Information About Coronary Atherosclerosis

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Atherosclerosis is a chronic physical process wherein fatty deposits buildup as plaques oddly usually  in the walls of the coronary arteries and at times, in other veins in the body, causing inflammation. As this fatty component buildup, it forms a big clusters blocking the opening of the veins, causing obstructions in the blood flow.

When this happens, the heart does not get enough supply of oxygen and blood resulting to impaired functioning and tissue death. If the obstructions totally block the opening of the vein, there is a great chance that the heart will stop working, leading to heart attack.

The risk factors for this condition include gender, old age, genes, conditions like hypertension, diabetes, a high level of total cholesterol and hypercholesterolemia . Other risk factors include smoking or vulnerability to secondhand smoke, weight and sedentary lifestyles. Emotional stresses like aggression, anger, depression, and nervousness are thought to increase the risks of individuals to developing coronary artery disease.

In early stages of atherosclerosis, Symptoms are not that evident. In late stages of this condition, common signs include chronic chest pain and feeling of pressure which will gradually ascend towards the neck and jaws. Dyspnea and nausea may also be experienced. Some claim to have had cold sweats and feeling of fatigue.

To diagnose this condition, doctors may recommend a person to get tested for their cholesterol levels. Blood tests for triglycerides, glucose and protein are also done. Other tests include ECG, stress test, ultrasound,positron emission tomography, and MRI. These are necessary to see whether the heart’s rhythm is normal and if it is functioning correctly.

Depending on the severity of coronary atherosclerosis, treatment may range from lifestyle changes to surgeries. Risk factors should be corrected to help prevent the advancing of the condition and at some point, reverse it, since most of these risk factors are possible to regulate. Stopping vices such as smoking is necessary, same goes with avoiding secondhand smoke. People who have hypertension can manage the problem through proper diet and medication. Drugs, specifically Statins, have been proven to work miracles in treating and preventing coronary atherosclerosis.

Severe coronary atherosclerosis may require surgeries to remove blockages in the arteries. Coronary angioplasty, a procedure which uses a catheter to guide either a balloon or stent towards the affected area, is a first choice of surgery. The role of this materials is to artificially widen the blocked vein to let blood flow. If this approach is not successful, bypass surgery may be done. A detour for blood will be made by using a vein that is taken from specific parts of the body, usually the leg or the wrist. It is connected to veins, bypassing the affected area and reroute blood so it could supply the heart.

No matter how severe the condition is or what treatment is to be done, people should first choose the best option, which is to prevent coronary atherosclerosis from happening. Making healthier choices and  getting into physical activities will make a huge difference. Seeing a doctor every once in a while will also help prevent the advancement of some health problems.

Information About Coronary Atherosclerosis

What Is Coronary Thrombosis?

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The area where the heart is located consists of arteries that supplies blood and oxygen. When blood clots occur in these areas, the heart may function abnormally or would just stop. These is commonly known as heart attack or medically known as myocardial infarction or coronary thrombosis. The blood clot which blocks the blood’s path is known as thrombosis.

This condition is caused by several factors including atherosclerosis, a condition wherein cholesterol and fat build up in the arterial walls. When this happens, the blood vessels become narrowed and blood flow is restricted. Sometimes when this problem is not treated as soon as possible, chances are, the plaque will double in amount and will totally block the passage of blood.

These plaques may breakdown sometime which will eventually cause blood to clot around the area affected. If this problem is left untreated, the tissue surrounding the affected area will die. This problem is a common cause of heart attack.

Sometimes, treatments may also cause coronary thrombosis. Procedures like stenting and bypass could also result to blood clots. People who have thin blood have higher chances of developing internal bleeding or bleeding in the site of surgery. Unfortunately, even blood clots that occur in different areas of the body may cause coronary thrombosis.

Small blood clots may travel together with blood, drawing it straight towards the arteries connected to the heart. When these small clots clump together, it forms a big enough clot that could block the whole artery.

Treatment for this problem depends on the case of the person and the cause of the problem. If the thrombosis is caused by bleeding because of plaques, it may be treated by medications. The usual types of drugs given are blood thinners or thrombolytic medications. Blood thinners are given to help dissolve small clots and prevent it from recurring while thrombolytic drugs are given for slightly larger clots.

