The heart is a small muscular organ that has a huge responsibility in keeping us alive. It consists of a complex chain of blood vessels that circulates blood all over the body, so each and every single cell gets oxygen and nutrients to be able to function without problems. Because of this critical role, the heart must remain healthy at all times. This article will help you know about the disorders and conditions that affect the heart and what treatments you can get at a heart clinic in Singapore (https://cadenceheart.sg/). Read on.
Know your risk factors
No one is exempt from developing a heart condition or disorder, although some people may have a higher risk of getting them. According to the Singapore Heart Foundation, cardiovascular diseases contribute 23 deaths in Singapore each day. Globally, around 17.9 million lives succumb to heart disease every year.
The numbers mentioned above have established firmly that cardiovascular diseases can be fatal. If this worries you and makes you rethink your health, we bring you good news: heart disease can be prevented.
One of the ways that you can prevent heart disease is to visit a heart clinic in Singapore. This is highly recommended for people whose risk of developing a heart condition. Below are the risk factors that threatens the heart’s health:
- Age – Heart conditions are often diagnosed in older adults as the body grows weak with age.
- Ethnicity – Heart conditions are diagnosed highly among people of African American, Native American, and Mexican American descent. Among Asians, those from South Asian descent have an increased rate of developing heart conditions.
- Family history – Heart conditions may be passed on genetically.
- Gender – Heart conditions are more common in men than in women.
- Lifestyle – Heart conditions are influenced by a person’s eating habit and physical activities.
Oftentimes, the progression of a heart condition or disease is aggravated by one’s lifestyle. Here are some habits and circumstances that you should avoid when you have one or more checked items on the risk factors list:
- A diet that is high in cholesterol, saturated and trans fats
- A diet that is high in complex carbohydrates and simple sugars
- Anger and depression issues
- Being under constant stress
- Being diagnosed with diabetes and not managing it
- Being overweight or obese
- Blood pressure that is uncontrollably high
- Cholesterol levels that are unhealthy
- Consumption of too much alcohol regularly
- Having a sedentary lifestyle
- Unhealthy diet
- Use of tobacco
Conditions and diseases that affect the heart
There are various conditions that can disturb the heart’s ability to function properly, such as:
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Cardiac Rhythm Disorders
- Chest Pain and Discomfort
- Heart Failure
- Shortness of Breath
Atrial Fibrillation (AF). This is a disorder that affects the heart’s rhythm. It occurs when the upper part of the heart, called the atria, beats irregularly and loses its jibe with the lower part of the heart, called the ventricles, resulting in the inefficient pumping of the blood. This condition is dangerous as the out of sync blood pumping can cause blood to pool in the heart’s upper chamber and cause blood clots. The blood clots formed increases a person’s risk of suffering from a stroke. Here are the warning signs that you may have this condition:
- Breathing difficulty
- Heart palpitations
- Weakness
On rare occasions, atrial fibrillation may not show any symptoms.
Atrial fibrillation may be treated in various ways, such as:
- Cardioversion
- Medications
- Therapeutic procedures
- Surgery
Cardiac Rhythm Disorders. Another medical term for this heart condition is arrhythmia. This disorder is characterised by irregular heartbeats that may either be very slow, very fast, or erratic. The unnatural pumping of the heart causes an imbalance to the amount of blood being circulated in the body.
Cardiac rhythm disorders are classified into three main types:
- Circulatory – This occurs when the heart’s blood supply is affected due to blockages.
- Electrical – This occurs when the heart’s electrical system encounters problems and impacts its normal rhythm.
- Structural – This occurs when the heart’s structure experiences damage or injury that obstructs the way it beats.
The signs of arrhythmia include:
- Chest discomfort
- Dizziness
Similar to atrial fibrillation, cardiac rhythm disorders may not produce any symptoms. If the condition is not managed and treated, this can progress to:
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Stroke
Treatments that can address cardiac rhythm disorders are:
- Changes to lifestyle
- Implantable devices
- Medications
- Therapeutic procedures
- Surgery
Chest Pain and Discomfort. Angina pectoris or ischemic chest pain are the medical terms used to diagnose chest pain and discomfort. This happens when the heart muscles do not receive enough flow of blood as a result of an underlying heart disease or when a heart attack happens. Angina is not considered as a disease, but its occurrence is a sign that a heart condition is present. Chest pain that comes suddenly and becomes persistent is the usual sign of angina. Other symptoms are:
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating excessively
Heart failure. This condition is a result of other underlying heart diseases or high blood pressure that lead to the heart’s inability to function naturally, which then disrupts the supply of blood in the body. The common diseases that contribute to the occurrence of heart failure are:
- Arrhythmia
- Cardiomyopathy
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Heart valve disease
- Hypertension
- Metabolic conditions
Its signs and symptoms include:
- Abdominal swelling
- Breathing difficulty
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Heart palpitations
- Increased urination during night time
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Pain in the chest
- Restlessness
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
Angina is usually treated when the underlying heart condition is managed. In addition, these treatments are also helpful:
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Changes to lifestyle
- Medications
Shortness of breath. Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, serves as an alarm of an impending heart condition or heart failure. This may happen during physical activities that require exerting too much pressure or even when the body is resting. The underlying medical conditions that influence this condition are:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Cardiomyopathy
- Pulmonary oedema
- Tachycardia
The symptoms of dyspnea are:
- Ankle or feet swelling
- Brain fog
- Fainting
- Lips or nails that turn bluish in colour
- Nausea
- Pain or tightness in the chest
Shortness of breath may be treated by managing and treating the underlying medical condition that causes it.
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Cadence Heart Centre
Mt. Elizabeth Hospital, 3 Mount Elizabeth #14-13
Mt Elizabeth Medical Centre, Singapore 228510
Mobile: (65) 8318 9884
Phone: (65) 6369 8789