Heart specialist in Pune | Dr Priya Palimkar | Om Clinic

1. Heart disease Treatment Heart (cardiovascular) disease What Is Heart Disease? Heart disease refers to conditions that involve the heart, its vessels, muscles, valves, or internal electric pathways responsible for muscular contraction. Common heart disease conditions include: Coronary artery disease Heart failure Cardiomyopathy Heart valve disease Arrhythmias The heart is like any other muscle in body. It needs an adequate blood supply to provide oxygen so that the muscle can contract and pump blood to the rest of the body. Who is at risk for heart (cardiovascular) disease? Smoking High blood pressure (hypertension) High cholesterol Diabetes Family history of heart problems, especially heart attacks and strokes Obesity What are the signs and symptoms of heart (cardiovascular) disease? 1

2. Heart disease Treatment The classic symptoms of angina, or pain from the heart, are described as a crushing pain or heaviness in the center of the chest with radiation of the pain to the arm or jaw. There can be associated shortness of breath sweating and nausea. The symptoms tend to be brought on by activity and get better with rest. Some people may have indigestion and nausea while others may have upper abdominal, shoulder, or back pain. Unstable angina is the term used to describe symptoms that occur at rest, waken the patient from sleep, and do not respond quickly to nitroglycerin or rest. 2

3. Heart disease Treatment How is heart (cardiovascular) disease diagnosed? Electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG) The heart is an electrical pump and electrodes on the skin can capture and record the impulses generated as electricity travels throughout the heart muscle. Heart muscle that has decreased blood supply conducts electricity differently than normal muscle and these changes can be seen on the EKG. Stress tests It would make sense that during exercise, the heart is asked to work harder and if the heart could be monitored and evaluated during that exercise, a test might uncover abnormalities in heart function. That exercise may occur by asking the patient to walk on a treadmill or ride a bicycle while at the same time, an electrocardiogram is being performed. Medications (adenosine, persantine, dobutamine) can be used to stimulate the heart if the patient is unable to exercise because of poor conditioning, injury, or because of an underlying medical condition. Echocardiography Ultrasound examination of the heart to evaluate the anatomy of the heart valves, the muscle, and its function may be performed by a cardiologist. This test may be ordered alone or it may be combined with a stress test to look at heart function during exercise. 3

4. Heart disease Treatment What is the treatment for heart (cardiovascular) disease? The goal of treating cardiovascular disease is to maximize the patient's quantity and quality of life. Prevention is the key to avoid cardiovascular disease and optimize treatment. Once plaque formation has begun, it is possible to limit its progression by maintaining a healthy lifestyle with routine exercise, diet, and by aiming for lifetime control of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. 4

5. Heart disease Treatment Can cardiovascular disease be prevented? It may take 10 to15 years from the beginning of a plaque formation in a coronary artery to narrow that artery to constrict blood flow. Preventing cardiovascular disease is a lifelong commitment to control blood pressure, high cholesterol, quit smoking, and diabetes. Which specialties of doctors treat heart (cardiovascular) disease? Cardiologists are specialists who treat cardiovascular heart disease. In addition to confirming the diagnosis using a heart catheterization, they often are able to perform angioplasty to dilate or open a narrowed or blocked artery and restore blood supply to heart muscle. As well, cardiologists help manage patients with chest pain to minimize the risk of future heart muscle damage. Visit us: 30, Laxmi Classic, Pratik Nagar Chowk Vishrantwadi, Alandi Road Pune – 411015 http://www.omeyeandheartcare.com/ 5