home Analyzes Worn out heart. If the heart is working hard. Symptoms of the development of cardiac muscle atrophy

Worn out heart. If the heart is working hard. Symptoms of the development of cardiac muscle atrophy

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death. Russian statistics show that about 55% of all deceased citizens suffered from diseases of this group.

Therefore, knowing the signs of cardiac pathologies is important for everyone in order to identify the disease in time and begin treatment immediately.

It is equally important to undergo a preventive examination by a cardiologist at least once every 2 years, and from the age of 60 - every year.

The list of heart diseases is extensive, it is presented in the content. They are much easier to treat if diagnosed initial stage. Some of them are completely curable, others are not, but in any case, if you start therapy at an early stage, you can avoid further development of pathology, complications and reduce the risk of death.

Coronary heart disease (CHD)

This is a pathology in which there is insufficient blood supply to the myocardium. The cause is atherosclerosis or thrombosis of the coronary arteries.

Classification of IHD

Acute coronary syndrome is worth talking about separately. Its symptom is a prolonged (more than 15 minutes) attack of chest pain. This term does not mean separate disease, and is used when it is impossible to distinguish myocardial infarction from symptoms and ECG unstable angina. The patient is given a preliminary diagnosis of “acute coronary syndrome” and thrombolytic therapy is immediately started, which is needed for any acute form IHD. The final diagnosis is made after blood tests for markers of infarction: cardiac troponin T and cardiac troponin 1. If their levels are elevated, the patient has had myocardial necrosis.

Symptoms of IHD

A sign of angina pectoris is attacks of burning, squeezing pain behind the sternum. Sometimes the pain radiates to left side, in various parts of the body: shoulder blade, shoulder, arm, neck, jaw. Less often, pain is localized in the epigastrium, so patients may think that they have problems with the stomach and not with the heart.

With stable angina, attacks are provoked by physical activity. Depending on the functional class angina pectoris (hereinafter referred to as angina), pain can be caused by stress of varying intensity.

Unstable angina differs from stable angina in that attacks become more frequent, begin to appear at rest, and can last longer - 10-30 minutes.

Cardiosclerosis is manifested by chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling, and rhythm disturbances.

According to statistics, about 30% of patients die from this heart disease within 24 hours without seeing a doctor. Therefore, carefully study all the signs of MI in order to call an ambulance in time.

Symptoms of MI

The pain lasts from 15 minutes (sometimes even a day). Not removed by Nitroglycerin. Analgesics only weaken it temporarily.

Other symptoms: shortness of breath, arrhythmias.

Main signs: feeling of suffocation, lack of air, panic.

Additional: cyanosis of the mucous membranes and skin, accelerated heartbeat.

Treatment of coronary artery disease

Long-term therapy: Aspirin, beta-blockers, statins, ACE inhibitors.

In the hospital, the patient will be given calcium antagonists (Verapamil, Diltiazem) and Aspirin. The latter will need to be taken on an ongoing basis.

Upon arrival, doctors will immediately begin this treatment: they will inhale oxygen, administer a morphine solution, if Nitroglycerin does not relieve the pain, and administer Heparin to thin the blood.

Further treatment: pain relief with intravenous administration Nitroglycerin or narcotic analgesics; preventing further necrosis of myocardial tissue with the help of thrombolytics, nitrates and beta-blockers; constant use of Aspirin.

Restore blood circulation in the heart with the help of such surgical operations: coronary angioplasty, stenting, coronary artery bypass grafting.

This is a condition of the heart in which it is unable to fully pump blood throughout the body. The reason is heart and vascular diseases (congenital or acquired defects, ischemic heart disease, inflammation, atherosclerosis, hypertension, etc.).

In Russia, more than 5 million people suffer from CHF.

Stages of CHF and their symptoms:

1 – initial. This is mild left ventricular failure that does not lead to hemodynamic (circulatory) disturbances. There are no symptoms.
Stage 2A. Poor circulation in one of the circles (usually the small circle), enlargement of the left ventricle. Signs: shortness of breath and palpitations with little physical exertion, cyanosis of the mucous membranes, dry cough, swelling of the legs.
Stage 2B. Hemodynamics are impaired in both circles. The chambers of the heart undergo hypertrophy or dilatation. Signs: shortness of breath at rest, aching pain in chest, blue tint of mucous membranes and skin, arrhythmias, cough, cardiac asthma, swelling of the limbs, abdomen, enlarged liver.
Stage 3. Severe circulatory disorders. Irreversible changes in the heart, lungs, blood vessels, kidneys. All the signs characteristic of stage 2B intensify, and symptoms of damage to internal organs appear. Treatment is no longer effective.

