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. 

Symptoms of heart attack

  • Pain in chest, upper part of abdomen, shoulder, neck, arms
  • Burning sensation in the chest, sensation of gas in the chest
  • Sensation of heaviness in chest
  • Abnormal heart beat
  • Vomiting
  • Sweating etc. 

Risk factors 

  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • High blood pressure or hypertension
  • Diabetes
  • Increase in level of bad cholesterol in blood
  • Less physical activity
  • Unhealthy food etc.

Author: S.N.Bhattacharya

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