Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
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Thursday, July 2, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HEALTH--FREE E-BOOK
“How To Protect Your Heart“ eBooklet by Solanova
Solanova Science
At Solanova, our commitment to science and quality is clear. We understand that our products are only as good as the research and testing we put into making them. That's why, since 1989, we have placed so much emphasis on the research and development area, in order to deliver only top-quality nutritional supplements and health products to our customers.
We have more than 15 years of experience in the health, wellness and nutrition industry, and are backed by state-of-the-art R&D and manufacturing facilities. When you buy from Solanova, you're not only getting a safe, effective product every time, you're also getting a decade and a half of expertise in the science and manufacturing of nutritional supplements.
All of Solanova's products are backed by:
14 dedicated engineers, pharmacists and lab technicians researching ingredients and formulating our products full-time
Thousands of quality assurance checks performed each year before products are manufactured
$1 million invested in research and testing of products each year
$10 million invested in manufacturing facilities
150,000 total square feet of manufacturing facilities
More than 350 employees in these manufacturing plants
Supported by first-class facilities and extensive scientific and lab-testing expertise, we have established a strong reputation in the industry. Here are just some of the factors that define the Solanova brand:
Clinical testing - Continuous and rigorous testing of all product ingredients are completed, ensuring that they meet strict requirements for quality, potency and purity.
Science and research - Studies have been conducted on all of our products to establish their safety, efficacy and compliance. Every product we sell has been proven to work.
Optimum bioavailability - Many of our products are 100% bioavailable, meaning they are quickly absorbed by the body and thus produce rapid, reliable results. Solanova products have much higher bioavailability than most other brands on the market.
Quality guarantee - We have developed a set of standards to ensure that our customers always receive top-quality supplements for their everyday needs. Each product comes with a 100% money-back guarantee of satisfaction.
Speed to market - We work to make products readily available to consumers as soon as the science is obtained and the research has been completed on the ingredients. For example, Solanova was one of the first to bring the new products Q-Gel®, Relora® and Nexrutine® to the market
We have more than 15 years of experience in the health, wellness and nutrition industry, and are backed by state-of-the-art R&D and manufacturing facilities. When you buy from Solanova, you're not only getting a safe, effective product every time, you're also getting a decade and a half of expertise in the science and manufacturing of nutritional supplements.
All of Solanova's products are backed by:
14 dedicated engineers, pharmacists and lab technicians researching ingredients and formulating our products full-time
Thousands of quality assurance checks performed each year before products are manufactured
$1 million invested in research and testing of products each year
$10 million invested in manufacturing facilities
150,000 total square feet of manufacturing facilities
More than 350 employees in these manufacturing plants
Supported by first-class facilities and extensive scientific and lab-testing expertise, we have established a strong reputation in the industry. Here are just some of the factors that define the Solanova brand:
Clinical testing - Continuous and rigorous testing of all product ingredients are completed, ensuring that they meet strict requirements for quality, potency and purity.
Science and research - Studies have been conducted on all of our products to establish their safety, efficacy and compliance. Every product we sell has been proven to work.
Optimum bioavailability - Many of our products are 100% bioavailable, meaning they are quickly absorbed by the body and thus produce rapid, reliable results. Solanova products have much higher bioavailability than most other brands on the market.
Quality guarantee - We have developed a set of standards to ensure that our customers always receive top-quality supplements for their everyday needs. Each product comes with a 100% money-back guarantee of satisfaction.
Speed to market - We work to make products readily available to consumers as soon as the science is obtained and the research has been completed on the ingredients. For example, Solanova was one of the first to bring the new products Q-Gel®, Relora® and Nexrutine® to the market
Monday, June 22, 2009
Heart disease: Eating a heart-healthy diet
Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. If you are worried about heart disease, one of the most important things you can do is to start eating a heart-healthy diet. Changing your diet can help stop or even reverse heart disease.
At first, it may seem like there is a lot to learn. But you don't have to make these changes all at once. Start with small steps. Over time, making a number of small changes can add up to a big difference in your heart health.
To have a heart-healthy diet:
Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other high-fiber foods.
Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
Limit salt (sodium).
Stay at a healthy weight by balancing the calories you eat with your physical activity.
Eat more foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish.
What foods are part of a heart-healthy diet?
Why is it important to choose a heart-healthy diet?
How to eat a heart-healthy diet
Where to go from here
For related information, see:
Heart disease: Exercising for a healthy heart.
Walking for a healthy heart.
Return to topic:
Atrial Fibrillation
Coronary Artery Disease
Heart Attack
Stroke
Transient Ischemic Attack
What foods are part of a heart-healthy diet?
A heart-healthy diet focuses on adding more healthy foods to your diet and cutting back on foods that are not so good for you.
Healthy foods are ones that are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients, such as:
Fruits and vegetables.
Beans (including chickpeas and lentils) and whole grains (such as whole wheat, brown rice, oats, rye, bulgur, barley, quinoa, and corn).
Oily fish like salmon, trout, albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, and sardines, which contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. You can also get omega-3 fats from omega-3 eggs, walnuts, flax seeds, and canola oil.
Foods to limit are ones that are high in:
Unhealthy fats, such as saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.
Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products, such as meats and dairy products.
Trans fats include shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Trans fats are made when a liquid fat is turned into a solid fat (for example, when corn oil is made into stick margarine). They are found in many processed foods, such as cookies, crackers, and snack foods. Restaurants often use hydrogenated oils for frying foods, so try to limit fried foods when eating out.
Cholesterol is found in animal products, such as eggs, dairy products, and meats.
Salt (sodium). You need some sodium in your diet, but most people get far more than they need. Too much sodium tends to raise blood pressure. Processed foods and fast foods often contain a lot of sodium. Try to limit these foods and eat more fresh foods.
Eating foods that contain unhealthy fats can raise the LDL ("bad") cholesterol in your blood. Having a high level of LDL cholesterol increases your chance of having clogged arteries (atherosclerosis), which can lead to coronary artery disease and heart attack.
Trans fat is especially bad. It both raises the level of "bad” cholesterol and lowers the "good" cholesterol in the blood. Try to avoid trans fat as much as possible.
Test Your Knowledge
If I see "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" on a food label, I should avoid that food because it contains trans fat.
True
False
Continue to Why is it important to choose a heart-healthy diet?
Return to Heart disease: Eating a heart-healthy diet
Why is it important to choose a heart-healthy diet?
Making good food choices can have a big impact on your health. Eating a heart-healthy diet can help you to:
Lower your blood pressure.
Lower your cholesterol.
Reach and stay at a healthy weight.
Control or prevent diabetes.
Improve your overall health.
A heart-healthy diet is not just for people with existing health problems. It is good for anyone. (But children younger than 2 should drink 2% or whole milk, not 1% or skim milk. At age 2, they can switch to low-fat or nonfat dairy products.) Learning heart-healthy eating habits now can help prevent heart disease in years to come.
Test Your Knowledge
I need to follow a heart-healthy diet, but my spouse and kids don't.
True
False
Continue to How to eat a heart-healthy diet
Return to Heart disease: Eating a heart-healthy diet
How to eat a heart-healthy diet
To have a heart-healthy diet:
Eat fruits and vegetables. Eat a variety of fruit and vegetable servings every day. Dark green, deep orange, or yellow fruits and vegetables are especially nutritious. Examples include spinach, carrots, peaches, and berries.
Eat a variety of grain products every day. Include whole-grain foods that have lots of fiber and nutrients. Examples of whole grains include oats, whole wheat bread, and brown rice.
Eat fish at least 2 times each week. Oily fish, which contain omega-3 fatty acids, are best for your heart. These fish include tuna, salmon, mackerel, lake trout, herring, and sardines.
Limit saturated fat and cholesterol. To limit saturated fat and cholesterol, try to choose the following foods:
Lean meats and meat alternatives like beans or tofu
Fish, vegetables, beans, and nuts
Nonfat and low-fat dairy products
Polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, like canola and olive oils, to replace saturated fats, such as butter
Read food labels and limit the amount of trans fat you eat. Trans fat raises the levels of LDL ("bad”) cholesterol and also lowers high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good") cholesterol in the blood. Trans fat is found in many processed foods made with shortening or with partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oils. These foods include cookies, crackers, chips, and many snack foods.
Choose healthy fats. Unsaturated fats, such as olive, canola, corn, and sunflower oils, are part of a healthy diet. But all fats are high in calories, so watch your serving sizes.
Limit salt (sodium). Limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day (about one teaspoon). Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Watch for hidden sodium in foods.
Eat only as many calories as you need to stay at a healthy weight. Learn how much is a serving, and then check your portion sizes. Limit drinks with added sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. If you want to lose weight, increase your activity level to burn more calories than you eat.
If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. Limit alcohol intake to 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women. See a picture of a standard drink.
Limit added sugar. Limit drinks and foods with added sugar.
When you are eating away from home, try to follow these heart-healthy diet tips.
You can get even more benefit from making diet changes if you also get plenty of exercise and don't smoke.
But you don't have to be perfect, and you don't have to do it all at once. Make one or two changes at a time. As soon as you are used to those, make another one or two changes. Over time, making a number of small changes can add up and make a big difference in your health.
Here are some ideas about how to get started:
Choose whole-grain bread instead of white bread.
Have a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar.