Treatment

First of all, treatment of the underlying disease is necessary.

Symptomatic drug treatment. The patient is prescribed:

ACE inhibitors, beta blockers or aldosterone antagonists - to lower blood pressure and prevent further progression of heart disease.
Diuretics - to eliminate edema.
Cardiac glycosides - for the treatment of arrhythmias and improvement of myocardial performance.

Valve defects

There are two typical types of valve pathologies: stenosis and insufficiency. With stenosis, the valve lumen is narrowed, making it difficult to pump blood. In case of insufficiency, the valve, on the contrary, does not close completely, which leads to the outflow of blood in the opposite direction.

More often, such heart valve defects are acquired. Appear in the background chronic diseases(for example, coronary artery disease), previous inflammation or poor lifestyle.

The aortic and mitral valves are most susceptible to disease.

Symptoms and treatment of the most common valve diseases:

At a severe stage, attacks of angina pectoris, fainting during physical exertion, pale skin, and low systolic blood pressure appear.

Mitral valve prolapse

Another common pathology is mitral valve prolapse. Occurs in 2.4% of the population. This is a congenital defect in which the valve leaflets “sink” into the left atrium. In 30% of cases it is asymptomatic. In the remaining 70% of patients, doctors note shortness of breath, pain in the heart area, accompanied by nausea and a feeling of a “lump” in the throat, arrhythmias, fatigue, dizziness, and frequent increases in temperature to 37.2–37.4.

Treatment may not be required if the disease is asymptomatic. If the defect is accompanied by arrhythmias or pain in the heart, symptomatic therapy is prescribed. At strong change valve can be surgically corrected. Since the disease progresses with age, patients need to be examined by a cardiologist 1-2 times a year.

Ebstein's anomaly

Ebstein's anomaly is a displacement of the tricuspid valve leaflets into the right ventricle. Symptoms: shortness of breath, paroxysmal tachycardia, fainting, swelling of the veins in the neck, enlargement of the right atrium and the upper part of the right ventricle.

Treatment for asymptomatic are not carried out. If signs are pronounced, do surgical correction or valve transplantation.

Congenital heart defects

TO congenital anomalies structures of the heart include:

Atrial septal defect is the presence of communication between the right and left atria.
A ventricular septal defect is an abnormal communication between the right and left ventricles.
The Eisenmenger complex is a high-lying ventricular septal defect, the aorta is displaced to the right and connects simultaneously with both ventricles (aortic dextroposition).
Patent ductus arteriosus - the communication between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, which is normally present at the embryonic stage of development, is not closed.
Tetralogy of Fallot is a combination of four defects: ventricular septal defect, aortic dextroposition, pulmonary stenosis and right ventricular hypertrophy.

Congenital heart defects - signs and treatment:

If the defect is larger than the specified size: shortness of breath with light exertion or at rest, heart pain, cough.

Average life expectancy is 12–15 years. 50% of patients die before the age of 3 years.

IN early childhood perform an operation to create an anastomosis between the subclavian and pulmonary arteries to improve blood circulation in the lungs.

At 3–7 years of age, radical surgery can be performed: simultaneous correction of all 4 anomalies.

Inflammatory diseases

Endocarditis – affects inner shell hearts, valves.
Myocarditis – muscle membrane.
Pericarditis - the pericardial sac.

They can be caused by microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi), autoimmune processes (for example, rheumatism) or toxic substances.

Heart inflammation can also be complications of other diseases:

tuberculosis (endocarditis, pericarditis);
syphilis (endocarditis);
flu, sore throat (myocarditis).

Pay attention to this and consult a doctor promptly if you suspect flu or sore throat.

Symptoms and treatment of inflammation

Rhythm disturbances

Causes: neuroses, obesity, Not proper nutrition, cervical osteochondrosis, bad habits, intoxication with drugs, alcohol or drugs, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, premature ventricular excitation syndromes. The latter are heart diseases in which there are additional impulse pathways between the atria and ventricles. You will read about these anomalies in a separate table.

Characteristics of rhythm disturbances:

Lack of complete contraction provokes acute circulatory failure and fainting.

Syndromes of premature excitation of the ventricles:

Treatment of rhythm disturbances

It consists of treating the underlying disease, adjusting diet and lifestyle. Antiarrhythmic drugs are also prescribed. Radical treatment for severe arrhythmias is the installation of a defibrillator-cardioverter, which will “set” the rhythm of the heart and prevent ventricular or atrial fibrillation. In case of conduction disturbances, electrical cardiac stimulation is possible.

