Heart disease is a broad term that includes several more specific heart conditions. The most common condition is coronary heart disease (CHD), which occurs, when the coronary arteries, that supply blood to the heart muscle, become hardened and narrowed due to the plaque build- up. Plaques are a mixture of fatty substances including cholesterol and other lipids. Blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart can be reduced or even fully blocked with a growing plaque.
What happens in CHD?
In some people, the first sign of CHD is heart attack. A person is likely to experience one of the below or all symptoms or signs:
1. Chest discomfort in the form of pain, or uneasiness or tightness or fullness.
2. Shortness of breath.
3. Discomfort in the other areas of the upper body, which include pain in one or both the arms, the back, the neck, the jaw area or in the stomach.
4. Cold sweating
5. Feeling nausea
6. Light-headedness
The risk factors for CHD are:
1. High blood pressure
2. Obesity
3. High blood cholesterol levels
4. Alcohol.
5. Tobacco smoking
6. High fat diet
7. Physical inactivity.
8. Stress and strain.
Prevention of Coronary heart Disease:
1. Control of cholesterol levels.
2. be physically active
3. Keeping blood sugars under control
4. Diet control
5. Avoid-alcohol, smoking and tobacco use in any other form.
6. Meditation to avoid stress and strain.
Bypass surgery: when should be done?
It is reported that out of 5 deaths that are occurring daily one is due to heart attack( which is also known as Myocardial infarction).
This heart disease is treated either by, Angioplasty or Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and supply to heart is restored.
Indications for bypass surgery:
1. When treatment with medicines is not possible,
2. When main coronary artery (which supply blood to heart) on the left side is closed 70% or more.
3. In chronic diabetic patients (for them Angioplasty is not suitable),
4. In those patients, where there is block in the three coronary arteries.
Method:
Now the latest procedure is “Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting”. In this method there is no necessity to open the heart and with the help of one or two openings operation will be done. It is possible only when there is one block only.
But when there are two or more blocks in the arteries, surgeons will do operation in the conventional method by opening the heart.
There is no guarantee that heart attack will not reoccur later on once the bypass operation is performed, hence the patient should take the following precautions.
Patient should take the drugs regularly and should undergo periodical checkups. He should not carry heavy loads.
He/she should avoid constipation and situations that cause stress and strain and also other factors that cause heart attacks.
Walking is the best form of exercise. 30-45 minutes of walking is enough.
Avoid non- vegetarian food like mutton etc also it is good to take less amount of fats in the diet, Yoga and meditation are good to do but no sexual activity at least for two months after the surgery.
If the patient follows the above precautions scrupulously, life span will be prolonged minimum for 10-15 years.
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