Try to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Add one or two servings of fruits and vegetables to your day. Slowly add more servings until you are eating at least 5 servings a day.
Switch from 2% or whole milk to 1% or nonfat milk.
Instead of meat, have fish for dinner. Brush it with olive oil, and broil or grill it.
Switch from butter to a cholesterol-lowering soft spread. Use olive or canola oil for cooking.
Use herbs and spices, instead of salt, to add flavor to foods.
It may take some time to get used to new tastes and habits, but don't give up. Keep in mind the good things you are doing for your heart and your overall health.
At first, it may seem like there is a lot to learn. But you don't have to make these changes all at once. Start with small steps. Over time, making a number of small changes can add up to a big difference in your heart health.
To have a heart-healthy diet:
Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other high-fiber foods.
Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
Limit salt (sodium).
Stay at a healthy weight by balancing the calories you eat with your physical activity.
Eat more foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish.
What foods are part of a heart-healthy diet?
Why is it important to choose a heart-healthy diet?
How to eat a heart-healthy diet
Where to go from here
For related information, see:
Heart disease: Exercising for a healthy heart.
Walking for a healthy heart.
Return to topic:
Atrial Fibrillation
Coronary Artery Disease
Heart Attack
Stroke
Transient Ischemic Attack
What foods are part of a heart-healthy diet?
A heart-healthy diet focuses on adding more healthy foods to your diet and cutting back on foods that are not so good for you.
Healthy foods are ones that are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients, such as:
Fruits and vegetables.
Beans (including chickpeas and lentils) and whole grains (such as whole wheat, brown rice, oats, rye, bulgur, barley, quinoa, and corn).
Oily fish like salmon, trout, albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, and sardines, which contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. You can also get omega-3 fats from omega-3 eggs, walnuts, flax seeds, and canola oil.
Foods to limit are ones that are high in:
Unhealthy fats, such as saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.
Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products, such as meats and dairy products.
Trans fats include shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Trans fats are made when a liquid fat is turned into a solid fat (for example, when corn oil is made into stick margarine). They are found in many processed foods, such as cookies, crackers, and snack foods. Restaurants often use hydrogenated oils for frying foods, so try to limit fried foods when eating out.
Cholesterol is found in animal products, such as eggs, dairy products, and meats.
Salt (sodium). You need some sodium in your diet, but most people get far more than they need. Too much sodium tends to raise blood pressure. Processed foods and fast foods often contain a lot of sodium. Try to limit these foods and eat more fresh foods.
Eating foods that contain unhealthy fats can raise the LDL ("bad") cholesterol in your blood. Having a high level of LDL cholesterol increases your chance of having clogged arteries (atherosclerosis), which can lead to coronary artery disease and heart attack.
Trans fat is especially bad. It both raises the level of "bad” cholesterol and lowers the "good" cholesterol in the blood. Try to avoid trans fat as much as possible.
Test Your Knowledge
If I see "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" on a food label, I should avoid that food because it contains trans fat.
True
False
Continue to Why is it important to choose a heart-healthy diet?
Return to Heart disease: Eating a heart-healthy diet
Why is it important to choose a heart-healthy diet?
Making good food choices can have a big impact on your health. Eating a heart-healthy diet can help you to:
Lower your blood pressure.
Lower your cholesterol.
Reach and stay at a healthy weight.
Control or prevent diabetes.
Improve your overall health.
A heart-healthy diet is not just for people with existing health problems. It is good for anyone. (But children younger than 2 should drink 2% or whole milk, not 1% or skim milk. At age 2, they can switch to low-fat or nonfat dairy products.) Learning heart-healthy eating habits now can help prevent heart disease in years to come.
Test Your Knowledge
I need to follow a heart-healthy diet, but my spouse and kids don't.
True
False
Continue to How to eat a heart-healthy diet
Return to Heart disease: Eating a heart-healthy diet
How to eat a heart-healthy diet
To have a heart-healthy diet:
Eat fruits and vegetables. Eat a variety of fruit and vegetable servings every day. Dark green, deep orange, or yellow fruits and vegetables are especially nutritious. Examples include spinach, carrots, peaches, and berries.
Eat a variety of grain products every day. Include whole-grain foods that have lots of fiber and nutrients. Examples of whole grains include oats, whole wheat bread, and brown rice.
Eat fish at least 2 times each week. Oily fish, which contain omega-3 fatty acids, are best for your heart. These fish include tuna, salmon, mackerel, lake trout, herring, and sardines.
Limit saturated fat and cholesterol. To limit saturated fat and cholesterol, try to choose the following foods:
Lean meats and meat alternatives like beans or tofu
Fish, vegetables, beans, and nuts
Nonfat and low-fat dairy products
Polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, like canola and olive oils, to replace saturated fats, such as butter
Read food labels and limit the amount of trans fat you eat. Trans fat raises the levels of LDL ("bad”) cholesterol and also lowers high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good") cholesterol in the blood. Trans fat is found in many processed foods made with shortening or with partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oils. These foods include cookies, crackers, chips, and many snack foods.
Choose healthy fats. Unsaturated fats, such as olive, canola, corn, and sunflower oils, are part of a healthy diet. But all fats are high in calories, so watch your serving sizes.
Limit salt (sodium). Limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day (about one teaspoon). Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Watch for hidden sodium in foods.
Eat only as many calories as you need to stay at a healthy weight. Learn how much is a serving, and then check your portion sizes. Limit drinks with added sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. If you want to lose weight, increase your activity level to burn more calories than you eat.
If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. Limit alcohol intake to 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women. See a picture of a standard drink.
Limit added sugar. Limit drinks and foods with added sugar.
When you are eating away from home, try to follow these heart-healthy diet tips.
You can get even more benefit from making diet changes if you also get plenty of exercise and don't smoke.
But you don't have to be perfect, and you don't have to do it all at once. Make one or two changes at a time. As soon as you are used to those, make another one or two changes. Over time, making a number of small changes can add up and make a big difference in your health.
Here are some ideas about how to get started:
Choose whole-grain bread instead of white bread.
Have a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar.
Try to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Add one or two servings of fruits and vegetables to your day. Slowly add more servings until you are eating at least 5 servings a day.
Switch from 2% or whole milk to 1% or nonfat milk.
Instead of meat, have fish for dinner. Brush it with olive oil, and broil or grill it.
Switch from butter to a cholesterol-lowering soft spread. Use olive or canola oil for cooking.
Use herbs and spices, instead of salt, to add flavor to foods.
It may take some time to get used to new tastes and habits, but don't give up. Keep in mind the good things you are doing for your heart and your overall health.
Coronary Artery Disease
What is coronary artery disease?
Coronary artery disease occurs when fatty deposits called plaque (say "plak") build up inside the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries wrap around the heart and supply it with blood and oxygen. When plaque builds up, it narrows the arteries and reduces the amount of blood that gets to your heart. This can lead to serious problems, including heart attack.
Coronary artery disease (also called CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It is also the number one killer of both men and women in the United States.
It can be a shock to find out that you have coronary artery disease. Many people only find out when they have a heart attack. Whether or not you have had a heart attack, there are many things you can do to slow coronary artery disease and reduce your risk of future problems.
What causes coronary artery disease?
Coronary artery disease is caused by hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when plaque builds up inside the arteries. (Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.) Atherosclerosis can affect any arteries in the body. When it occurs in the arteries that supply blood to the heart, it is called coronary artery disease.
Plaque is a fatty material made up of cholesterol, calcium, and other substances in the blood. To understand why plaque is a problem, compare a healthy artery with an artery with atherosclerosis:
A healthy artery is like a rubber tube. It is smooth and flexible, and blood flows through it freely. If your heart has to work harder, such as when you exercise, a healthy artery can stretch to let more blood flow to your body’s tissues.
An artery with atherosclerosis is more like a clogged pipe. Plaque narrows the artery and makes it stiff. This limits the flow of blood to the tissues. When the heart has to work harder, the stiff arteries can't flex to let more blood through, and the tissues don't get enough blood and oxygen.
See a picture of a normal artery and an artery narrowed by plaque.
When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, the heart doesn't get the blood it needs to work well. Over time, this can weaken or damage the heart. If a plaque tears, the body tries to fix the tear by forming a blood clot around it. The clot can block blood flow to the heart and cause a heart attack. See a picture of how plaque causes a heart attack.
What are the symptoms?
Usually people with coronary artery disease don't have symptoms until after age 50. Then they may start to have symptoms at times when the heart is working harder and needs more oxygen, such as during exercise. Typical first symptoms include:
Chest pain, called angina (say “ANN-juh-nuh” or “ann-JY-nuh”).
Shortness of breath.
Heart attack. Too often, a heart attack is the first symptom of coronary artery disease.
Less common symptoms include a fast heartbeat, feeling sick to your stomach, and increased sweating. Some people don't have any symptoms. In rare cases, a person can have a “silent” heart attack, without symptoms.
To find out your risk for a heart attack in the next 10 years, use this Interactive Tool: Are You at Risk for a Heart Attack?
How is coronary artery disease diagnosed?
To diagnose coronary artery disease, doctors start by doing a physical exam and asking questions about your past health and your risk factors. Risk factors are things that increase the chance that you will have coronary artery disease.
Some common risk factors are being older than 65; smoking; having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes; and having heart disease in your family. The more risk factors you have, the more likely it is that you have coronary artery disease.