Treatment of premature ventricular excitation syndromes can be symptomatic (elimination of attacks with medications) or radical (radiofrequency ablation of the abnormal conduction pathway).

Cardiomyopathies

These are myocardial diseases that cause heart failure, not associated with inflammatory processes or pathologies of the coronary arteries.

The most common are hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies. Hypertrophic is characterized by the growth of the walls of the left ventricle and the interventricular septum, dilated - by an increase in the cavity of the left and sometimes right ventricles. The first is diagnosed in 0.2% of the population. Occurs in athletes and can cause sudden cardiac death. But in this case it is necessary to carry out a thorough differential diagnosis between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and non-pathological enlargement of the heart in athletes.

Then shortness of breath, fainting, arrhythmias, and heart pain appear.

The first signs of heart disease

What are the first symptoms of heart problems?

The very first sign of incipient heart problems. Shortness of breath occurs when the heart is still slightly affected, but can no longer pump enough blood.

These are signs of vascular disorders. Edema due to heart disease begins to appear in cases where the heart can no longer cope with the increased load and decompensation occurs.

If there is circulatory failure of the heart, a pale or bluish color of the lips is noted. If the lips are completely pale, anemia (anemia) should be excluded.

If you see an obese person in front of you, you are almost guaranteed to suspect cardiovascular disease. Extra pounds are a serious additional burden on the heart.

Bluish-red cheek color may be an indicator of mitral valve dysfunction.

Red, tuberous nose with veins blood vessels allows one to suspect hypertension.

Signs of conditions requiring emergency medical attention:

superficial shortness of breath, in which the patient cannot take a full breath;
extreme pallor or abnormally red complexion;
weakly palpable but frequent pulse;
suddenly clouded vision;
the appearance of slurred speech;
the patient’s inability to respond to speech addressed to him;
loss of consciousness.

You should not ignore the feeling of discomfort in the chest, heaviness or pain behind the sternum, pain radiating to the arm, back, under the shoulder blade, throat, jaw, lack of air - these are symptoms heart attack.

Sick heart: hidden signs

The signs of a heart attack are well known to us: pain or pressure behind the sternum, shortness of breath, irregular heart rhythm, a feeling of fear, sweating, dizziness, and sometimes loss of consciousness. However, there are a number of signs by which you can suspect and prevent an attack long before an attack.

The first signs of cardiac dysfunction begin to appear several months, or even years before a heart attack. These may be the following signs.

What can pain from angina be confused with? with heartburn, with toothache, with intercostal neuralgia, with muscle pain, with pinched nerve. The test is simple: take nitroglycerin. Angina pain will significantly decrease or stop.

Periodically occurring “pains” in men over 40 years of age and in women over 45 years of age should be a reason to contact a physician for a heart check.

Feeling short of air

Shortness of breath is rapid breathing and a feeling of lack of air that occurs during physical or emotional stress, and then during everyday activities. This is a symptom of problems with either the lungs or the heart.

“Cardiac” shortness of breath most often occurs in a lying position. It happens that people with heart disease even sleep sitting or suffer from insomnia a few days before an attack.

Increased fatigue, tiredness

This symptom is noted by most women who have had a heart attack. Uncharacteristic fatigue from daily work may have been haunting them for several months before the attack, but they paid no attention to it.

65% of men diagnosed with coronary heart disease may have suffered from it for several years prior. erectile dysfunction. In women, this manifests itself as decreased libido and difficulty achieving orgasm.

If the problem with erection persists for a long time and does not depend on stress at work or physical fatigue, this is a reason to consult a therapist or cardiologist and have your heart checked.

Snoring and sleep apnea

Statistically, sleep apnea triples your risk of having a heart attack over the next 5 years. That is why difficulty breathing during sleep and snoring should not go unnoticed - these are problems that require immediate correction by a therapist. Perhaps together with a cardiologist.

Gingivitis and periodontitis

Oddly enough, gum inflammation and bleeding can also be associated with heart disease.

There are two theories to explain this fact. Firstly, with cardiovascular diseases, the blood supply to the body deteriorates, small arteries suffer, and the tissues around the tooth are very sensitive to the amount of incoming oxygen. Secondly, it is known that diseases oral cavity may be complicated by heart disease (for example, myocarditis after tonsillitis). This means bacteria causing inflammation gums, can be involved in damage to the arteries that supply the heart and in the development of inflammation in them.