Sometimes, surgery may also be performed to clear the pathway of blood and remove blood clots as well. One of the most common procedure done to treat this problem is angioplasty. This may be done by using a balloon or a wire mesh to artificially expand the affected artery.

The best way to prevent coronary thrombosis from happening is to get regular check ups. Everybody, even those who do not experience signs of heart problems or are perfectly fit should go see a doctor every once in a while. Preventing health problems from happening and treating it as early as possible will yield better results.

What Is Coronary Thrombosis?

All About Coronary Artery Angiography

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Coronary artery angiography is diagnosing procedure of the blood vessels with the use of a special X-ray. Images are taken with a camera, producing accurate pictures of the coronary arteries and its state. This procedure is considered to be minimally invasive because it is done by inserting a catheter usually in the groin area. The catheter will be snaked towards the heart and will be a pathway for the dye. The dye to be used may produce a burning feeling but will also go away. Sometimes, people may feel nauseous and will have the urge to go to the bathroom.

This procedure may take minutes to perform. After it has been completed, the patient will be brought to the recovery room to rest. They also have to stay for a few days in the hospital for further observation. Because this involves insertion of a catheter, the possibilities of developing infection, doctors will observe for this possible problem during the person’s stay in the hospital.

Some people think of coronary artery angiography as a surgery even if it is not. This procedure is considered to be a diagnosing method to help examine problems such as thrombosis and certain blockages or tears in the arteries. This is done because unlike other conditions, problems in the heart can not be diagnosed any other way.

Just like any other procedure, getting a coronary artery angiography has its own risks but is said to be rare. The risks that are linked with getting this procedure are severe internal bleeding, infection and sometimes thrombosis may occur. Although these side effects may be scary for some, doctors say that for every five people who get the procedure done, one person or none of them show one of these side effects, and if ever it occurs, treatment is also not that life threatening.

Before getting the procedure done, check with your doctor and ask them about the possible risks and side effects of this method. Ask them for significant information especially its efficacy in diagnosing heart problems. Before the procedure, ask a doctor about what not to take, people who are taking blood thinners may be advised to stop the medication three weeks prior to the procedure.

Seek for a doctor’s advice if you are unsure of getting this procedure done. Only they can reassure you about the safety and efficacy of coronary artery angiography. Gathering information by researching using the internet may also help ease a person’s dubious feelings. The more confident a person feels about a procedure, the better it will work for them.

All About Coronary Artery Angiography

How To Prevent Coronary Artery Thrombosis

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Coronary thrombosis is the event of occlusion of blood flow within an artery caused by blood that formed clumps in the vessel. Coronary artery thrombosis happens when blood clots causes blockages in the arteries that are responsible for supplying oxygen- rich blood to the heart for it to function normally. When the heart is deprived with blood and oxygen, it will lead to a heart attack. Treatment for this problem should abruptly be done to avoid any complications.

People who have had previous heart attacks or were diagnosed with a disease such as atherosclerosis are at higher risks of having this problem. Because of the plaque buildup seen in atherosclerosis, the heart does not get sufficient amounts of oxygenated blood. If the heart starts pumping out more blood to compensate with this problem, plaques that are not hard enough may tend to break and cause damages to the arteries which will later on lead to blood coronary artery thrombosis.

Other causes for this problem include dietary problems and medications such as blood thinners. This type of medications are also considered to be a secondary reason in developing thrombosis because increase the risks of a person to experience internal bleeding leading to blood clots that may travel together with blood.

The usual treatment for this condition are through medications and surgeries. Although blood thinners are considered to be a secondary cause for thrombosis, it may also be used to treat the problem. Depending on the situation, thrombolytic drugs may also be used to breakdown the blood clumps and prevent thrombosis from happening.

Surgeries such as catheter- directed thrombolysis and angioplasty are performed to remove blood clots using special instruments. Stents or wire meshes and balloons may be used for angioplasty. Thrombolysis is almost the same as angioplasty because these procedures both use catheters, but in this procedure, either medication will be administered through the catheter or a device will be used to breakdown  the blood clot. Both of these procedure have one function, which is to dissolve the blood clot no matter how big or small it is.

Preventing this problem from happening will need the person’s full cooperation. Usually, the medication for treating this problem has a time frame to be followed. Getting enough exercise will also prevent this from happening. Other methods such as maintaining health and avoiding factors which may aggravate the problem like fatty foods and vices, will help greatly in terms of prevention of coronary artery thrombosis.