If your doctor thinks that you have coronary artery disease, you may have tests, such as:
Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG), which checks for problems with the electrical activity of your heart. An EKG can also show signs of an old or new heart attack.
Chest X-ray.
Blood tests.
Exercise electrocardiogram, commonly called a "stress test." This test checks for changes in your heart while you exercise.
Your doctor may order other tests to look at blood flow to your heart. You may have a coronary angiogram if your doctor is considering a procedure to remove blockages, such as angioplasty or bypass surgery.
How is it treated?
Treatment focuses on taking steps to manage your symptoms and reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke. Some risk factors you can't control, such as your age and family history. Other risk factors you can control, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Lifestyle changes can help lower your risks. You may also need to take medicines or have a procedure to open your arteries.
Lifestyle changes are the first step for anyone with coronary artery disease. These changes may stop or even reverse coronary artery disease. To improve your heart health:
Don't smoke. This may be the most important thing you can do. Quitting smoking can quickly reduce the risk of heart attack or death.
Eat a heart-healthy diet that includes plenty of fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, high-fiber grains and breads, and olive oil. See a dietitian if you need help making better food choices.
Get regular exercise on most, if not all, days of the week. Your doctor can suggest a safe level of exercise for you. Walking is great exercise that most people can do. A good goal is 30 minutes or more a day.
Lower your stress level. Stress can hurt your heart.
Changing old habits may not be easy, but it is very important to help you live a healthier and longer life. Having a plan can help. Start with small steps. For example, commit to eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Instead of having dessert, take a short walk. When you feel stressed, stop and take some deep breaths.
Medicines may be needed in addition to lifestyle changes. Medicines that are often prescribed for people with coronary artery disease include:
Statins to help lower cholesterol.
Beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors to lower blood pressure.
Aspirin or other medicines to reduce the risk of blood clots.
Nitrates to relieve chest pain.
Procedures may be done to improve blood flow to the heart.
Angioplasty is used to open blocked arteries. It isn't major surgery. During angioplasty, the doctor guides a thin tube (called a catheter) into the narrowed artery and inflates a small balloon. This widens the artery to help restore blood flow. Often a small wire-mesh tube called a stent is placed to keep the artery open. See a picture of angioplasty with stent placement. The doctor may use a stent that is coated with medicine, called a drug-eluting stent. When the stent is in place, it slowly releases a medicine that prevents the growth of new tissue. This helps keep the artery open.
Bypass surgery, which is major surgery, may be used if more than one coronary artery is blocked. It uses healthy blood vessels to create detours around narrowed or blocked arteries.
What else can you do?
To stay as healthy as possible, it is important to:
See your doctor for regular follow-up appointments. This lets your doctor keep track of your risk factors and adjust your treatment as needed.
Take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Do not stop or change medicines without talking to your doctor.
Keep nitroglycerin with you at all times, if your doctor prescribed it for chest pain.
Tell your doctor about any chest pain you have had, even if it went away.
Get the support you need to succeed in making lifestyle changes. Ask family or friends to share a healthy meal or join a stop-smoking program with you. Or ask your doctor about a cardiac rehab program. In cardiac rehab, a team of health professionals provides education and support to help you make new, healthy habits.
Coronary artery disease occurs when fatty deposits called plaque (say "plak") build up inside the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries wrap around the heart and supply it with blood and oxygen. When plaque builds up, it narrows the arteries and reduces the amount of blood that gets to your heart. This can lead to serious problems, including heart attack.
Coronary artery disease (also called CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It is also the number one killer of both men and women in the United States.
It can be a shock to find out that you have coronary artery disease. Many people only find out when they have a heart attack. Whether or not you have had a heart attack, there are many things you can do to slow coronary artery disease and reduce your risk of future problems.
What causes coronary artery disease?
Coronary artery disease is caused by hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when plaque builds up inside the arteries. (Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.) Atherosclerosis can affect any arteries in the body. When it occurs in the arteries that supply blood to the heart, it is called coronary artery disease.
Plaque is a fatty material made up of cholesterol, calcium, and other substances in the blood. To understand why plaque is a problem, compare a healthy artery with an artery with atherosclerosis:
A healthy artery is like a rubber tube. It is smooth and flexible, and blood flows through it freely. If your heart has to work harder, such as when you exercise, a healthy artery can stretch to let more blood flow to your body’s tissues.
An artery with atherosclerosis is more like a clogged pipe. Plaque narrows the artery and makes it stiff. This limits the flow of blood to the tissues. When the heart has to work harder, the stiff arteries can't flex to let more blood through, and the tissues don't get enough blood and oxygen.
See a picture of a normal artery and an artery narrowed by plaque.
When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, the heart doesn't get the blood it needs to work well. Over time, this can weaken or damage the heart. If a plaque tears, the body tries to fix the tear by forming a blood clot around it. The clot can block blood flow to the heart and cause a heart attack. See a picture of how plaque causes a heart attack.
What are the symptoms?
Usually people with coronary artery disease don't have symptoms until after age 50. Then they may start to have symptoms at times when the heart is working harder and needs more oxygen, such as during exercise. Typical first symptoms include:
Chest pain, called angina (say “ANN-juh-nuh” or “ann-JY-nuh”).
Shortness of breath.
Heart attack. Too often, a heart attack is the first symptom of coronary artery disease.
Less common symptoms include a fast heartbeat, feeling sick to your stomach, and increased sweating. Some people don't have any symptoms. In rare cases, a person can have a “silent” heart attack, without symptoms.
To find out your risk for a heart attack in the next 10 years, use this Interactive Tool: Are You at Risk for a Heart Attack?
How is coronary artery disease diagnosed?
To diagnose coronary artery disease, doctors start by doing a physical exam and asking questions about your past health and your risk factors. Risk factors are things that increase the chance that you will have coronary artery disease.
Some common risk factors are being older than 65; smoking; having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes; and having heart disease in your family. The more risk factors you have, the more likely it is that you have coronary artery disease.
If your doctor thinks that you have coronary artery disease, you may have tests, such as:
Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG), which checks for problems with the electrical activity of your heart. An EKG can also show signs of an old or new heart attack.
Chest X-ray.
Blood tests.
Exercise electrocardiogram, commonly called a "stress test." This test checks for changes in your heart while you exercise.
Your doctor may order other tests to look at blood flow to your heart. You may have a coronary angiogram if your doctor is considering a procedure to remove blockages, such as angioplasty or bypass surgery.
How is it treated?
Treatment focuses on taking steps to manage your symptoms and reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke. Some risk factors you can't control, such as your age and family history. Other risk factors you can control, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Lifestyle changes can help lower your risks. You may also need to take medicines or have a procedure to open your arteries.
Lifestyle changes are the first step for anyone with coronary artery disease. These changes may stop or even reverse coronary artery disease. To improve your heart health:
Don't smoke. This may be the most important thing you can do. Quitting smoking can quickly reduce the risk of heart attack or death.
Eat a heart-healthy diet that includes plenty of fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, high-fiber grains and breads, and olive oil. See a dietitian if you need help making better food choices.
Get regular exercise on most, if not all, days of the week. Your doctor can suggest a safe level of exercise for you. Walking is great exercise that most people can do. A good goal is 30 minutes or more a day.
Lower your stress level. Stress can hurt your heart.
Changing old habits may not be easy, but it is very important to help you live a healthier and longer life. Having a plan can help. Start with small steps. For example, commit to eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Instead of having dessert, take a short walk. When you feel stressed, stop and take some deep breaths.
Medicines may be needed in addition to lifestyle changes. Medicines that are often prescribed for people with coronary artery disease include:
Statins to help lower cholesterol.
Beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors to lower blood pressure.
Aspirin or other medicines to reduce the risk of blood clots.
Nitrates to relieve chest pain.
Procedures may be done to improve blood flow to the heart.
Angioplasty is used to open blocked arteries. It isn't major surgery. During angioplasty, the doctor guides a thin tube (called a catheter) into the narrowed artery and inflates a small balloon. This widens the artery to help restore blood flow. Often a small wire-mesh tube called a stent is placed to keep the artery open. See a picture of angioplasty with stent placement. The doctor may use a stent that is coated with medicine, called a drug-eluting stent. When the stent is in place, it slowly releases a medicine that prevents the growth of new tissue. This helps keep the artery open.
Bypass surgery, which is major surgery, may be used if more than one coronary artery is blocked. It uses healthy blood vessels to create detours around narrowed or blocked arteries.
What else can you do?
To stay as healthy as possible, it is important to:
See your doctor for regular follow-up appointments. This lets your doctor keep track of your risk factors and adjust your treatment as needed.
Take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Do not stop or change medicines without talking to your doctor.
Keep nitroglycerin with you at all times, if your doctor prescribed it for chest pain.
Tell your doctor about any chest pain you have had, even if it went away.
Get the support you need to succeed in making lifestyle changes. Ask family or friends to share a healthy meal or join a stop-smoking program with you. Or ask your doctor about a cardiac rehab program. In cardiac rehab, a team of health professionals provides education and support to help you make new, healthy habits.
Typical symptoms often not present with a heart attack
Typical symptoms often not present with a heart attack
When symptoms are atypical, patients delay seeking medical attention. Since early intervention is the key to a good outcome with a heart attack, people with known or suspected coronary artery disease should be aware of the common "atypical" presenting symptoms reported in this study.