When the heart stops working at full strength, the blood cannot remove waste products and fluid from the tissues. As a result, edema forms - this is a sign of heart failure. At first unnoticeable, they grow over time. Swelling can be suspected by shoes and rings. This symptom requires a mandatory examination of the heart.

Heart rhythm disturbances can appear long before an attack. Sometimes it only appears under load. A preventive ECG helps to identify it, which should be performed once a year for men after 40 years and women after 45.

People with risk factors for myocardial infarction should be especially attentive to the presence of these symptoms. These include: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, previous heart attacks from the patient himself or from relatives, smoking, diabetes. physical inactivity. obesity.

The first signs of coronary heart disease

Coronary artery disease consists of several diseases, the root cause of which is a lack of oxygen. This factor has a significant effect on the functioning of the heart muscle, as a result of which the organ loses its previous performance.

Like any other disease, ischemic disease is best prevented or treated early stages, and not run. Therefore, it is very important to be able to identify the symptoms of this disease.

Depending on the form of the disease, symptoms coronary disease hearts will be different. Many people live with the disease for several years and do not even realize that their heart muscle is experiencing an acute lack of oxygen. If you visit massage chairs several times a week. If you run in the morning, eat a hearty lunch and dinner, and do not feel discomfort in the heart area, then such coronary disease is considered asymptomatic. In most cases, a person feels some pain in the heart area, but cannot understand what is causing it.

Don't think that the pain will be constant. There are so-called peaks and troughs of coronary artery disease. This disease develops slowly, and the symptoms of the disease themselves may change over time. Sometimes it seems that the disease has receded, but in fact it has begun to develop in a different way.

The first symptoms of the disease may be pain in the back. Some people begin to feel pain in the left side of the jaw and in the left arm. If you begin to notice a rapid heartbeat and excessive sweating, you should consult a doctor. The most common symptom of the disease is pain in the left side of the chest. You may not even be able to use the massager. because you will feel his touch incredibly strongly. When overexcited or heavy loads A patient with ischemic disease experiences shortness of breath.

There is a so-called arrhythmic form of coronary artery disease, in which a person experiences a change in the frequency of contraction of the heart muscle. Most popular for this form of the disease atrial fibrillation. Interruptions in the heart, while people sometimes hardly feel it and for a long time don't pay attention to them. All the symptoms we cited above are characteristic of a moderately severe disease. If a person has started an illness, then oxygen starvation will not only cause severe pain in the heart area, but can also lead to myocardial infarction.

In the latter case, the scary thing is that after a heart attack, some of the heart muscle cells die and cannot be restored.

Heart diseases

Heart disease is one of the main causes early mortality, they account for more than 55% of all deaths. Annually from cardiovascular pathologies Almost 1.5 billion people die in the Russian Federation, many of them are not yet 55 years old. Competent prevention and timely treatment will help reduce the risk of developing dangerous diseases and avoid disability.

Heart disease is the main cause of early mortality in the population

Heart diseases

The list of pathologies of the heart and blood vessels is quite extensive; the sooner a dangerous problem is diagnosed, the easier it is to eliminate it or achieve stable remission, since many diseases are considered incurable. Without timely treatment, complications develop, the disease progresses, and everything can end in death.

The most common cardiac pathologies are rhythm disturbances and heart rate deviations from the norm. Develop when available excess weight, cervical osteochondrosis, severe intoxication with alcohol and drugs. Other cardiovascular diseases can provoke tachycardia, ventricular or atrial fibrillation, and extrasystole.

Blood pressure is closely related to the normal functioning of the heart; with chronic hypertension, hypertensive heart disease develops.

Cardiac ischemia

IHD - organic lesions in adults develop when there is a deterioration in the blood supply to the myocardium due to poor condition vessels. The main cause of the disease is atherosclerotic plaques, thrombosis, which develops when addicted to junk food. The disease can be a consequence of smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, and hypertension. ICD-10 code – I 20–25.

Types and symptoms of IHD

· anginal – pressing, burning pain, radiating to the left limb and part of the face, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, the attack can last a day, Nitroglycerin does not improve the condition;

· Asthmatic – an asthma attack occurs, the person lacks air, the skin and mucous membranes become bluish, and the heartbeat increases;

· arrhythmic – pressure decreases, heart rate increases, loss of consciousness;

· abdominal – symptoms are similar to problems of the digestive system, pain is localized in the upper abdomen, accompanied by vomiting and nausea;

Cerebrovascular – numbness of limbs, fainting, vomiting

Chronic heart failure

CHF develops when a worn-out heart does not pump blood well, the reasons for the development of this condition are hypertension, inflammatory processes, deterioration of blood vessels. You can see what the organ looks like with this disease in the photo. ICD-10 code – I 50.

