoprotein profile tells on the levels of total cholesterol, lipoprotein cholesterol low density (LDL, because of its acronym in English), cholesterol high density lipoprotein (HDL, for its acronym in English) on triglycerides. Cholesterols levels is known as the "Bad cholesterol" since it is the biggest source of compliance and blockage within the arteries, while HDL cholesterol is called the "Good" cholesterol since it helps remove extra cholesterol your body. Triglycerides are a kind of blood fat.

Your nurse practitioner will be able to analyze their blood tests and let you know if your cholesterol levels are extremely high. Changes in lifestyle, together with the possible addition of the prescription, might help to reduce their levels of cholesterol.

Risk factors

Several factors can result in high-cholesterol within your body. You cannot control some of these factors. For instance, high cholesterol can be hereditary, which means that genetically inherited from generation to generation. Age and sex could also play a role in levels high cholesterol levels. To the extent that men and women age, their levels of cholesterol rise. In addition, LDL cholesterol amounts of women often increase after menopause.

Risk factors you can control include the next:

- Diet: Intake of high levels of cholesterol and fats saturated and trans fats in foods lift up your levels of cholesterol.
- Weight: Being overweight or obese has a tendency to increase levels of cholesterol.
- Exercise: Deficiencies in physical activity can help to eliminate HDL cholesterol level.
- Smoking: The smoking damages the walls of blood vessels which make them more prone to accumulate fatty deposits. In addition, smoking lowers HDL cholesterol in the body. Changes in lifestyle maintaining a healthy diet might help decrease your cholesterol. It is important to consume less food saturated fats, fat and cholesterol. Read food labels to understand how much fat and cholesterol you're consuming.

Listed here are some healthy changes you can perform:
- Eat foods with soluble fiber, like beans, oats and cereal grains, which could help reduce total cholesterol level.
- Eat fish for example salmon, mackerel or herring, which contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, a unsaturated fat can lower your triglyceride level.
- Try healthy alternatives such as low fat milk or skim milk rather than dairy, the whites from the eggs or egg substitutes instead of eggs and beans peas, lentils or tofu and soy meat substitutes.
- Limit the amount of alcohol consumed, and consumption still moderate levels can raise your HDL cholesterol.
- Use extension foodstuffs such as margarine or orange juice containing plant sterols added or plant esters, which can reduce cholesterol.

Exercise and weight loss are part of a lifestyle healthy. Adding exercise for thirty minutes a day in most times of the week might help raise HDL cholesterol and reducing LDL cholesterol. Gradually, set time and frequency of the workouts. And when you smoke, quit now. If you do not smoke, don't start.

Diet and Exercise to Lower Cholesterol

Diet to Lower Cholesterol

Cardiovascular disease has long been the number one health killer, and its related diseases caused by very high mortality rate. And constitutes a major cardiovascular disease risk factor is high cholesterol, however, the vast majority of cholesterol through diet and lifestyle can be a considerable degree of control. Studies have shown that as long as the lower value of 1% cholesterol, the risk of heart disease can be reduced by 2%.

Changes in lifestyle towards a healthy way

If you have high cholesterol (200 mg / dL or more) trouble, you can try by the U.S. Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) of the proposed “therapeutic lifestyle change” (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes , TLC) diet.

It is a positive lifestyle reduces the body’s cholesterol levels to reduce the incidence of heart diseases. Its main objectives are as follows:

1. Reducing sodium intake to 2,400 milligrams per day
2. To determine the daily intake of saturated fat of total daily calorie intake of less than 7%
3. Restrict access of calories from fat, total daily calorie intake does not exceed 25% to 35%
4. Limit dietary cholesterol (dietary cholesterol) of less than 200 mg per day, it comes from animal sources of food.
5. Restrict carbohydrate intake accounted for 50% of total daily calories to 60%, make sure it is rich in complex carbohydrates, mostly from (complex carbohydrates) food such as whole grains, vegetables and fruit.

Dietary Guidelines for therapeutic lifestyle

Therapeutic lifestyle diet emphasizes a balanced intake of various types with low saturated fatty acids, low in cholesterol and trans fatty acids, beneficial for cardiovascular health and more.

