The heart is one of the most crucial organs of the human body. It pumps the blood through our systems, provides oxygen and nutrients to them, and also helps in removing metabolic waste from the body. The doctor responsible for caring for the heart is a Cardiologist. Cardiologists are trained doctors who are skilled in identifying, treating and managing heart ailments and conditions. Cardiologists get further support from high-end diagnostic and imaging equipment. Hospitals like Care Hospital Banjara Hills Hyderabad have specialised labs and cardiology units to assist with the cardiologist’s diagnosis and treatment plan.
Common Cardiac Ailments
Some common medical ailments which require cardiological interventions include
- Heart attack – A heart attack happens when a clot blocks the blood supply to the heart. Due to this, there may be some tissue death. Symptoms like pain in the chest, pain in back or arm, anxiety and fatigue, may be seen.
- Heart failure – This is the inability of the heart to pump blood sufficiently. Conditions like narrowing of arteries or high bp may lead to heart failure.
- Hypertension – A person with hypertension has persistently high blood pressure. High bp can cause coronary artery disease, stroke, or heart failure, if not rectified.
- Arrhythmias – The beating of the heart is irregular. It can be either too fast or too slow.
- Coronary artery disease – The supply of blood reduces to the heart due to plaque formation in the arteries. It is one of the most common diseases and is more common among people with high bp, diabetes, a habit of smoking and drinking, obesity and depression.
- Congenital heart disease – These heart abnormalities are present since birth. The defects can be of the heart valve, heart wall or the blood vessels.
Signs which indicate a need for Consultation with a Cardiologist
Some sign and symptoms like chest pain, breathlessness, nausea, exhaustion, fatigue, and chest discomfort are common among all cardiovascular diseases. Other signs which indicate heart ailments and a need for cardiac intervention include
Heart pain – Also known as Angina, heart pain feels like discomfort and pain in the chest. This usually happens when the heart muscle doesn’t get a good amount of oxygen-rich blood. This discomfort may also radiate to the back, arms, shoulder or jaw. This pain can feel like a dull ache or can be like a sharp stapping pain.
Easy tiring and shortness of breath – A common symptom among many heart ailments, this should not be taken lightly. Usually, this symptom accompanies other symptoms like dizziness, pain in the chest, swelling in feet, depending on the root cause.
High cholesterol – Cholesterol is a type of lipid in cells. It is wax-like and can be dangerous if found in high quantities in the blood. A high amount of cholesterol can cause blocking of the arteries, fatty deposits in blood vessels and lead to a higher risk of a heart attack. These deposits also reduce the blood flow to the heart, eventually causing heart failure.
High blood pressure – Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the most common signs of a heart problem. The blood pressure indicates the amount of blood passing through the vessels and the force it applies to the wall. Severe hypertension or high blood pressure has symptoms including headaches, nosebleeds, chest pain, flushing and shortness of breath. A regular BP reading is 120/80 mmHg.
High blood pressure can be due to genetic factors, environmental factors or physical changes. One should visit a cardiologist to identify the cause and rectify it as soon as they get to know.
Diabetes – An individual with a high blood glucose level will have diabetes. This high blood glucose level can damage the blood vessels, nerves and heart tissue. Uncontrollable diabetes often leads to heart problems, especially heart attack and stroke. A diabetic heart attack has symptoms like sweating, dizziness, breathing difficulties, pain in chest, jaw or shoulder and nausea. Though, in some patients, it may be a silent heart attack as the nerves are damaged and compromised.
Individuals with diabetes should keep their blood glucose in check and get themselves tested regularly. Having an active lifestyle also helps with the improvement in this condition.
Difficult pregnancy with Preeclampsia – Preeclampsia can be seen in some pregnant women after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The blood pressure shoots up and can damage other organs like the liver and kidney. This is a critical condition and can lead to complications during delivery.
History of heart problems in the family – Usually a family history of heart problems can indicate that one might also have a chance of acquiring those heart issues. In such cases, individuals much get routine heart checkups. Multi-speciality hospitals, including Care Hospital Banjara Hills Hyderabad, have heart checkup packages which can help identify heart problems at a very early stage.
A timely visit to a Cardiologist is highly beneficial. Getting routine checkups also assist with identifying dangerous diseases at a much early stage, improving the prognosis of the disease.
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