Healthy heart and heart with chronic failure

Stages and symptoms of the disease:

At the initial stage, mild left ventricular failure occurs, blood circulation is not impaired, and there are no signs of pathology.
Stage 2A – blood circulation in the pulmonary circle is impaired, the left ventricle increases in size. Shortness of breath appears nonproductive cough, severe swelling legs, pulse increases even with minimal exertion, mucous membranes acquire a bluish tint.
Stage 2B – pathological changes are observed in both circles of the affected organ. Shortness of breath and arrhythmia bother a person even at rest, aching heart pain occurs, the mucous membranes turn blue, cardiac asthma develops, the limbs and abdomen swell, the liver increases in size.
At the third stage, irreversible pathological changes develop in the heart, lungs, kidneys and blood vessels, and symptoms of concomitant diseases join the main signs of the disease. Drug therapy is ineffective and requires surgical intervention.

Acquired defects of the heart clans

The disease can be congenital; an acquired heart defect develops against the background of chronic heart diseases, inflammatory processes, and poor lifestyle. ICD-10 code – congenital defects – Q20–26, acquired – I34–37.

Types and signs of acquired valve pathologies:

Artery stenosis. At the initial stage, the disease is asymptomatic and can only be detected during examination. As the pathology develops, fainting appears, signs of a decrease in systolic arterial parameters, and the skin becomes pale.
Aortic valve insufficiency. The disease is accompanied by frequent attacks of suffocation, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and decreased diastolic pressure.
Mitral stenosis. Pain in the heart rarely appears, the liver and the size of the abdomen increase, the limbs swell, shortness of breath, the voice becomes hoarse.
Mitral valve insufficiency. Pain in the sternum is aching character, nonproductive cough, asthma, shortness of breath.

Heart diseases are inherited - if relatives in the ascending line have similar problems, the risk of developing pathology in a child increases by 25%.

In the early stages of arterial stenosis, the disease occurs without symptoms.

Congenital heart defects

The causes of congenital heart defects are influenza and rubella in a woman during pregnancy, diabetes mellitus, rheumatism, pathologies thyroid gland, taking strong medications, poor environment.

What are the names and manifestations of pathologies:

Mitral valve prolapse is a congenital pathology; in some people it occurs without any special symptoms; deviations from the norm can only be noticed during an examination. Other patients experience nausea, frequent increases in temperature to subfebrile levels, a feeling of a lump in the throat, pain in the sternum, and increased fatigue.
Ebstein's anomaly - rare congenital disease, accompanied by tachycardia, fainting, and enlarged veins in the neck. Surgical correction is required.
Defects in interatrial septum– the first signs in the form of weakness, shortness of breath may appear after 40 years, CHF gradually develops.
Ventricular septal defects – with a small defect size, only shortness of breath appears during physical exertion. If the defect is large, then breathing problems occur even at rest, pain in the sternum, and an unproductive cough appear.
Eisenmenger complex. The main sign of pathology is the presence of blood clots in the sputum, blue discoloration of the skin, and additionally symptoms of CHF appear.
Tetralogy of Fallot is a serious fatal disease, accompanied by blue discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes; children are stunted in growth, physical and mental development, they often have convulsions, arterial hypotension, CHF develops. Every second child with a similar pathology does not live to be three years old, in in rare cases– up to 13–15 years old.
Patent ductus arteriosus - the pathology can occur without any special symptoms; with age, symptoms of heart failure appear, and diastolic pressure readings decrease.

For most congenital pathologies the only one effective method therapy - surgery.

Mitral valve prolapse is a congenital disease

Inflammatory pathologies

Occur when bacteria, viruses, fungi enter the body, can be caused by rheumatism or poisoning with toxic substances, depending on the type of pathogen they select antibacterial drugs. Most often develop as a complication of tuberculosis, syphilis, long-term colds. ICD-10 code – I 30–52.

Types and signs of cardiac inflammatory processes:

Endocarditis – in the background high temperature and heavy sweating, the condition of the valves quickly deteriorates, throbbing pain in the heart appears, noises are heard, and an enlargement of some internal organs is observed. Characteristic symptom– hemorrhages in the eyes and under the nails due to increased fragility of blood vessels, the first phalanges of the fingers become thicker.
Myocarditis - the disease can manifest itself in the form of heart failure or tachycardia, accurate diagnosis The doctor will diagnose after receiving the results of a blood test for specific cardiac enzymes.
Pericarditis - unproductive cough, pain in the sternum and right hypochondrium, rapid heartbeat, weakness.
Rheumatic heart disease occurs if, against the background of pharyngitis or tonsillitis, inflammatory processes begin in the connective tissues. Pathology leads to the development of heart disease.