Diabetics may have special risk factors for heart disease
Blood studies now suggest that chronic inflammation in diabetics may predispose to coronary artery disease.
When symptoms are atypical, patients delay seeking medical attention. Since early intervention is the key to a good outcome with a heart attack, people with known or suspected coronary artery disease should be aware of the common "atypical" presenting symptoms reported in this study.
Diabetics may have special risk factors for heart disease
Blood studies now suggest that chronic inflammation in diabetics may predispose to coronary artery disease.
The Echocardiogram
By Richard N. Fogoros, M.D., About.com
The echocardiogram is an extremely useful test for studying the heart's anatomy. It is non-invasive and entirely safe, and when interpreted by well-trained cardiologists, is very accurate.
How is the echocardiogram performed?
The echocardiogram is a simple test to have done. You will lie on an examination table, and a technician will hold a transducer (a device that resembles a computer mouse) against your chest, slowly sliding it back and forth. (The technician will apply a Vaseline-like gel to your chest to aid in sliding the transducer.) You may be asked to roll on your side during the test, or hold your breath for a few seconds. The test takes 30 to 60 minutes to complete.
How does the echocardiogram work?
The transducer that's placed on your chest sends sound waves toward the heart. Like the sonar on a submarine, the sound waves bounce off the heart,and are collected by by the transducer.
These returning sound waves are processed by a computer, assembled into a two-dimensional image of the beating heart, and displayed on a TV screen (which you will be able to see if you wish). By aiming the transducer, the technician will be able to image most of the important cardiac structures.
What are some of the variations used with the echocardiogram?
Echocardiograms are sometimes used in conjunction with stress tests. An echo test is made at rest, and then is repeated during exercise, to look for changes in the function of the heart muscle when exercise is performed. Deterioration in muscle function during exercise can indicate coronary artery disease.
A special microphone (called a Doppler microphone) can be used during the test to measure the velocity of blood flow in the heart. This information can be useful in assessing heart valve function.
A transesophageal echocardiogram can create images of cardiac structures that are difficult to see from a standard echo test, and also offers a way to produce echo images during heart surgery when access to the chest itself is not available to the echocardiographer.
What is the echocardiogram good for?
The echocardiogram reveals important information about the anatomy of the heart. It is especially useful for detecting problems with the heart valves (such as aortic stenosis or mitral valve prolapse). It is also an extremely useful test for evaluating congenital heart disease. The echocardiogram is also a good way to get a general idea of the overall function of the heart muscle.
What is the echocardiogram not good for?
The echo does not image the coronary arteries, and is not useful for detecting coronary artery disease. It is not as accurate as the MUGA scan for measuring overall cardiac muscle function. Various physical variations (a thick chest wall, for instance, or emphysema) may limit the ability to image cardiac structures. These physical variations, however, can be overcome by performing a transesophageal echo test.
The echocardiogram is an extremely useful test for studying the heart's anatomy. It is non-invasive and entirely safe, and when interpreted by well-trained cardiologists, is very accurate.
How is the echocardiogram performed?
The echocardiogram is a simple test to have done. You will lie on an examination table, and a technician will hold a transducer (a device that resembles a computer mouse) against your chest, slowly sliding it back and forth. (The technician will apply a Vaseline-like gel to your chest to aid in sliding the transducer.) You may be asked to roll on your side during the test, or hold your breath for a few seconds. The test takes 30 to 60 minutes to complete.
How does the echocardiogram work?
The transducer that's placed on your chest sends sound waves toward the heart. Like the sonar on a submarine, the sound waves bounce off the heart,and are collected by by the transducer.
These returning sound waves are processed by a computer, assembled into a two-dimensional image of the beating heart, and displayed on a TV screen (which you will be able to see if you wish). By aiming the transducer, the technician will be able to image most of the important cardiac structures.
What are some of the variations used with the echocardiogram?
Echocardiograms are sometimes used in conjunction with stress tests. An echo test is made at rest, and then is repeated during exercise, to look for changes in the function of the heart muscle when exercise is performed. Deterioration in muscle function during exercise can indicate coronary artery disease.
A special microphone (called a Doppler microphone) can be used during the test to measure the velocity of blood flow in the heart. This information can be useful in assessing heart valve function.
A transesophageal echocardiogram can create images of cardiac structures that are difficult to see from a standard echo test, and also offers a way to produce echo images during heart surgery when access to the chest itself is not available to the echocardiographer.
What is the echocardiogram good for?
The echocardiogram reveals important information about the anatomy of the heart. It is especially useful for detecting problems with the heart valves (such as aortic stenosis or mitral valve prolapse). It is also an extremely useful test for evaluating congenital heart disease. The echocardiogram is also a good way to get a general idea of the overall function of the heart muscle.
What is the echocardiogram not good for?
The echo does not image the coronary arteries, and is not useful for detecting coronary artery disease. It is not as accurate as the MUGA scan for measuring overall cardiac muscle function. Various physical variations (a thick chest wall, for instance, or emphysema) may limit the ability to image cardiac structures. These physical variations, however, can be overcome by performing a transesophageal echo test.
Cardiac catheterization and angiography
By Richard N. Fogoros, M.D., About.com
Cardiac catheterization and angiography are tests in which catheters (hollow tubes) are placed into the heart in order to evaluate the anatomy and function of the heart and surrounding blood vessels. So much useful information can be obtained from these tests that they are performed in virtually all patients being considered for bypass surgery or angioplasty and stenting.
How is a catheterization performed?
The patient is brought to the catheterization laboratory and placed on a special examination table. After local anesthesia is given, a catheter is inserted into blood vessels in the groin, arm, or neck. (The catheter is inserted either through a small incision, or by means of a needle-stick. Sometimes, catheters are inserted from more than one site.) The catheter is advanced through the blood vessels to the heart.
Once in the heart, the catheter can be maneuvered to various locations within the heart, and the pressures within various chambers of heart are measured. Blood samples can be withdrawn from different locations in order to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood (unusual variations in blood oxygen can signal a "shunt," or abnormal blood flow within the heart, often caused by congenital heart defects.) Finally, by injecting dye through the catheter while a series of rapid x-ray images is recorded, "movies" can be made of the blood flowing through the cardiac chambers, or the through the blood vessels surrounding the heart - a procedure know as angiography (also called arteriography).
Once the procedure is completed, the catheter(s) are removed. Bleeding is controlled by placing pressure on the catheterization site for 30 - 60 minutes.
What kinds of heart disease can catheterization and angiography help to evaluate?
Cardiac catheterization and angiography can reveal vital information about overall cardiac function, about the function of the individual cardiac chambers, about the cardiac valves (whether they are too narrow (stenosis) or too leaky (regurgitation)), congenital heart defects, and about the location and severity of blockages in the coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle).
What are some of the variations used with catheterization and angiography?
Cardiac catheterization is often used therapeutically, that is, to deliver treatment for various heart problems. Therapeutic catheterizations include procedures to dilate narrowed heart valves, procedures to close atrial septal defects (i.e., a hole in the wall separating the left and right atria), and of course, procedures to relieve blockages in the coronary arteries (angioplasty and stent placement).
What are the risks of having a catheterization or angiography?
Cardiac catheterization and angiography are relatively safe, but because they are invasive procedures involving the heart, several complications are possible. Nobody should have a cardiac catheterization unless there is a reasonable likelihood that the information gained from the procedure will be of significant benefit.
Minor complications of cardiac catheterization include minor bleeding at the site of catheter insertion, temporary heart rhythm disturbances caused by the catheter irritating the heart muscle, and temporary changes in the blood pressure.
More significant complications include perforation of the heart wall (causing a life-threatening condition called cardiac tamponade), sudden blockage of a coronary artery (leading to a heart attack), extensive bleeding, stroke, or an allergic reaction to the dye used in angiography.
Cardiac catheterization and angiography are tests in which catheters (hollow tubes) are placed into the heart in order to evaluate the anatomy and function of the heart and surrounding blood vessels. So much useful information can be obtained from these tests that they are performed in virtually all patients being considered for bypass surgery or angioplasty and stenting.
How is a catheterization performed?
The patient is brought to the catheterization laboratory and placed on a special examination table. After local anesthesia is given, a catheter is inserted into blood vessels in the groin, arm, or neck. (The catheter is inserted either through a small incision, or by means of a needle-stick. Sometimes, catheters are inserted from more than one site.) The catheter is advanced through the blood vessels to the heart.
Once in the heart, the catheter can be maneuvered to various locations within the heart, and the pressures within various chambers of heart are measured. Blood samples can be withdrawn from different locations in order to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood (unusual variations in blood oxygen can signal a "shunt," or abnormal blood flow within the heart, often caused by congenital heart defects.) Finally, by injecting dye through the catheter while a series of rapid x-ray images is recorded, "movies" can be made of the blood flowing through the cardiac chambers, or the through the blood vessels surrounding the heart - a procedure know as angiography (also called arteriography).
Once the procedure is completed, the catheter(s) are removed. Bleeding is controlled by placing pressure on the catheterization site for 30 - 60 minutes.
What kinds of heart disease can catheterization and angiography help to evaluate?
Cardiac catheterization and angiography can reveal vital information about overall cardiac function, about the function of the individual cardiac chambers, about the cardiac valves (whether they are too narrow (stenosis) or too leaky (regurgitation)), congenital heart defects, and about the location and severity of blockages in the coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle).