Dietary recommendations include:

1. Bread / cereal: whole grain bread, cereal pieces, such as oatmeal or brown rice.
2. Vegetables: Eat more dark green vegetables, beans, soy milk, tofu and other soy products.
3. Meat: Remove fat, retain lean part of the peeled poultry consumption, and limit intake of animal organs.
4. Choose a good oil: more choice of unsaturated vegetable oils such as soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil or olive oil.
5. Dairy products: skim or low-fat milk, yogurt, yogurt or low-fat cheese and so on.

In addition, it should eliminate the salt and seasonings to replace the use of herbs and spice.

Exercise can lower cholesterol

TLC appropriate program of physical activity is another key. In addition to regular exercise can help you manage your weight, adjusting blood fat, reduce arterial accumulation of cholesterol, enhance the beneficial HDL (high density lipoprotein), and improve overall cardiovascular function. Study found that jogging habits, their body fat clearance rate faster than people who do not exercise 70%.

You do not have to be marathon runners or mountain climbers, but persistent and progressive sport, and allows you to achieve the maximum cholesterol-lowering effect. Started by a number of simple activities, such as walking, climbing stairs, gardening or dancing. And then advanced to a higher intensity activities, try brisk walking, swimming, tennis or riding a bicycle and so on. Goal is to reach almost every day for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise. Once you change your diet and start exercising, you will see a decline in cholesterol and weight values, that is, to pay the maximum return.

Rheumatic Heart Disease

Rheumatic Heart Disease

Rheumatic Heart Disease is an illness that occurs when the heart muscle is damaged due to rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is known as an inflammatory disease that will affect many areas of the body in addition to the heart. Other areas that can be affected are the brain, skin and joints. In the case of the heart, however, rheumatic fever, silently damages the valves to the point where they are not doing their job of regulating blood flow into, and out of, the heart. If you have had rheumatic fever in the past then it is a good idea to get checked for rheumatic heart disease. The disease can quietly cause many symptoms in a person that can slowly lead to heart failure. The important thing to remember is that if you are experiencing any of the symptoms to head to your doctor right away to get checked out.

Symptoms of Rheumatic Heart Disease

In most cases a person who gets rheumatic heart disease will have had rheumatic fever, and before that strep throat. If the strep throat is not properly cared for it can turn into rheumatic fever which can turn into rheumatic heart disease. The symptoms of rheumatic fever will begin to show up about three weeks after the symptoms of strep throat show up.
* Fever.
* Swollen and painful joints all over the body.
* Pain that starts in one joint but suddenly jumps to another joint without warning.
* Heart palpitations and a rapid heartbeat.
* Shortness of breath or trouble breathing during normal activities.
* Skin rashes all over the body.
* Extreme fatigue at all points during the day.
* Nodules under the skin that are small and pain free.

Preventing Rheumatic Heart Disease

* Treat strep throat with penicillin in order to prevent rheumatic fever from developing.
* Continuous antibiotic treatment until the symptoms of rheumatic fever subside.
* Living a healthy lifestyle. Take care of your body so your body takes care of you.

If you have been diagnosed with rheumatic fever then you are at risk for developing rheumatic heart disease. The disease can occur at any point in life even after you rid yourself of rheumatic fever. Since the onset is quick and sudden, it is important to take the time to properly monitor the condition with your doctor. If you are diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease your doctor will be able to get you on a treatment plan that can help to minimize the potential of serious consequences.

What is a Heart Attack?

What is a Heart Attack?

Have you ever asked yourself the question what is a heart attack? We all know that it can be deadly and that you need immediate attention if you are having one. However, many people do not know exactly what is going on with the heart during a heart attack. Unfortunately, if more people knew exactly what a heart attack was, as well as the warning signs, then there would not be so many heart attack related deaths.

A heart attack is when the blood flow to part of the heart muscle becomes blocked. When the blood flow becomes blocked it must be restored quickly or the part of the heart that is deprived of blood can die. If you think that you, or someone around you, is having a heart attack then it is important to seek out help immediately. If treatment for a heart attack is started within one hour of when the symptoms start then there is a better chance of the treatment working. Since the heart is the muscle that supplies the rest of your body with oxygen rich blood it is crucial that it is functioning properly. Even a few moments without blood flow to the rest of the body can cause major damage to other organs.

