For Your Heart
February is Heart Month
Each day the average heart beats 100,000 times and pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood. In a 70-year lifetime, an average human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times.
Getting to the Heart of the Matter
Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is a change in the normal sequence of electrical impulses causing the heart to beat too fast, too slowly, or erratically. When the heart doesn’t beat properly, it can’t pump blood effectively. When the heart doesn’t pump blood effectively, the lungs, brain and all other organs can’t work properly and may shut down or be damaged.
Atrial fibrillation (also called AFib or AF) is a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to stroke and other heart-related complications. Some people refer to AF as a quivering heart.
“Some patients say their heart is doing flip-flops, skips beats, or feels like it’s banging against the chest wall,” says Dr. SatishKohli, cardiologist and internal medicine physician. “Others complain of being nauseated, light-headed and weak. And others have no symptoms at all. Their AF was discovered during a regular check-up.”
Normally, the heart contracts and relaxes to a regular beat. In atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat irregularly (quiver) instead of beating effectively to move blood into the ventricles. About 15 to 20% of people who have strokes have this heart arrhythmia.
“It’s the most common heart rhythm abnormality in people over the age of 65,” says Dr. Kohli. “Untreated atrial fibrillation doubles the risk of heart-related deaths and causes a four to five-fold increased risk for stroke.”
Heart Failure
Heart failure sounds like the heart is no longer working. Actually, it means the heart isn’t pumping as well as it should.
“The heart pumps blood to the lungs and the body’s tissues by a sequence of highly organized contractions of its four chambers,” says Dr. Mazen Al-Hamwy, cardioloist and internal medicine physician.
“With heart failure, the heart muscle can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs,” say Dr. Al-Hamwy. “Basically, the heart can’t keep up with its workload.”
The heart tries to make up for this by:
♥ Enlarging – stretching and contracting more strongly to pump more blood.
♥ Developing more muscle mass – as the contracting cells of the heart get bigger, the heart pumps more strongly, at least initially.
♥ Pumping faster – in order to increase the heart’s output.
The body also tries to compensate:
♥ The blood vessels narrow to keep blood pressure up to try to make up for the heart’s loss of power.
♥ The body diverts blood away from less important tissues and organs.
“These temporary measures mask the problem of heart failure, but they don’t solve it,” says Dr. Al-Hamwy. “Eventually the heart and body just can’t keep up, and the person experiences fatigue, breathing problems and impaired thinking.”
Peripheral Artery Disease
PAD is a narrowing of the peripheral arteries, most commonly in the arteries of the pelvis and legs. “PAD is similar to coronary artery disease and carotid artery disease,” says Dr. MohamadMahayni, interventional cardiologist. “All three of these conditions are caused by narrowed and blocked arteries in various critical regions of the body.
“PAD is usually caused by atherosclerosis in the peripheral arteries (or outer regions away from the heart),” says Dr. Mahayni. “Plaque formations can grow large enough to significantly reduce blood flow. When a plaque formation becomes brittle or inflamed, it may rupture, triggering a blood clot to form. A clot may either further narrow the artery, or completely block it.”
If the blockage remains, it can cause pain, changes in skin color, sores orulcers and difficulty walking.
The most common symptoms of PAD are cramping, pain or tiredness in the leg or hip muscles while walking or climbing stairs. Typically, this pain goes away with rest and returns when you walk again.
“People with peripheral arterial disease have four to five times more risk of heart attack or stroke,” says Dr. Mahayni.
“The more you understand, the more likely you’ll be able to help your healthcare professional make an early diagnosis and start treatment.”
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease is a condition in which plaque builds up inside the arteries.
“Over time, the plaque hardens and narrows your arteries,” says Dr. Kohli. “This limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle.”
“Eventually, the plaque can rupture, causing a blood clot to form, which can block blood flow through a coronary artery,” says Dr. Al-Hamwy.
“If the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle is reduced or blocked, angina or a heart attack may occur,” he says.
Angina may feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest. The pain also may occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It may even feel like indigestion.
“If blood flow isn’t restored quickly, the section of the heart muscle begins to die,” says Dr. Mahayni. “Without quick treatment, a heart attack can lead to serious problems and even death.
Ten Tips to a Great Plate
Coronary artery disease is a condition in which plaque builds up inside the arteries.
♥ Balance calories.To find out how many calories YOU need for a day, go to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov
♥ Enjoy your food, but eat less. Eating too fast or when your attention is elsewhere may lead to eating too many calories.
♥ Avoid oversized portions.Use a smaller plate, bowl and glass. When eating out, choose a smaller size option, share a dish or take home part of your meal.
♥ Foods to eat more often. Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or 1% milk and dairy products. Make them the basis for meals and snacks.
♥ Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Choose red, orange, and dark-green vegetables like tomatoes, sweet potatoes and broccoli. Add fruit to meals as part of main or side dishes or as dessert.
♥ Switch to fat-free or 1% milk. Both have fewer calories and less saturated fat.
♥ Make half your grains whole grains. Substitute whole-wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white.
♥ Foods to eat less often. Use cakes, cookies, ice cream,candies, sweetened drinks, pizza, and fatty meats like ribs, sausages, bacon and hot dogs as occasional treats, not everyday foods.
♥ Compare sodium in foods. Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose lower sodium versions of foods like soup, bread and frozen meals.
♥ Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Soda, energy drinks and sports drinks are a major source of added sugar and calories.
For more information go to www.choosemyplate.gov and click on the 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series.
The average American gets about 3,400 mg of sodium a day — much more than the recommended 2,300 mg.
Source:www.nhlbi.nih.gov