Orcee

Asthma is a life long problem. Many people fear that asthma limits the normal activities of life. But people suffering from asthma can lead almost a normal life if (i) regular and appropriate treatment is done by good and experienced doctor and (ii) proper care of the patient is taken. Though asthma can not be cured, yet it can be controlled.

People should have knowledge about the disease. They should at least know what the disease is, substances and factors that can trigger asthma and how asthma can be prevented.

Asthma can be called a disease of the airways of lungs in which respiratory passage in the lungs become over sensitive and over reactive. The airways begin to react to many factors such as cold air, smoke, pollen etc. Inside walls of airways are inflamed, glands of the inner lining of the airways produce excessive mucus and the muscles around the airways tighten up. For these reasons the airways become narrow and obstruct movement of air in and out of the lungs. Once the airways become obstructed one has to make greater effort to force air to pass through them and experiences difficulty in breathing. This activity i.e. forcing of air through constructed airways, can produce a whistling sound which is known as wheezing.

Some of the Symptoms of asthma:-

i. Difficulty in breathing
ii. Wheezing
iii. Coughing – specially at night making in hard to sleep
iv. Tightness in chest
v. Restlessness
vi. Faster breathing than normal.

It is not necessary that all people have all these symptoms. Symptoms may vary. For instance some asthmatics do not wheeze or sometime wheezing is so light that it can heard only by using a stethoscope. In some asthmatics coughing is the only symptom.

Author: S.N.Bhattacharya

2. Congenital Heart disease 

It is a type of in born heart disease that means disease caused by the defect in heart present at birth but may be detected later. Serious defect slows down the growth of child, also reduces its energy.  

Congenital heart disease may be due to following congenial defects:-  

• Ventricular Septal defect – A hole in the wall between the right ventricle and the left  ventricle (ventricular septum)
• Artial Septal defect
• Abnormalities in the muscle of heart
• Abnormalities in size, structure and abnormal functioning of the valves of the heart. 

3. Diseases of the valves of heart 

Due to rheumatic fever or congenital heart defects or some other unknown reason valves of heart do not work properly. Generally conditions like Stenosis and insufficiency are developed in the malfunctioning valve. Stenosis is a condition when calcium and other materials normally present in the blood accumulate on the doors (leaflets) of the valve.  

Due to Stenosis the hole through which the blood has to flow when the leaflets open becomes smaller or narrower and as the heart has to apply extra force to pump the same amount of blood through that small opening which leads to exertion on the heart.   Continue Reading »

Heart is a vital and one of the most important organs of our body. People should know about the diseases of the heart and should take care of the heart. There are various types of heart diseases and are caused due to many reasons. 

1. Coronary Artery Disease
2. Congenital Heart Disease
3. Diseases of Valves of Heart
4. Cardiac Arrhythmia
5. Rheumatic Heart Disease
6. Carditis
7. Coarctation

1. Coronary Artery Disease:- 

(i) Angina Pectoris: - It is a type of coronary artery disease caused by narrowing of coronary arteries or clogging in them. Coronary artery supplies oxygen and nutrients to the heart. When inadequate blood reaches the heart due to any obstruction or clogging in coronary arteries then pain in chest or discomfort in heart is felt. 

Coronary artery become narrowed or clogged by deposits of cholesterol in inner layer of it. 

Cholesterol – It is a fat like substance and is produced mainly in liver. Within limit cholesterol is good but if somebody has too much cholesterol in the blood stream then excess cholesterol is deposited in the inner layer of arteries including coronary arteries. 

Cholesterol and fats travel in the blood stream in the form of Lipoproteins – mainly low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL cholesterol is regarded as bad cholesterol where as HDL cholesterol is good cholesterol. 

(ii) Myocardial Infraction (Heart Attack) – Heart attack is caused due to blockage of coronary artery and blockage of coronary artery occurs due the formation of blood clot. 

Atherosclerosis is considered as the most common cause of heart attack. In Atherosclerosis arteries become clogged due to plaques or fatty deposits (cholesterol) in their inner layer.

Angina and Heart attack are not the same. Though the nature of chest pain has got similarity in both the cases yet there is a lot of difference between them. In Angina, heart receives inadequate blood from narrowed artery and artery is not completely blocked but oxygen demand of heart muscle is not fulfilled.

In Angina the pain is not severe and does not last for more than ten minutes and attack of angina may occur due to

• Physical exertion like climbing up stairs, walking up hills, jogging
• Smoking.
• Taking heavy meal
• Excitement. 

Permanent damage to the heart muscle is done by a heart attack, In heart attack tissue of heart muscle dies as it does not get oxygen. If large area of tissue is affected then the attack may be fatal.  Continue Reading »