Common Heart Conditions and Their Treatment

Heart attack is one of the most common reasons for Emergency Services to be activated. Though the classical picture of a person clutching his chest and collapsing is familiar to most of us, it need not come on in so dramatic a manner.

Generally there are multiple indicators that a person may suffer an. These could be either presence of risk factors or certain symptoms. Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking, sedentary lifestyle are some of the risk factors. The usual early symptom which indicates high chances of getting a heart attack (In Frenchattaque cardiaque) is chest pain occurring during activity. The chest pain is typically in the middle of the chest and may radiate towards the left arm or the neck; it is usually relieved by rest.

When an attack does occur, the person experiences a severe crushing or constricting deep ache in the middle of the chest, which may or may not radiate, accompanied by drenching sweats, and a sense of impending doom. Less commonly, the person may also experience dizziness, breathlessness and palpitations.

The right thing to do in these circumstances would be to notify the Emergency Services and then see if the person has any heart medication with him. If he has, it is advisable to crush a tablet each of Aspirin and Sorbitrate and spread it inside his mouth. These tablets are useful for reducing the severity of the attack and the pain. Applying them on the lining of the mouth helps in rapid absorption.

The most common cause of heart failure (In French insuffisance cardiaque) is prior heart attack. Because of the attack, the ability of the heart to respond to stress is reduced. Hence, when the person exerts himself physically, the heart fails to keep up with the additional pumping requirements. Consequently the person becomes symptomatic.

The most common symptoms of heart failure are breathlessness, becoming fatigued easily and dizziness; and are usually brought on by physical activity. Over a period of time, there may be swelling around the ankle and inability to sleep at night due to breathlessness and cough.

Normally, these manifestations do not come on so suddenly as to require emergency attention. The management of heart failure is based on optimization of heart function and adjusting lifestyle to compensate for the reduced reserve.