Seeking a professional’s help when it comes to symptoms or side effects should be considered. Tests may be done by doctors before planning on treatment methods. Drinking plentiful amounts of water will also help promote better blood circulation, lessening the need of a person for blood thinners. The more people know about ways to prevent this problem from happening, the more lesser the cases of morbidity.

How To Prevent Coronary Artery Thrombosis

What Is Cardiac Arrest?

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Cardiac arrest happens when there is loss of heart function. In some cases, it is expected to happen especially for those with serious illnesses and may often results to death. This condition may be classified into two, it may be cardiac arrest or cardiac death. In sudden cardiac arrest, the heart unexpectedly stops functioning due to a certain condition but is curable. The downside of this is that the underlying condition should be cured right away or else brain death will occur. As for sudden cardiac death, it is an unpredicted, heart death within moments after symptoms appeared.

Sudden cardiac arrest usually happens when the heart is beating rapidly, the heart starts to fail due to stress and will later on stop functioning. The causes of this condition may be heart related but some just happens even to people who do not have any heart problems. Doctors say that people who have had previous heart attacks or heart surgeries should watch out for the possibilities of cardiac arrest.

Symptoms of cardiac arrest may not be felt by the person but may only be seen by other people. Unlike heart attack, people who experience cardiac arrest will already be unconscious. Unconsciousness will happens just second after the heart stops beating because blood will also stop flowing. Their skin may look paler than usual and may also have no pulse.

The remedies for this condition are CPR and defibrillation. Usually, when an accident happens, the first to respond are the paramedics. These people are trained to give first aid to any type of condition. Their first action is to perform CPR. This method is done by applying the same levels of pressure repetitively in the chest area to wake up the heart.

Defibrillation may also be done. This method uses electric shocks to bring back the heart to functioning. This is usually done inside an ambulance or in some cases, the machine is brought to the place of the person affected.

If a person responds to first aid, he is then brought to the hospital to get tests done. Usually, tests like electrocardiogram or ECG and cardiac catheterization will be done to find out what had caused the sudden cardiac arrest. Depending on the situation, doctors may also administer medications that will help blood circulate better.

Doctors say that people who have heart problems should be very careful with doing activities and their choice of food. These factors may contribute to a person’s risk of experiencing cardiac arrest and if their conditions are severe, death may automatically happen.

What Is Cardiac Arrest?

What Is Off- Pump Coronary Artery Bypass

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There is growing curiosity in a procedure called off- pump coronary artery bypass  or OPCAB. It is said that comparing it with other operations using bypass, OPCAB may be linked with decreased morbidity rate and reduced medical expenses. This procedure has been found to procure better results than traditional procedures in patients who are considered to be high risk. This group includes elderly patients and those with weak cardiac function and clotting problems. Recent advances in the method have resulted in the prospect of multiple vessel grafting in all coronary areas, with a graft procedure comparable with conventional procedure.

This procedure is usually done to patients who are at higher risks of heart problems. Since it is done without any machines to support the heart’s function, The possibility for the heart to stop working is reduced, unlike for the traditional bypass wherein they need to stop the heart before continuing with the procedure.

There are two main problems when getting this surgery done, first is the maintenance of normal blood flow, which is necessary during the procedure. If blood flow has been disrupted, the patient is in high risks of developing blood clots and heart failure. Second is the management of heart attack during the procedure.

Disregarding these problems, studies have found out that people who have had this procedure had faster recuperating time compared to those who had traditional bypass done, this means that these patients do not have to stay long in the hospital. Some also showed better heart functions and lesser chances for arrhythmia, and kidney and liver complications.

Other reasons why  off- pump coronary artery bypass is making noise is because it appears to be safer for people who have had multiple heart procedures done. This procedure is said to be unlikely to cause life threatening conditions. Besides not stopping the heart, the length of this procedure is lesser, thus their risk of developing nosocomial infections are reduced.

Before getting any procedures done, ask your doctor about other possible options if there are. If surgery is the only way to treat your condition, ask them about the possibilities of acquiring other health problems. Gather significant information about its effects and side effects and treatment and care after the surgery. When you have gathered enough information from doctors or patients who have undergone the same procedure as you, that’s the time to make an informative decision. The more you know about the method of treatment you are going to choose, the more confident you will be about its efficacy.