What are some of the variations used with catheterization and angiography?
Cardiac catheterization is often used therapeutically, that is, to deliver treatment for various heart problems. Therapeutic catheterizations include procedures to dilate narrowed heart valves, procedures to close atrial septal defects (i.e., a hole in the wall separating the left and right atria), and of course, procedures to relieve blockages in the coronary arteries (angioplasty and stent placement).
What are the risks of having a catheterization or angiography?
Cardiac catheterization and angiography are relatively safe, but because they are invasive procedures involving the heart, several complications are possible. Nobody should have a cardiac catheterization unless there is a reasonable likelihood that the information gained from the procedure will be of significant benefit.
Minor complications of cardiac catheterization include minor bleeding at the site of catheter insertion, temporary heart rhythm disturbances caused by the catheter irritating the heart muscle, and temporary changes in the blood pressure.
More significant complications include perforation of the heart wall (causing a life-threatening condition called cardiac tamponade), sudden blockage of a coronary artery (leading to a heart attack), extensive bleeding, stroke, or an allergic reaction to the dye used in angiography.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
ABOUT SALANOVA
Solanova – Nutritional Supplements for a Healthier You
All of our products are backed by manufacturing conducted in the United States and are formulated to deliver potency, reliability and optimum absorbability.
In addition to top-quality products, we are also dedicated to you, our customers. Service is paramount at Solanova, and our mantra is “We’re here to help.” If you have any questions about our products or service, we always want to hear from you. We also work hard to keep our customers up-to-date on various health and wellness topics and the latest news in the industry. To that end, we are starting this blog in effort to reach out to our customers and fellow health-seekers alike, and offer relevant, helpful information about staying healthy.
Finally, we like to further demonstrate our commitment to the health and well-being of every individual by donating 20% of all Solanova profits to the non-profit organization AAMF; a foundation that provides disadvantaged children with adequate nutrition, medication and education. We are committed to helping children and families around the world enjoy a healthy, hopeful life.
Solanova is on the constant search for new breakthroughs on products that will extend our lives and make each day healthier. We strive to be your source for quality, vital supplements you can’t live without. www.Solanova.com 1.800.200.0456
Since 1989, Solanova.com has provided cutting-edge, top quality nutrition supplements. Our diverse line of products includes (just a few examples) the proprietary and all-natural anti-inflammatory Nexrelief, the highly absorbable Q-Gel CoQ10 (two dosages available), the highly effective *dual-release* Melatonin and the top quality, heart happy Omega-3 Gel.
All of our products are backed by manufacturing conducted in the United States and are formulated to deliver potency, reliability and optimum absorbability.
In addition to top-quality products, we are also dedicated to you, our customers. Service is paramount at Solanova, and our mantra is “We’re here to help.” If you have any questions about our products or service, we always want to hear from you. We also work hard to keep our customers up-to-date on various health and wellness topics and the latest news in the industry. To that end, we are starting this blog in effort to reach out to our customers and fellow health-seekers alike, and offer relevant, helpful information about staying healthy.
Finally, we like to further demonstrate our commitment to the health and well-being of every individual by donating 20% of all Solanova profits to the non-profit organization AAMF; a foundation that provides disadvantaged children with adequate nutrition, medication and education. We are committed to helping children and families around the world enjoy a healthy, hopeful life.
Solanova is on the constant search for new breakthroughs on products that will extend our lives and make each day healthier. We strive to be your source for quality, vital supplements you can’t live without. www.Solanova.com 1.800.200.0456
***We are currently redesigning our website and working to introduce 5 new products late this summer! Be sure to check back for a new and improved www.Solanova.com!***
Monday, June 15, 2009
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Preventing Heart Disease
By Richard N. Fogoros, M.D., About.com
Created: May 15, 2007
The best way to "treat" heart disease is to avoid it altogether. Taking steps to adopt a healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, and increase your odds of living a long and healthy life. Here's what you need to know.
Assessing your own risk for heart disease To a large extent, people can control most of the the factors that cause heart disease. To decide which risk factors to focus on, first you should compute YOUR personal cardiac risk. Here are resources for doing so.
What to do if your cardiac risk is high If you are at high risk for heart disease, there's a lot you can do to reduce that risk. Here are some suggestions about where and how to start.
Cardiac risk factors and how to control them Here is information on the risk factors themselves, (including cholesterol, hypertension, poor diet and obesity, smoking, diabetes or metabolic syndrome, and lack of exercise,) and what you can do about them.
Cholesterol and triglyceride disorders High cholesterol and high triglycerides, good cholesterol and bad cholesterol - they're important but confusing. We try to straighten it all out here.
Created: May 15, 2007
The best way to "treat" heart disease is to avoid it altogether. Taking steps to adopt a healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, and increase your odds of living a long and healthy life. Here's what you need to know.
Assessing your own risk for heart disease To a large extent, people can control most of the the factors that cause heart disease. To decide which risk factors to focus on, first you should compute YOUR personal cardiac risk. Here are resources for doing so.
What to do if your cardiac risk is high If you are at high risk for heart disease, there's a lot you can do to reduce that risk. Here are some suggestions about where and how to start.
Cardiac risk factors and how to control them Here is information on the risk factors themselves, (including cholesterol, hypertension, poor diet and obesity, smoking, diabetes or metabolic syndrome, and lack of exercise,) and what you can do about them.
Cholesterol and triglyceride disorders High cholesterol and high triglycerides, good cholesterol and bad cholesterol - they're important but confusing. We try to straighten it all out here.
Treatment of Heart Disease
By Richard N. Fogoros, M.D., About.com
Updated: December 28, 2007
Major advances have taken place over the past several decades, and continue to take place, regarding the treatment of heart disease. One of the main purposes of this website is to keep you informed of new information about treating heart disease as it becomes available. Knowing what your options are regarding therapy is an important step in learning to live with heart disease.
Treating Heart Disease
Coronary Artery Disease Surviving and thriving after you have coronary artery disease means both you and your doctor have to do the right things. Here's what you need to know about coronary artery disease, angina, and heart attacks.
Heart Failure Study after study show two things: 1) receiving appropriate treatment for heart failure makes you feel better and live longer, and 2) many doctors fail to give the appropriate therapy. Here's what you need to know.
Heart Rhythm Problems A primer on the cardiac arrhythmias - PVCs, atrial fibrillation, SVT, IST, and other heart arrhythmias - their causes, the symptoms they produce, and how they should be treated.
Miscellaneous Heart Problems Articles on miscellaneous topics including the dysautonomias, pericarditis, valvular heart disease, and others.
Updated: December 28, 2007
Major advances have taken place over the past several decades, and continue to take place, regarding the treatment of heart disease. One of the main purposes of this website is to keep you informed of new information about treating heart disease as it becomes available. Knowing what your options are regarding therapy is an important step in learning to live with heart disease.
Treating Heart Disease
Coronary Artery Disease Surviving and thriving after you have coronary artery disease means both you and your doctor have to do the right things. Here's what you need to know about coronary artery disease, angina, and heart attacks.
Heart Failure Study after study show two things: 1) receiving appropriate treatment for heart failure makes you feel better and live longer, and 2) many doctors fail to give the appropriate therapy. Here's what you need to know.
Heart Rhythm Problems A primer on the cardiac arrhythmias - PVCs, atrial fibrillation, SVT, IST, and other heart arrhythmias - their causes, the symptoms they produce, and how they should be treated.
Miscellaneous Heart Problems Articles on miscellaneous topics including the dysautonomias, pericarditis, valvular heart disease, and others.
Common Symptoms of Heart Disease
By Richard N. Fogoros, M.D., About.com
Updated: December 28, 2007
Chest Pain or Chest Discomfort
Few symptoms are more alarming than chest pain. In the minds of many people, chest pain equals heart pain. And while many other conditions can cause chest pain, cardiac disease is so common - and so dangerous - that the symptom of chest pain should never be dismissed out of hand as being insignificant.
"Chest pain" is an imprecise term. It is often used to describe any pain, pressure, squeezing, choking, numbness or any other discomfort in the chest, neck, or upper abdomen, and is often associated with pain in the jaw, head, or arms. It can last from less than a second to days or weeks, can occur frequently or rarely, and can occur sporadically or predictably. This description of chest pain is obviously very vague, and as you might expect, many medical conditions aside from heart disease can produce symptoms like this.
You can read about the many causes of chest pain here. This article discusses the major causes of chest pain, as well as some of the main characteristics that help doctors make a diagnosis of what may be causing the chest pain.
This article discusses the evaluation of chest pain, and addresses the question: When should chest pain be considered an emergency?
Palpitations
Palpitations, an unusual awareness of the heartbeat, is an extremely common symptom. Most people who complain of palpitations describe them either as "skips" in the heartbeat (that is, a pause, often followed by a particularly strong beat,) or as periods of rapid and/or irregular heartbeats.
Most people with palpitations have some type of cardiac arrhythmia. Virtually any arrhythmia can cause palpitations, but the most common causes of palpitations are premature atrial complexes (PACs), premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), episodes of atrial fibrillation, and episodes of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Unfortunately, on occasion palpitations can be a manifestation of a more dangerous heart arrhythmia, such as ventricular tachycardia. Click here for a quick and easy review of heart arrhythmias.