Every year over a million people in the United States have heart attacks. Most of the heart attacks can be attributed to the lifestyle of the person. For instance things such as smoking cigarettes, a lot of stress and a poor diet can contribute to the likelihood that a heart attack will occur. The above mentioned factors can put unnecessary strain on the heart muscle thus causing you to have a heart attack. It is important to call an ambulance if you feel like you are having a heart attack. Since the symptoms can come on suddenly it is best to not wait around before getting help. If you wait too long it may be too late.

Over half of the people who suffer a heart attack die. This is because they did not recognize the warning signs and seek out immediate help. Many people could make a full recover from a heart attack if they would just act a little bit quicker. When the heart is involved it is important to know the details. Being able to answer the question what is a heart attack will ensure that you know what is going on if you begin to feel symptomatic.

Experiencing Heart Symptoms? Read This for Tips

Experiencing Heart Symptoms? Read This for Tips

Heart attack symptoms or also known as a myocardial infarction is the death of heart muscle from the sudden blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot. Coronary arteries are blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood and oxygen. Blockage of a coronary artery deprives the heart muscle of blood and oxygen thus causing injury to the heart muscle.

This injury to the heart muscle causes chest pain and chest pressure sensation and if the blood flow is not restored to the heart muscle within 20 to 40 minutes irreversible death of the heart muscle will begin to occur. Muscle continues to die for six to eight hours at which time the heart attack usually is “complete.” The dead heart muscle is eventually replaced by scar tissue.

Heart Symptoms Causes:

Atherosclerosis is process by which plaques of cholesterol are deposited in the walls of arteries. Cholesterol plaques cause hardening of the arterial walls and narrowing of the inner channel of the artery.

Arteries that are narrowed by atherosclerosis cannot deliver enough blood to maintain normal function of the parts of the body they supply. Atherosclerosis of the arteries that furnish blood to the brain can lead to vascular dementia or stroke.

Atherosclerosis can remain silent in a lot of people for years or decades. It can begin as early as the teenage years but symptoms or health problems usually do not arise until later in adulthood when the arterial narrowing becomes severe.

Smoking cigarettes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and diabetes mellitus can accelerate atherosclerosis and lead to the earlier onset of symptoms and complications, particularly in those people who have a family history of early atherosclerosis.

Coronary atherosclerosis is the atherosclerosis that causes hardening and narrowing of the coronary arteries. Diseases caused by the reduced blood supply to the heart muscle from coronary atherosclerosis are called coronary heart diseases (CHD).

Coronary heart diseases include heart attacks, sudden unexpected death, chest pain (angina), abnormal heart rhythms, and heart failure due to weakening of the heart muscle.

Conclusion:

At the first sign of heart attack symptoms acting fast can save lives and limit damage to the heart. Treatment is most effective when started within 1 hour of the beginning of symptoms. If you think you or someone may be having a heart attack it is advice to call your emergency numbers within a few minutes or 5 at the most of the start of symptoms.

In case the symptoms stop completely in less than 5 minutes still call your doctor. Take a nitroglycerin pill if your doctor has prescribed this type of medicine.

If you’re looking for a natural solution to prevent heart attack and stroke, the we recommend you to check EDTA Oral Chelation Therapy, which has proven to be very effective in removing arterial plaque that accumulated on your arteries wall.

Heart Attack Causes

Heart Attack Causes

There are few different things that heart attack causes have in common. The primary one, however, is that all these causes put unnecessary strain and stress on the body and the heart. In order to limit your potential for a heart attack it is important to know what the causes are. If you know what causes a heart attack you can develop a plan to eliminate these causes from your life. It may be difficult to eliminate all of the heart attack causes from your life because there are factors at work that you have no control over, such as genetics. However, there are some causes that you can strive to minimize or even eliminate.

One of the most common heart attack causes is stress. If you are a constant worrier who doesn’t get much sleep then you are at a greater risk of having a heart attack. When you are stressed out your body goes into overdrive. This puts unnecessary strain on the heart muscle. Over time, this constant strain on the heart will gradually weaken it. In turn, you may have a heart attack. Good ways to deal with stress include doing something that you enjoy that also has a benefit for the heart. This could include things such as taking a long walk or jumping in the pool to go for a swim. The idea is to take your mind off of what is stressing so that your heart can get a workout in a good way.