Myocarditis - inflammation of the heart muscle

Which doctor should I contact?

If you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, numbness in the limbs, changes in skin color, or frequent attacks of dizziness, you should visit a cardiologist - this specialist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular pathologies.

If necessary, consultation with a cardiac surgeon, endocrinologist will help, in emergency cases timely assistance an emergency physician can provide.

If you have heart problems, you should consult a cardiologist

Diagnosis of heart disease

Modern medicine makes it possible to identify any pathologies of the heart and blood vessels. The doctor can make the initial diagnosis after interviewing and examining the patient, listening carefully to the heart and measuring blood pressure. But in order to accurately understand the cause of the disease and draw up a detailed clinical picture, you will need to undergo a comprehensive examination.

An ECG is one of the simplest and fastest examination methods that allows us to identify most heart diseases. If prescribed by a doctor, an ECG can be done with drug tests, hyperventilation or orthostatic load.
Holter monitoring uses a special device to record the work of the heart throughout the day.
Stress testing - an ECG is done while the patient is working on a cardio machine, allows you to identify tolerance physical activity, compliance of endurance with indicators of a healthy heart.
EPI (electrophysiological study) - small electrodes are inserted into the veins, arteries or directly into the heart chambers, which makes it possible to determine the nature of heart rhythm disturbances.
Ultrasound or echocardiography of the heart - a three-dimensional image allows you to see the degree of deterioration of the heart, functional and morphological changes in the organ.
X-ray – the images show the size and condition of the heart tissue.
CT scan allows you to recognize anatomical abnormalities in the structure of the heart and coronary vessels, a contrast agent is first administered intravenously.
MRI allows you to obtain a high-quality image of the organs of the cardiovascular system, but the procedure is complex and expensive, and has many absolute contraindications.
Radionuclide research - radioactive tracers are administered to the patient through a vein, their radiation is recorded special device, the picture is displayed on the screen. The procedure is performed in the presence of heart pain of unknown pathogenesis.

MRI is one of the types of heart diagnostics

To accurately assess the condition of the heart muscle and blood vessels, the doctor can insert catheters into a vein or artery, and their progress is recorded using continuous X-ray imaging. One of the new diagnostic methods is positron emission tomography, which allows you to see areas with poor blood supply, traces of heart attacks, and ischemia. But because high cost This diagnostic method is used only in extreme cases.

Methods for treating heart disease

Therapy of cardiovascular diseases is a long process, often medicines you have to accept it for the rest of your life. In advanced forms of pathology and their rapid progression, surgical intervention will be required.

Medicines

Used to improve the condition of the heart and blood vessels various groups medications, their choice depends on the diagnosis, age of the patient, and severity of the disease.

List of effective heart medications:

Warfarin normalizes blood clotting

Surgical methods

In the absence of positive dynamics during drug therapy, a sharp deterioration in condition, a worn-out heart, ischemia, heart attack, acute heart failure, a person will require surgical intervention to eliminate pathologies.

Types of cardiac surgical interventions:

Installation of artificial valves and pacemakers is carried out in case of myocardial valve insufficiency.
The operation according to the Glenn and Ross method is used to eliminate congenital defects in children, which allows the child to lead a full life in the future.
Coronary artery bypass surgery - during the operation an additional vessel is sewn in, which allows you to restore normal blood circulation in clogged arteries.
Arterial stenting - a stent is placed into the lumen of the heart vessels, which looks like a spring. The operation is indicated for infarction, ischemia, accumulation cholesterol plaques in vessels.
Radiofrequency ablation is the least traumatic surgery, allows you to eliminate heart failure and arrhythmia.

Coronary artery bypass grafting allows normalization of blood flow in the heart

Surgical interventions are mandatory for congenital and acquired heart defects, modern technologies allow this treatment method to be used even for small children.

Validol is not a cardiac drug; the medicine has mild sedative effect, therefore, it will help eliminate pain only if it arose from nerves.

Possible complications

Any heart problems even with timely treatment can cause serious complications that cause complete or partial disability and death.

Consequences of heart disease:

heart attack;
cerebral stroke;
acute heart failure;
chronic hypertension;
embolism of large arteries.