Click here for a review of palpitations, their causes, and how they should be evaluated.
Lightheadedness or Dizziness
Episodes of lightheadedness or dizziness can have many causes, including anemia (low blood count) and other blood disorders, dehydration, viral illnesses, deconditioning (such as prolonged bed rest), diabetes, thyroid disease, gastrointestinal disturbances, liver disease, kidney disease, vascular disease, neurological disorders, the dysautonomias, vasovagal episodes, heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. Because so many different conditions can produce these symptoms, anybody experiencing episodes of lightheadedness or dizziness ought to have a thorough and complete examination by a physician. And since disorders of so many organ systems can cause these symptoms, a good general internist or family doctor may be the best place to start.
Syncope (loss of consciousness)
Syncope is a sudden and temporary loss of consciousness, or fainting. It is a common symptom - most people pass out at least once in their lives - and often does not indicate a serious medical problem. However, sometimes syncope indicates a dangerous or even life-threatening condition, so when syncope occurs it is important to figure out the cause.
The causes of syncope can be grouped into four major categories, neurologic, metabolic, vasomotor and cardiac. Of these, only cardiac syncope commonly leads to sudden death. Here is an article on the cardiac causes of syncope, the most dangerous kind.
Fortunately, most syncope is not cardiac in nature, and thus is not life-threatening. Here is an article, that reviews the non-cardiac causes of syncope, then outlines what you should expect from your doctor when you or a loved one have had a syncopal episode.
Finally, here is an article on vasomotor (or vasovagal) syncope, by far the most common cause of this symptom.
Fatigue, lethargy or somnolence
Fatigue, lethargy or somnolence (daytime sleepiness) are very common symptoms. Fatigue or lethargy can be thought of as an inability to continue functioning at one's normal levels. Somnolence implies, in addition, that one either craves sleep - or worse, finds oneself suddenly asleep, a condition known as narcolepsy - during the daytime.
While fatigue and lethargy can be symptoms of heart disease (particularly, of heart failure), these common and non-specific symptoms can also be due to disorders of virtually any other organ system in the body. Similar to lightheadedness and dizziness, individuals with fatigue and lethargy need a good general medical evaluation in order to begin pinning down a specific cause.
Somnolence is often caused by nocturnal sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome or insomnia. All these sleep disturbances, however, are more common in patients with heart disease.
Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath is most often a symptom of cardiac or pulmonary (lung) disorders. Heart failure and coronary artery disease frequently produce shortness of breath. Patients with heart failure commonly experience shortness of breath with exertion, or when lying flat on their backs. They also can suddenly wake up at night gasping for breath, a condition known as paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. Coronary artery disease can manifest as shortness of breath on exertion. Other cardiac conditions such as valvular heart disease or pericardial disease can produce this symptom, as can cardiac arrhythmias.
Numerous lung conditions can produce shortness of breath including asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, pneumonia, or pleural effusion (a fluid accumulation between the lung and chest wall).
Shortness of breath is almost always a sign of a significant medical problem, and should always be evaluated by a doctor.
Updated: December 28, 2007
Chest Pain or Chest Discomfort
Few symptoms are more alarming than chest pain. In the minds of many people, chest pain equals heart pain. And while many other conditions can cause chest pain, cardiac disease is so common - and so dangerous - that the symptom of chest pain should never be dismissed out of hand as being insignificant.
"Chest pain" is an imprecise term. It is often used to describe any pain, pressure, squeezing, choking, numbness or any other discomfort in the chest, neck, or upper abdomen, and is often associated with pain in the jaw, head, or arms. It can last from less than a second to days or weeks, can occur frequently or rarely, and can occur sporadically or predictably. This description of chest pain is obviously very vague, and as you might expect, many medical conditions aside from heart disease can produce symptoms like this.
You can read about the many causes of chest pain here. This article discusses the major causes of chest pain, as well as some of the main characteristics that help doctors make a diagnosis of what may be causing the chest pain.
This article discusses the evaluation of chest pain, and addresses the question: When should chest pain be considered an emergency?
Palpitations
Palpitations, an unusual awareness of the heartbeat, is an extremely common symptom. Most people who complain of palpitations describe them either as "skips" in the heartbeat (that is, a pause, often followed by a particularly strong beat,) or as periods of rapid and/or irregular heartbeats.
Most people with palpitations have some type of cardiac arrhythmia. Virtually any arrhythmia can cause palpitations, but the most common causes of palpitations are premature atrial complexes (PACs), premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), episodes of atrial fibrillation, and episodes of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Unfortunately, on occasion palpitations can be a manifestation of a more dangerous heart arrhythmia, such as ventricular tachycardia. Click here for a quick and easy review of heart arrhythmias.
Click here for a review of palpitations, their causes, and how they should be evaluated.
Lightheadedness or Dizziness
Episodes of lightheadedness or dizziness can have many causes, including anemia (low blood count) and other blood disorders, dehydration, viral illnesses, deconditioning (such as prolonged bed rest), diabetes, thyroid disease, gastrointestinal disturbances, liver disease, kidney disease, vascular disease, neurological disorders, the dysautonomias, vasovagal episodes, heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. Because so many different conditions can produce these symptoms, anybody experiencing episodes of lightheadedness or dizziness ought to have a thorough and complete examination by a physician. And since disorders of so many organ systems can cause these symptoms, a good general internist or family doctor may be the best place to start.
Syncope (loss of consciousness)
Syncope is a sudden and temporary loss of consciousness, or fainting. It is a common symptom - most people pass out at least once in their lives - and often does not indicate a serious medical problem. However, sometimes syncope indicates a dangerous or even life-threatening condition, so when syncope occurs it is important to figure out the cause.
The causes of syncope can be grouped into four major categories, neurologic, metabolic, vasomotor and cardiac. Of these, only cardiac syncope commonly leads to sudden death. Here is an article on the cardiac causes of syncope, the most dangerous kind.
Fortunately, most syncope is not cardiac in nature, and thus is not life-threatening. Here is an article, that reviews the non-cardiac causes of syncope, then outlines what you should expect from your doctor when you or a loved one have had a syncopal episode.
Finally, here is an article on vasomotor (or vasovagal) syncope, by far the most common cause of this symptom.
Fatigue, lethargy or somnolence
Fatigue, lethargy or somnolence (daytime sleepiness) are very common symptoms. Fatigue or lethargy can be thought of as an inability to continue functioning at one's normal levels. Somnolence implies, in addition, that one either craves sleep - or worse, finds oneself suddenly asleep, a condition known as narcolepsy - during the daytime.
While fatigue and lethargy can be symptoms of heart disease (particularly, of heart failure), these common and non-specific symptoms can also be due to disorders of virtually any other organ system in the body. Similar to lightheadedness and dizziness, individuals with fatigue and lethargy need a good general medical evaluation in order to begin pinning down a specific cause.
Somnolence is often caused by nocturnal sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome or insomnia. All these sleep disturbances, however, are more common in patients with heart disease.
Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath is most often a symptom of cardiac or pulmonary (lung) disorders. Heart failure and coronary artery disease frequently produce shortness of breath. Patients with heart failure commonly experience shortness of breath with exertion, or when lying flat on their backs. They also can suddenly wake up at night gasping for breath, a condition known as paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. Coronary artery disease can manifest as shortness of breath on exertion. Other cardiac conditions such as valvular heart disease or pericardial disease can produce this symptom, as can cardiac arrhythmias.
Numerous lung conditions can produce shortness of breath including asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, pneumonia, or pleural effusion (a fluid accumulation between the lung and chest wall).
Shortness of breath is almost always a sign of a significant medical problem, and should always be evaluated by a doctor.
What is Heart Disease?
By Richard N. Fogoros, M.D., About.com
Updated: September 27, 2007
The heart is the organ that pumps blood, with its life-giving oxygen and nutrients, to all tissues of the body. If the pumping action of the heart becomes inefficient, vital organs like the brain and kidneys suffer.And if the heart stops working altogether, death occurs within minutes. Life itself is completely dependent on the efficient operation of the heart.
There are many kinds of heart disease, and they can affect the heart in several ways. But the ultimate problem with all varieties of heart disease is that, in one way or another, they can disrupt the vital pumping action of the heart.
Heart Disease - A Quick Primer
How the heart works - a 15 minute primer A quick review of the heart and how it works
A brief survey of common heart problems A survey of the common heart problems: valvular heart disease, heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy), coronary artery disease, and heart arrhythmias.
Heart Disease in Depth
Coronary Artery Disease Surviving and thriving after you have coronary artery disease means both you and your doctor have to do the right things. Here's what you need to know about coronary artery disease, angina, and heart attacks.
Heart Failure Study after study show two things: 1) receiving appropriate treatment for heart failure makes you feel better and live longer, and 2) many doctors fail to give the appropriate therapy. Here's what you need to know.
Heart Rhythm Problems A primer on the cardiac arrhythmias - PVCs, atrial fibrillation, SVT, IST, and other heart arrhythmias - their causes, the symptoms they produce, and how they should be treated.
Cholesterol and Triglyceride Disorders High cholesterol and high triglycerides, good cholesterol and bad cholesterol -they're important but confusing. We try to straighten it all out here.
Women and Heart Disease Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Worse, the kind of heart disease women get, and the ways in which the womens' heart disease behaves, is often different than in men. You can find what you should know about heart disease in women here.