What Is Off- Pump Coronary Artery Bypass

What Is CABG Heart Surgery?

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Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery, also known as CABG heart surgery or “cabbage”, is a procedure done to treat narrowed or blocked arteries that are responsible for supplying blood to the heart. This is due to plaque build up from excessive cholesterol and other debris in the blood.

This is accomplished by bypassing the affected area resulting to increased blood flow towards the heart. It may be performed on just after a heart attack, or if other methods have not worked for conditions such as angina or shortness of breath.

CABG heart surgery is performed only by surgeons specializing in cardio- thoracic treatments and is done in the operating room. The operation usually takes about 2- 3 hours but may extend depending on how many blocked arteries there are. Some may need a single bypass, a double or triple bypass, the terms depend as well on how many blocked arteries there are.

Open heart surgery refers to the traditional method of doing a CABG heart surgery. Some understand this term literally, where in they think that the heart is opened up. However, the term open heart surgery only means that a large cut will be done on the chest area. This surgery does not need the heart to be opened for it to be performed.

The goal of this procedure is to improve blood flow towards the heart, relieve symptoms of coronary heart disease, and to promote better blood circulation. It also aims to not only treat heart conditions that are due to blockages but also prevent it from recurring.

With the advancement of technology today, there are less invasive heart surgeries similar to CABG heart surgery but this procedure is not yet available in many countries and further research is ongoing to concretely prove its efficacy and to evaluate its effects on people who get it done.

Just like any other surgeries, getting a CABG heart surgery also has its risks. Some of these include graft occlusion, severe bleeding, recurrent angina, arrhythmia and infection. There are also noted mortality rates but is not above three percent of the total patients each year. Death is said to be caused by severe heart attack during or after the procedure.

Before thinking of CABG heart surgery as treatment for your problem, make sure to check with your doctor and speak with them about other options besides surgery. They may prescribe medications or lifestyle changes, but this depends on how severe the problem is. If you have any doubts about a certain treatment, ask them for information about this so you will feel at ease before deciding on a method of treatment.

What Is CABG Heart Surgery?

All About Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

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Coronary artery bypass graft is one of the most common type of procedure done in the heart. Hundreds and thousands of people get this procedure done every year. This is done to treat several types of conditions such as coronary heart disease, severe angina, and heart attack.

In this procedure, a part of artery from different parts of the body, usually the leg or wrist, is used to bypass the affected area of the coronary artery, which is responsible for bringing blood to the heart. This creates a clearer path for blood to flow so that oxygen will reach the heart and help it function properly. This procedure is done in the outer areas of the heart so opening the heart is not necessary.

Coronary artery bypass graft may be categorized as single, double, triple or quadruple. This depends on  how many blocked arteries are to be bypassed, but it does not necessarily mean that if a person gets multiple bypasses, his condition is worse.

During the surgery, the area near the breast is opened and the heart is artificially stopped. The person is then connected to a machine which will do the heart’s work during the procedure. The vein which is going to be the new route of blood will be extracted from the site and will be reconnected to make a detour. The procedure wherein the vein is extracted is called grafting.

After the surgery, the heart will be revived and all wounds will be closed. The patient will then be brought to the ICU for recovery. Typically, a person who undergoes coronary artery bypass graft will stay in the hospital for about a week for further evaluation. Full recovery from the procedure may take up to a month or two depending on how the person responds to the treatment.

Physical activity after procedure will be limited, and if possible, the person should be in bed most of the time. Food intake will also be controlled. Fatty and salty foods are restricted to prevent any clotting to form. Vices like smoking and drinking should also be avoided.

Doctors will typically ask a patient to come back after a week for a check up. This is to determine whether the patient responded well, and if there is infection on the site. They may also prescribe medications if needed. For some people, doctors will recommend them to see psychologists for behavioral treatment, these especially happens for those who have vices especially smoking.

As of today, there are more less invasive procedures for treating conditions of the heart. Although this is said to have lesser side effects than major procedures, it still needs more studies and researches to concretely say that it would work for different types of heart problems. Discuss with your doctor other possible options before planning on having coronary artery bypass graft as treatment.

All About Coronary Artery Bypass Graft