If left untreated, heart disease can cause a stroke

Prevention of heart disease

In the prevention of cardiovascular pathologies great importance has proper nutrition, it is necessary to include wholemeal bread and other high-fiber foods in the diet every day - this will help cleanse the blood vessels of cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

How to prevent heart disease:

minimize the consumption of foods high in fat, sugar, and salt;
replace animal fats with vegetable oils;
eat more fruits and vegetables - they contain everything essential vitamins and microelements that support normal work heart muscle, the most useful are pumpkin, pomegranate, broccoli, dried apricots, viburnum;
sea fish and seafood contain fatty acids that have a beneficial effect on the condition of blood vessels and the heart;
give up bad habits, even passive smoking negatively affects the state of the cardiovascular system;
avoid stress - the ability to relax and meditate will help you maintain calm and make it easier to endure difficulties;
monitor blood counts, undergo preventive examinations in a timely manner;
drink unboiled purified water - when boiled, the calcium content decreases, which provokes the development of cardiovascular pathologies;
get rid of excess weight.

An active lifestyle will help maintain a healthy heart for a long time. Cardio training with the right load perfectly strengthens the cardiovascular and respiratory system. Daily hiking, good sleep, favorite hobby - all these factors have a beneficial effect on health.

To prevent cardiovascular diseases, every woman over 40 years of age needs to take a course of calcium and magnesium supplements twice a year.

It is useful for a person at any age to know the signs of a healthy heart - endurance, good work capacity, absence of shortness of breath after moderate physical exertion, pulse, blood pressure, normal weight, chest pain does not occur. If such symptoms are not all present, it is necessary to visit a cardiologist, undergo examination every 2 years, and after 60 years - annually.

You want your heart to be healthy and work properly. Don't be lazy to strengthen your heart muscle.

What is good for the heart?

1. Proper diet. The heart loves B vitamins, which improve fat metabolism. There are many of them in grains, meat and offal. And also vitamins C (citrus fruits, berries) and P (tomatoes, buckwheat, cabbage), which strengthen blood vessels. In addition, the heart constantly needs iodine - there is a lot of it in seafood.

2. Movement. The heart muscle is strengthened by regular exercise. For example, running, swimming, yoga, and walking in the fresh air.

3. Stability. First of all, in emotions - stress wears out the heart twice as fast. It is important not to get upset over little things and learn to “make lemonade out of lemons.”

4. Healthy sleep and rest. Chronic fatigue and constant lack of sleep harms cardiovascular system. Therefore, try to sleep at least 8 hours a day, follow a diet (do not skip lunch in favor of accumulated work) and rest for at least 1.5 hours after working day before starting household chores.

5. Breakfast. Experts say people who don't eat breakfast are at much higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Skipping breakfast changes your metabolism and your body begins to store fat. As a rule, the body tends to take up the calories it doesn’t receive in the morning, and in excess, through unhealthy high-calorie and fatty foods.

What harms the heart

Excess weight. Creates additional stress on the heart. Heart attack fat people happens 4 times more often, regardless of age.

Smoking. Smoking a cigarette narrows the arteries, increases the heart rate and burns vitamin C. In addition, nicotine promotes the formation of blood clots.

Alcohol. Causes a sharp expansion and then narrowing of blood vessels, which wears out the heart.

Foods with cholesterol. As a rule, these are semi-finished products, fast food and fatty animal products. Excess cholesterol is deposited in blood vessels, preventing normal blood flow.

Sometimes they ask how many times to repeat the exercises - 5, 7, 10? It is almost impossible to give such a recipe, especially in absentia, without knowing the gender, age and health status of the person. Even the attending physician, who knows his patient, can only give a very approximate answer. Imagine that today you woke up with a headache and malaise. Then even the usual number of exercises, which you could do just yesterday, will become excessive and will not bring any benefit. Therefore, each time you should focus on your well-being, the body’s capabilities and remember that too few repetitions will be insufficient, but too many can be disastrous.

One of the patients shared his misfortune: “Being absolutely healthy, I decided to take up athletic gymnastics. But, despite the fact that I still have strength, I was able to do three classes: pain appeared in the joints, my left leg was swollen, my arms were working with difficulty, and I was worried about periodic strong pain in the area of the heart." You see, even practically healthy man, if you immediately start with maximum loads, it can undermine your health: shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and pain in the heart will appear... What to do?