Miscellaneous Heart Problems Articles on miscellaneous topics including the dysautonomias, pericarditis, valvular heart disease, and others.
Updated: September 27, 2007
The heart is the organ that pumps blood, with its life-giving oxygen and nutrients, to all tissues of the body. If the pumping action of the heart becomes inefficient, vital organs like the brain and kidneys suffer.And if the heart stops working altogether, death occurs within minutes. Life itself is completely dependent on the efficient operation of the heart.
There are many kinds of heart disease, and they can affect the heart in several ways. But the ultimate problem with all varieties of heart disease is that, in one way or another, they can disrupt the vital pumping action of the heart.
Heart Disease - A Quick Primer
How the heart works - a 15 minute primer A quick review of the heart and how it works
A brief survey of common heart problems A survey of the common heart problems: valvular heart disease, heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy), coronary artery disease, and heart arrhythmias.
Heart Disease in Depth
Coronary Artery Disease Surviving and thriving after you have coronary artery disease means both you and your doctor have to do the right things. Here's what you need to know about coronary artery disease, angina, and heart attacks.
Heart Failure Study after study show two things: 1) receiving appropriate treatment for heart failure makes you feel better and live longer, and 2) many doctors fail to give the appropriate therapy. Here's what you need to know.
Heart Rhythm Problems A primer on the cardiac arrhythmias - PVCs, atrial fibrillation, SVT, IST, and other heart arrhythmias - their causes, the symptoms they produce, and how they should be treated.
Cholesterol and Triglyceride Disorders High cholesterol and high triglycerides, good cholesterol and bad cholesterol -they're important but confusing. We try to straighten it all out here.
Women and Heart Disease Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Worse, the kind of heart disease women get, and the ways in which the womens' heart disease behaves, is often different than in men. You can find what you should know about heart disease in women here.
Miscellaneous Heart Problems Articles on miscellaneous topics including the dysautonomias, pericarditis, valvular heart disease, and others.
Types of heart disease
Coronary heart disease
Main article: Coronary heart disease
Coronary artery disease is a disease of the artery caused by the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the myocardium. Angina pectoris (chest pain) and myocardial infarction (heart attack) are symptoms of and conditions caused by coronary heart disease.
Over 459,000 Americans die of coronary heart disease every year[5]. In the United Kingdom, 101,000 deaths annually are due to coronary heart disease.[6]
Cardiomyopathy
Main article: Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy literally means "heart muscle disease" (Myo= muscle, pathy= disease) It is the deterioration of the function of the myocardium (i.e., the actual heart muscle) for any reason.
People with cardiomyopathy are often at risk of arrhythmia and/or sudden cardiac death.
Extrinsic cardiomyopathies - cardiomyopathies where the primary pathology is outside the myocardium itself. Most cardiomyopathies are extrinsic, because by far the most common cause of a cardiomyopathy is ischemia.
The World Health Organization calls these specific cardiomyopathies[citation needed]:
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
Coronary artery disease
Congenital heart disease - see below
Nutritional diseases affecting the heart
Ischemic (or ischaemic) cardiomyopathy
Hypertensive cardiomyopathy
Valvular cardiomyopathy - see also Valvular heart disease below
Inflammatory cardiomyopathy - see also Inflammatory heart disease below
Cardiomyopathy secondary to a systemic metabolic disease
Intrinsic cardiomyopathies - weakness in the muscle of the heart that is not due to an identifiable external cause.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) - most common form, and one of the leading indications for heart transplantation. In DCM the heart (especially the left ventricle) is enlarged and the pumping function is diminished.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM or HOCM) - genetic disorder caused by various mutations in genes encoding sarcomeric proteins. In HCM the heart muscle is thickened, which can obstruct blood flow and prevent the heart from functioning properly.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) - arises from an electrical disturbance of the heart in which heart muscle is replaced by fibrous scar tissue. The right ventricle is generally most affected.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) - least common cardiomyopathy. The walls of the ventricles are stiff, but may not be thickened, and resist the normal filling of the heart with blood. ** Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy - the left ventricle wall has failed to properly grow from birth and such has a spongy appearance when viewed during an echocardiogram.
Cardiovascular disease
Main article: Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease is any of a number of specific diseases that affect the heart itself and/or the blood vessel system, especially the veins and arteries leading to and from the heart. Research on disease dimorphism suggests that women who suffer with cardiovascular disease usually suffer from forms that affect the blood vessels while men usually suffer from forms that affect the heart muscle itself. Known or associated causes of cardiovascular disease include diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia and hypercholesterolemia.
Types of cardiovascular disease include:
Atherosclerosis
Ischaemic heart disease
Ischaemic heart disease - another disease of the heart itself, characterized by reduced blood supply to the organs.
Heart failure
Main article: Heart failure
Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure (or CHF), and congestive cardiac failure (CCF), is a condition that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the heart to fill with or pump a sufficient amount of blood throughout the body. Therefore leading to the heart and body's failure.
Cor pulmonale, a failure of the right side of the heart.
Hypertensive heart disease
Main article: Hypertensive heart disease
Hypertensive heart disease is heart disease caused by high blood pressure, especially localised high blood pressure. Conditions that can be caused by hypertensive heart disease include:
Left ventricular hypertrophy
Coronary heart disease
(Congestive) heart failure
Hypertensive cardiomyopathy
Cardiac arrhythmias
Inflammatory heart disease
Inflammatory heart disease involves inflammation of the heart muscle and/or the tissue surrounding it.
Endocarditis - inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium. The most common structures involved are the heart valves.
Inflammatory cardiomegaly
Myocarditis - inflammation of the myocardium, the muscular part of the heart.
Valvular heart disease
Main article: Valvular heart disease
Valvular heart disease is disease process that affects one or more valves of the heart. The valves in the right side of the heart are the tricuspid valve and the pulmonic valve. The valves in the left side of the heart are the mitral valve and the aortic valve.
Aortic valve stenosis
Mitral valve prolapse
Valvular cardiomyopathy
Main article: Coronary heart disease
Coronary artery disease is a disease of the artery caused by the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the myocardium. Angina pectoris (chest pain) and myocardial infarction (heart attack) are symptoms of and conditions caused by coronary heart disease.
Over 459,000 Americans die of coronary heart disease every year[5]. In the United Kingdom, 101,000 deaths annually are due to coronary heart disease.[6]
Cardiomyopathy
Main article: Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy literally means "heart muscle disease" (Myo= muscle, pathy= disease) It is the deterioration of the function of the myocardium (i.e., the actual heart muscle) for any reason.
People with cardiomyopathy are often at risk of arrhythmia and/or sudden cardiac death.
Extrinsic cardiomyopathies - cardiomyopathies where the primary pathology is outside the myocardium itself. Most cardiomyopathies are extrinsic, because by far the most common cause of a cardiomyopathy is ischemia.
The World Health Organization calls these specific cardiomyopathies[citation needed]:
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
Coronary artery disease
Congenital heart disease - see below
Nutritional diseases affecting the heart
Ischemic (or ischaemic) cardiomyopathy
Hypertensive cardiomyopathy
Valvular cardiomyopathy - see also Valvular heart disease below
Inflammatory cardiomyopathy - see also Inflammatory heart disease below
Cardiomyopathy secondary to a systemic metabolic disease
Intrinsic cardiomyopathies - weakness in the muscle of the heart that is not due to an identifiable external cause.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) - most common form, and one of the leading indications for heart transplantation. In DCM the heart (especially the left ventricle) is enlarged and the pumping function is diminished.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM or HOCM) - genetic disorder caused by various mutations in genes encoding sarcomeric proteins. In HCM the heart muscle is thickened, which can obstruct blood flow and prevent the heart from functioning properly.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) - arises from an electrical disturbance of the heart in which heart muscle is replaced by fibrous scar tissue. The right ventricle is generally most affected.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) - least common cardiomyopathy. The walls of the ventricles are stiff, but may not be thickened, and resist the normal filling of the heart with blood. ** Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy - the left ventricle wall has failed to properly grow from birth and such has a spongy appearance when viewed during an echocardiogram.
Cardiovascular disease
Main article: Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease is any of a number of specific diseases that affect the heart itself and/or the blood vessel system, especially the veins and arteries leading to and from the heart. Research on disease dimorphism suggests that women who suffer with cardiovascular disease usually suffer from forms that affect the blood vessels while men usually suffer from forms that affect the heart muscle itself. Known or associated causes of cardiovascular disease include diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia and hypercholesterolemia.
Types of cardiovascular disease include:
Atherosclerosis
Ischaemic heart disease
Ischaemic heart disease - another disease of the heart itself, characterized by reduced blood supply to the organs.
Heart failure
Main article: Heart failure
Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure (or CHF), and congestive cardiac failure (CCF), is a condition that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the heart to fill with or pump a sufficient amount of blood throughout the body. Therefore leading to the heart and body's failure.
Cor pulmonale, a failure of the right side of the heart.
Hypertensive heart disease
Main article: Hypertensive heart disease
Hypertensive heart disease is heart disease caused by high blood pressure, especially localised high blood pressure. Conditions that can be caused by hypertensive heart disease include:
Left ventricular hypertrophy
Coronary heart disease
(Congestive) heart failure
Hypertensive cardiomyopathy
Cardiac arrhythmias
Inflammatory heart disease
Inflammatory heart disease involves inflammation of the heart muscle and/or the tissue surrounding it.