Obesity is also one of the major heart attack causes. Becoming obese is directly related to your diet in most cases. If you are putting bad foods into your body you will likely see your weight climb. When this happens you are putting extra pressure on your heart. Your heart must work faster and harder in an effort to carry all of the excess weight around. A poor diet will also contribute to plaque buildup in your arteries. If you have substantial buildup in your arteries then eventually it will stop the blood flow to your heart. Once this happens you will have a heart attack.

Heart attack causes are often things that can be avoided if you decide to take care of yourself both mentally and physically. Making an effort to live more of a stress free lifestyle while also eating healthier can reduce your risk of a heart attack in no time flat.

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

In some cases the heart attack symptoms in women can be different from the symptoms that occur in men. At the end of the day, whether you are a man or a woman, it is important to recognize these symptoms and do all that you can in an effort to receive medical attention. The biggest factor to surviving a heart attack is to identify what the potential symptoms are and to get to the hospital immediately. A mistake that many women make is that they do not seek out medical help fast enough. Women must know what they are at risk for, recognize it if they feel the symptoms and get in front of a doctor as soon as possible.

Uncomfortable pressure in the chest is reported by about half of women who have suffered a heart attack. The pressure can feel like a heaviness or squeezing sensation in, or near, the area where the heart is located. In some cases, women have reported that the pain and discomfort has spread to the left arm.

One of the big heart attack symptoms in women is a feeling of pain around the upper stomach area. It is important to note that this pain can be related to the heart and not just a bout of indigestion or acid reflux. Some women have self diagnosed this pain improperly and have treated it by using antacids with no luck. If you are experiencing an unusual amount of pain in this area then there is a chance that you are having a heart attack. Pain in the upper stomach area can act as a precursor to other symptoms. If you wait until you feel the other symptoms of a heart attack, such as chest pain, it may be too late. That is why it is important to get in front of a doctor at the first sign of a heart attack.

Women are at risk of having a heart attack just like men are. Things such as stress and obesity can trigger a heart attack in the blink of an eye. If you are having unusual feelings of fatigue, trouble sleeping or spells of dizziness then you may be a candidate for a heart attack in the near future. If some of these early warning signs come up then you can take action in order to prevent yourself from having a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms in women should be something that each woman is aware of. Knowing the symptoms can be the difference between life and death.

Heart Disease in Women

Heart Disease in Women

Heart disease in women is a serious issue that needs special attention. Certain factors that pertain only to women are responsible for making this group of people at risk. In the past, most physicians would typically monitor men more closely for heart disease than women. This is because, in general, it was thought that most women have a lifestyle that is less stressful than men. While this may have been true at some point in time, it is not true today. The fact that many women deal with the same stresses as men, coupled with the fact that there are a few natural causes for heart disease in women in play, means that special attention must be paid to the possibility of heart disease.

Causes of Heart Disease in Women

* Menopause. Some medical professionals feel that when a women’s body stops producing estrogen they are at greater risk for getting heart disease. There is evidence that suggests that estrogen helps to insulate a women’s body from acquiring the condition. This fact is especially true if menopause occurs due to surgery. If a women has surgery to remove the ovaries or the uterus then the chances of them getting heart disease increases significantly.

* Birth Control Pills. Women who take birth control pills put themselves at risk of getting heart disease. In an effort to protect yourself from this condition is recommended that the pills be low-dose. The lower dose will be gentler on the body, specifically the heart. With that in mind, women who are on birth control and smoke cigarettes or have high blood pressure are at a higher risk for heart disease.

* Poor lifestyle habits. Similar to men, women who are in the habit of not exercising and eating poorly are at a greater risk for getting heart disease. A lack of exercise will oftentimes be accompanied by high cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol than the chance of having a narrowing or hardening of the arteries improves. Also, eating a poor diet will mean that you are putting food into your body that can poison it. In short, fatty foods will lead to the production of plaque in the arteries which will ultimately begin to build up on the interior walls of the arteries.

Heart disease in women is a major problem in this day and age. Knowing the causes and symptoms can help you identify if there are any warning signs present.