We must adhere to the principle of gradualism. Let us remember the popular saying: “Everything is medicine, everything is poison, you just need moderation.” But this measure is different for everyone, and no one can measure it more accurately than the person himself. Therefore, each of us should strive to understand ourselves more deeply, listen to what our own body tells us, and identify all its reserve capabilities.

An important question that a person must answer for himself is why his heart got sick and refused to work. Of course, if the disease is congenital, that’s one thing. But why, being healthy at birth, did the heart become sick?

Based on new knowledge about the role of skeletal muscle in blood circulation, it can be said that in most cases the heart becomes! unreliable in those people who from birth were brought up in conditions of reduced motor activity - destructive hypokinesia, which led to underdevelopment of the heart's assistants - skeletal muscles, and it began to wear out faster and be susceptible to diseases.

Skeletal muscles have long been considered organs of movement, labor and sports. And in relation to blood circulation, they were listed only as consumers. Indeed, when working, they consume 60-80 times more blood than at rest. Isn't this a noticeable burden on the heart? Following this logic, motor rest should be protective for him. He got it wide use V medical practice. But it turned out to be by no means protective, but, on the contrary, destructive, because a decrease in motor activity, and even more so motor rest, leads to a weakening of the micropumping function of skeletal muscles, and the heart, deprived of its helpers, has to strain unnecessarily. This is why early optimal motor activity and physiotherapy, which are prescribed taking into account the nature of the disease and the capabilities of the patient’s body, are increasingly used in cardiological practice. According to clinicians, patients who have suffered a myocardial infarction recover faster the sooner they begin to move.

The heart must be protected just as we all strive to protect the nature around us and correctly use its resources and wealth. A person can control the work of the heart and the tone of blood vessels only indirectly with the help of skeletal muscles obedient to his will. The following exercises will help with this. It is with them that I would advise starting a complex of morning exercises.

So first thing exercise - training thoracic, abdominal and diaphragmatic pumps. Sit on a stool or ottoman and fasten your socks. Turn your torso to the right, to the left, lean back until horizontal position and sit down again. At the same time, they are rhythmically squeezed and massaged internal organs; Deposited formed elements of blood - red blood cells and leukocytes - are released from the liver and spleen into the bloodstream.

The second exercise is squats, hands on knees. They serve as an excellent muscle workout lower limbs. To facilitate filling of the heart venous blood It is advisable to keep the torso in a horizontal position when squats.

The third exercise is training the skeletal muscles of the arms. Do a wide variety of movements: raising your arms to the sides, circular movements in the shoulder and elbow joints, flexion and extension at the elbows. Men can do all of these exercises with dumbbells. If you don’t have dumbbells, you can do push-ups while standing on the wall or lying on the floor.

The fourth exercise is self-massage of the neck, base of the skull and head, and ears.
The fifth exercise is self-massage of the legs and arms, starting from the periphery towards the heart. To those who suffer varicose veins veins, thrombophlebitis, skin diseases, self-massage is contraindicated.
The sixth exercise is walking.

The seventh exercise is jogging.
All exercises must be done in the given sequence. You need to start with several repetitions and gradually, carefully increase their number to 100 or more times, but provided that there are no discomfort in the area of the heart. This means that the skeletal muscles switch to self-sufficiency in blood, and in this state, instead of being “dependents” of the heart, they become its excellent helpers, making it easier to work and giving the opportunity to improve itself.

Having done the complex in the morning, you can be sure that almost all the heart’s assistants have started working, facilitating its activity. But after some time, the peripheral “hearts” must again be activated by these exercises, preferably several times a day.
The achieved level of fitness, volume and intensity of movements must be constantly maintained, because with long breaks the micropumping function of skeletal muscles decreases and everything will have to start all over again.

People who work in conditions of professional hypokinesia (in particular those who spend the whole day at a desk, driving a car, on an assembly line, etc.) need to move more and use every opportunity to do so. For example, in city transport it is better not to sit down, but to stand, balance your whole body and force your muscles to work. If you live high in a multi-story building, try walking first to the second or third floor, and then take the elevator further. After a while - to the fourth, fifth floor, etc. Soon you will be convinced that it is easy for you to climb the stairs. Here you have the necessary daily training of heart assistants without gyms and sports facilities. And if, even as you approach the house, you begin to breathe deeply, saturating your blood with oxygen, then shortness of breath when climbing the stairs will begin to occur less quickly, and subsequently it will not occur at all.

The main thing is to believe in yourself, in the inexhaustible hidden capabilities of your body, understand the ways and means of restructuring and improving your lifestyle and use this knowledge to improve health, longevity and active creative activity.