A type of heart disorder that affects the heart or blood vessels. Sometimes the term ‘heart diseases is also used as a similar name for coronary artery disease. The most common heart disease is coronary artery disease in which the coronary arteries get narrowed or blocked, it can lead to chest pain, stroke or heart attack. Unlike cardiovascular disease that affects any part of the circulatory system, heart disease only affects the heart. The risk of having heart disease may be increased by smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, and obesity.
There are several different types of heart diseases that affect the heart in different ways:
Coronary Artery Diseases
When the arteries supplying blood to the heart become clogged with plaque, it is known as coronary heart disease. This causes the arteries to harden and narrow. This results in reduced blood flow that may cause chest pain, a warning sign of possible heart problems such as heart attack. Plaque contains cholesterol and other substances. As a result the blood supply reduces and the heart receives less oxygen and fewer nutrients. It may also trap small blood clots, entirely blocking the coronary artery that suddenly results in a heart attack. Atherosclerosis is a condition in which plaque develops up in the arteries.
Congenital Heart Defects
A congenital heart defect is a heart defect that is present from birth. It is a defect in the development of the heart as an organ that is usually first noticed at birth although some are not found until adulthood. There are many different forms of congenital heart issues; some may not even require treatment, while others may require surgery. Types of congenital heart defects are:
- Abnormal heart valves: It may not open properly or leak blood.
- Septal defects: There is a hole in the wall between either the lower chambers or in the upper chambers of the heart.
- Atresia: In this one of the heart valves is missing.
Congenital heart defects put patients at higher risk to develop arrhythmias, heart failure, heart valve infections and other problems. Congenital heart disease can involve major structural issues, such as the absence of ventricles and problems with the main arteries that leave the heart. Many congenital cardiac defects have no symptoms and are only diagnosed during a normal medical examination. Heart murmurs are common in youngsters, according to the American Heart Association, however, only some of them are caused by a deficiency.
Arrhythmia:
Arrhythmia refers to an irregular heartbeat, patients who are suffering from this have abnormally fast heartbeats or slow heartbeats. Patients may be experiencing irregular electrical impulses. They may also experience fatigue, difficulty breathing, and anxiety.
There are various types of arrhythmia:
- Tachycardia: It refers to a rapid heartbeat.
- Bradycardia: It refers to a slow heartbeat.
- Premature Contractions: It refers to an early heartbeat.
- Atrial Fibrillation: It refers to a type of irregular heartbeat.
The ability of the heart to pump blood can be disrupted, slowed, or even stopped by arrhythmias. A person may feel like having a fluttering or a racing heart. Minor alterations in the heart are not cause for worry, but if they persist, therapy will be required since they can damage the heart’s function. But, in some cases arrhythmias can even be life-threatening.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
In this the heart chambers become dilated that means the heart muscle stretches and becomes thinner. The most common cause of dilated cardiomyopathy are prior heart attacks, arrhythmias and toxins. The heart weakens and loses its ability to adequately pump blood. Heart arrhythmia, blood clots, and cardiac failure are all potential risks.
Myocardial Infarction
It is also known as heart attack and involves an interruption of the blood flow to the heart. This can harm or kill a portion of the heart muscle. Most common cause of heart attack is plaque, a blood clot or both in a coronary artery.It can also arise if an artery shrinks or contracts abruptly.
Heart Failure
If a person experiences heart failure then his heart still works but not as well as it should. Congestive heart failure is a type of heart failure that results from untreated coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, arrhythmias and other conditions. These conditions can affect the ability of the heart to pump properly.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
This disease likely develops when a genetic issue attacks the heart muscle. It tends to be an inherited condition. In this, the walls of the muscle thicken and contraction becomes harder. This affects the heart’s ability to pump out blood. In some cases, an obstruction can occur. There may be no symptoms to detect it and many people don’t receive a diagnosis. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, on the other hand, can deteriorate over time and lead to a variety of cardiac problems. Any person with a family history of this condition should ask for screening as receiving treatment can help them prevent any complications. The main reason behind the death among athletes and people aged under 35 years, according to AHA.
Beta-Blocker
Beta-blockers are one of the most widely prescribed classes of drugs to treat hypertension and are a base treatment of congestive heart failure. This is a class of medication used to block the effects of stress hormones such as adrenaline on the heart. It slows the heart rate thereby decreasing the heart’s demand for oxygen. Long-term use of beta-blockers helps manage chronic heart failure.
Beta Blockers are used to treat :
- Glaucoma
- Anxiety
- Certain types of tremors
- Hyperthyroidism
- Migraine headaches
Often prescribed for these heart conditions:
- High blood pressure
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Angina
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
Beta-blockers cannot be prescribed to the person having asthma or COPD because they may make breathing symptoms worse. If a person has heart failure and severe lung congestion it will be treated first then only a doctor can prescribe a beta-blocker.
How Does A Beta-Blocker Work
Beta-blockers are also called beta-adrenergic blocking substances. Different types of beta-blockers work differently. The ability of the heart to relax is improved substantially by these drugs. Heartbeat will beat slower and less forcefully when beta-blockers are working. This helps in reducing blood pressure and alleviating irregular heart rhythms. A few beta-blockers just damage the heart, whereas others have an impact on both the heart and the blood arteries. Beta-blockers can be prescribed even if you have few symptoms of heart problems or heart failures. These medications improve the heart’s ability to beat.
Benefits of beta-blockers
Beta-blockers even have health benefits outside of helping the heart. They defend bones by stopping calcium from being excreted in urine by the kidneys. These drugs block stress hormones that could otherwise cause bone thinning over time. Beta-blockers aren’t the first-line treatment for thinning bones or osteoporosis. Strong bones may be an extra benefit of taking these medications.
Side effects of beta-blockers
If a person has asthma and takes this beta-blocker then it can trigger asthma attacks. As beta-blockers can affect the control of blood sugar, they are not usually recommended to people with diabetes. To get the specific medicine for it you can order your online diabetes medication.
Side effects of beta-blockers can vary from person to person. Many people experience:
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Constipation
- Digestive problems
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Cold hands
In some rare cases people may experience:
- Shortness of breath
- Having trouble sleeping
- Decrease libido
- Depression
If someone takes a larger dose than recommended, they may experience:
- Breathing difficulty
- Having changes in vision
- Dizziness
- Irregular heartbeats
- Confusion
Beta-blockers are often taken with meals, though they will come with special instructions. If you take them with the food you may have fewer side effects because your body absorbs the drug slower. Take your medication as prescribed. Even if you think your beta-blocker isn’t working, don’t stop taking it without first talking to your doctor. It can worsen angina and cause hearing loss if you stop taking it