Heart Problems – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Working of Heart:

The heart is the very important organ in our body and pumps blood to all the systems through the arteries of our body. The blood is passed through the arterial vessels which are elastic in nature.

Blood pressure

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the vessels’ walls. There are two types of blood pressure:

Types of Blood Pressure

1. Systolic blood pressure
2. Diastolic blood pressure

Systolic blood pressure:

Systolic blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the arterial walls during contraction of the heart.

Diastolic blood pressure:

Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the heart during expansive phase. The blood pressure is increased normally during emotion, excitement and anger. It gets lower during sleep and while taking rest. Blood pressure varies from person to person and also with age, sex, mental and physical work of an individual.

Hypertension

Hypertension may be due to thickening of the arterial wall (arterio sclerosis) especially in old age or may be due to stress and strain. Disorder of kidneys may also leads to hypertension.

Symptoms of Hypertension:

• Heaviness, discomfort, oppression or chest pain, which may be localised or radiate to the left arm.
• Chest pain may intensify on exertion and after meals.
• Recent undue breathlessness after climbing two flights of stairs.
• Sudden fatigue after exercise.
• Palpitation.
• Rapid or irregular heart beats.
• Sudden weakness or numbness in the upper or lower or both extremities.
• Fainting or coma or loss of speech or slurring of words.
• Headache and is not relieved by any analgesics like aspirin and any other common drug.
• Blurred vision or impaired hearing.
• Transient attacks of giddiness which comes when the head is suddenly turned to one side.

Causes of Hypertension:

The exact cause is not known but it is thought to be due to mental exertion or worries, too much fat accumulation, over weight and excessive drinking of alcohol and high salt intake may be the reasons. A sudden fall may cause fainting and low perfusion ischemic injury to the heart tissues. Abrupt swings in the blood pressure are dangerous as it can rupture vessels in the retina of the eye or brain and also cause overburdened heart to fail and leads to heart failure. So blood pressure above 150/90 and below 120/70 should be treated and requires medical attention. The normal blood pressure is 120/80.

Treatment for Hypertension:

The treatment is based on the strict regimen that includes control on diets, exercise and drugs and plants.