Endocarditis - inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium. The most common structures involved are the heart valves.
Inflammatory cardiomegaly
Myocarditis - inflammation of the myocardium, the muscular part of the heart.
Valvular heart disease
Main article: Valvular heart disease
Valvular heart disease is disease process that affects one or more valves of the heart. The valves in the right side of the heart are the tricuspid valve and the pulmonic valve. The valves in the left side of the heart are the mitral valve and the aortic valve.
Aortic valve stenosis
Mitral valve prolapse
Valvular cardiomyopathy
Friday, January 2, 2009
ABOUT HEART
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the organ.
Human heart with coronary arteries.
The heart is a muscular organ in all vertebrates responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions, or a similar structure in annelids, mollusks, and arthropods. The term cardiac (as in cardiology) means "related to the heart" and comes from the Greek καρδιά, kardia, for "heart."
The heart of a vertebrate is composed of cardiac muscle, an involuntary muscle tissue which is found only within this organ. The average human heart, beating at 72 beats per minute, will beat approximately 2.5 billion times during a lifetime (about 66 years).
Early development
Main article: Heart development
The mammalian heart is derived from embryonic mesoderm germ-layer cells that differentiate after gastrulation into mesothelium, endothelium, and myocardium. Mesothelial pericardium forms the inner lining of the heart. The outer lining of the heart, lymphatic and blood vessels develop from endothelium. Myocardium develops into heart muscle.[1]
From splachnopleuric mesoderm tissue, the cardiogenic plate develops cranially and laterally to the neural plate. In the cardiogenic plate, two separate angiogenic cell clusters form on either side of the embryo. Each cell cluster coalesces to form an endocardial tube continuous with a dorsal aorta and a vitteloumbilical vein. As embryonic tissue continues to fold, the two endocardial tubes are pushed into the thoracic cavity and begin to fuse together and are completely fused at approximately 21 days.[2]
At 21 days after conception, the human heart begins beating at 70 to 80 beats per minute and accelerates linearly for the first month of beating.
The human embryonic heart begins beating around 23 days after conception, or five weeks after the last normal menstrual period (LMP), which is the date normally used to date pregnancy. It is unknown how blood in the human embryo circulates for the first 21 days in the absence of a functioning heart. The human heart begins beating at a rate near the mother’s, about 75-80 beats per minute (BPM).
The embryonic heart rate (EHR) then accelerates linearly for the first month of beating, peaking at 165-185 BPM during the early 7th week, (early 9th week after the LMP). This acceleration is approximately 3.3 BPM per day, or about 10 BPM every three days, an increase of 100 BPM in the first month.[3] At about 9.1 weeks after the LMP, it decelerates to about 152 BPM (+/-25 BPM) during the 15th week after the LMP. After the 15th week the deceleration slows reaching an average rate of about 145 (+/-25 BPM) BPM at term. The regression formula which describes this acceleration before the embryo reaches 25 mm in crown-rump length or 9.2 LMP weeks is Age in days = EHR(0.3)+6
There is no difference in male and female heart rates before birth.[4]
Structure
The structure of the heart varies among the different branches of the animal kingdom. (See Circulatory system.) Cephalopods have two "gill hearts" and one "systemic heart". Fish have a two-chambered heart that pumps the blood to the gills and from there it goes on to the rest of the body. In amphibians and most reptiles, a double circulatory system is used, but the heart is not always completely separated into two pumps. Amphibians have a three-chambered heart.
Birds and mammals show complete separation of the heart into two pumps, for a total of four heart chambers; it is thought that the four-chambered heart of birds evolved independently from that of mammals.
In the human body, the heart is usually situated in the middle of the thorax with the largest part of the heart slightly offset to the left (although sometimes it is on the right, see dextrocardia), underneath the breastbone (see diagrams). The heart is usually felt to be on the left side because the left heart (left ventricle) is stronger (it pumps to all body parts). The left lung is smaller than the right lung because the heart occupies more of the left hemithorax. The heart is fed by the coronary circulation and enclosed by a sac known as the pericardium and is surrounded by the lungs. The pericardium comprises two parts: the fibrous pericardium, made of dense fibrous connective tissue; and a double membrane structure containing a serous fluid to reduce friction during heart contractions (the serous pericardium). The heart is located in the mediastinum, the central subdivision of the thoracic cavity. The mediastinum also contains other structures, such as the esophagus and trachea, and is flanked on either side by the right and left pulmonary cavities, which house the lungs. [5]
The apex is the blunt point situated in an inferior (pointing down and left) direction. A stethoscope can be placed directly over the apex so that the beats can be counted. It is located posterior to the 5th intercostal space in the left mid-clavicular line. In normal adults, the mass of the heart is 250-350 g (9-12 oz), or about three quarters the size of a clenched fist, but extremely diseased hearts can be up to 1000 g (2 lb) in mass due to hypertrophy. It consists of four chambers, the two upper atria (singular: atrium ) and the two lower ventricles.
This article is about the organ.
Human heart with coronary arteries.
The heart is a muscular organ in all vertebrates responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions, or a similar structure in annelids, mollusks, and arthropods. The term cardiac (as in cardiology) means "related to the heart" and comes from the Greek καρδιά, kardia, for "heart."
The heart of a vertebrate is composed of cardiac muscle, an involuntary muscle tissue which is found only within this organ. The average human heart, beating at 72 beats per minute, will beat approximately 2.5 billion times during a lifetime (about 66 years).
Early development
Main article: Heart development
The mammalian heart is derived from embryonic mesoderm germ-layer cells that differentiate after gastrulation into mesothelium, endothelium, and myocardium. Mesothelial pericardium forms the inner lining of the heart. The outer lining of the heart, lymphatic and blood vessels develop from endothelium. Myocardium develops into heart muscle.[1]
From splachnopleuric mesoderm tissue, the cardiogenic plate develops cranially and laterally to the neural plate. In the cardiogenic plate, two separate angiogenic cell clusters form on either side of the embryo. Each cell cluster coalesces to form an endocardial tube continuous with a dorsal aorta and a vitteloumbilical vein. As embryonic tissue continues to fold, the two endocardial tubes are pushed into the thoracic cavity and begin to fuse together and are completely fused at approximately 21 days.[2]
At 21 days after conception, the human heart begins beating at 70 to 80 beats per minute and accelerates linearly for the first month of beating.
The human embryonic heart begins beating around 23 days after conception, or five weeks after the last normal menstrual period (LMP), which is the date normally used to date pregnancy. It is unknown how blood in the human embryo circulates for the first 21 days in the absence of a functioning heart. The human heart begins beating at a rate near the mother’s, about 75-80 beats per minute (BPM).
The embryonic heart rate (EHR) then accelerates linearly for the first month of beating, peaking at 165-185 BPM during the early 7th week, (early 9th week after the LMP). This acceleration is approximately 3.3 BPM per day, or about 10 BPM every three days, an increase of 100 BPM in the first month.[3] At about 9.1 weeks after the LMP, it decelerates to about 152 BPM (+/-25 BPM) during the 15th week after the LMP. After the 15th week the deceleration slows reaching an average rate of about 145 (+/-25 BPM) BPM at term. The regression formula which describes this acceleration before the embryo reaches 25 mm in crown-rump length or 9.2 LMP weeks is Age in days = EHR(0.3)+6
There is no difference in male and female heart rates before birth.[4]
Structure
The structure of the heart varies among the different branches of the animal kingdom. (See Circulatory system.) Cephalopods have two "gill hearts" and one "systemic heart". Fish have a two-chambered heart that pumps the blood to the gills and from there it goes on to the rest of the body. In amphibians and most reptiles, a double circulatory system is used, but the heart is not always completely separated into two pumps. Amphibians have a three-chambered heart.
Birds and mammals show complete separation of the heart into two pumps, for a total of four heart chambers; it is thought that the four-chambered heart of birds evolved independently from that of mammals.
In the human body, the heart is usually situated in the middle of the thorax with the largest part of the heart slightly offset to the left (although sometimes it is on the right, see dextrocardia), underneath the breastbone (see diagrams). The heart is usually felt to be on the left side because the left heart (left ventricle) is stronger (it pumps to all body parts). The left lung is smaller than the right lung because the heart occupies more of the left hemithorax. The heart is fed by the coronary circulation and enclosed by a sac known as the pericardium and is surrounded by the lungs. The pericardium comprises two parts: the fibrous pericardium, made of dense fibrous connective tissue; and a double membrane structure containing a serous fluid to reduce friction during heart contractions (the serous pericardium). The heart is located in the mediastinum, the central subdivision of the thoracic cavity. The mediastinum also contains other structures, such as the esophagus and trachea, and is flanked on either side by the right and left pulmonary cavities, which house the lungs. [5]
The apex is the blunt point situated in an inferior (pointing down and left) direction. A stethoscope can be placed directly over the apex so that the beats can be counted. It is located posterior to the 5th intercostal space in the left mid-clavicular line. In normal adults, the mass of the heart is 250-350 g (9-12 oz), or about three quarters the size of a clenched fist, but extremely diseased hearts can be up to 1000 g (2 lb) in mass due to hypertrophy. It consists of four chambers, the two upper atria (singular: atrium ) and the two lower ventricles.
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