HEAR T DISORDERS INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular disease (also called heart disease) is a class of diseases that i nvolve the heart,

the blood vessels (arteries, capillaries, and veins) or both. Cardiovascular disease refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular sys tem, principally cardiac disease, vascular diseases of the brain and kidney, and peripheral arterial disease.The causes of cardiovascular disease are diverse bu t atherosclerosis and/or hypertension are the most common. Additionally, with ag ing come a number of physiological and morphological changes that alter cardiova scular function and lead to subsequently increased risk of cardiovascular diseas e, even in healthy asymptomatic individuals. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths worldwide, though since th e 1970s, cardiovascular mortality rates have declined in many high-income countr ies.At the same time, cardiovascular deaths and disease have increased at a fast rate in low- and middle-income countries.Although cardiovascular disease usuall y affects older adults, the antecedents of cardiovascular disease, notably ather osclerosis, begin in early life, making primary prevention efforts necessary fro m childhood. There is therefore increased emphasis on preventing atherosclerosis by modifying risk factors, such as healthy eating, exercise, and avoidance of s moking. TYPES OF DISORDERS: 1.Cardiomyopathy:Cardiomyopathy (literally "heart muscle disease") is the measur able deterioration of the function of the myocardium (the heart muscle) for any reason, usually leading to heart failure; common symptoms are dyspnea (breathles sness) and peripheral edema (swelling of the legs). People with cardiomyopathy a re often at risk of dangerous forms of irregular heart beat and sudden cardiac d eath.The most common form of cardiomyopathy is dilated cardiomyopathy.Symptoms a nd signs may mimic those of almost any form of heart disease. Chest pain is comm on. Mild myocarditis or cardiomyopathy is frequently asymptomatic; severe cases are associated with heart failure, arrhythmias, and systemic embolization. Manif estations of the underlying disease (e.g., Chagas' disease) may be prominent. Mo st patients with biopsy-proven myocarditis report a recent viral prodrome preced ing cardiovascular symptoms.Treatment depends on the type of cardiomyopathy and condition of disease, but may include medication (conservative treatment) or iat rogenic/implanted pacemakers for slow heart rates, defibrillators for those pron e to fatal heart rhythms, ventricular assist devices (LVADs) for severe heart fa ilure, or ablation for recurring dysrhythmias that cannot be eliminated by medic ation or cardioversion. Treatment of cardiomyopathy (and other heart diseases) u sing alternative methods such as stem cell therapy is commercially available but is not supported by convincing evidence. 2.Cardiomegaly:An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) can have various causes. But it' s usually caused by high blood pressure (hypertension) or coronary artery diseas e.An enlarged heart may not pump blood effectively, resulting in congestive hear t failure. Cardiomegaly may improve over time. But most people with an enlarged heart need lifelong treatment with medications.Dilated cardiomyopathy is the mai n type of cardiomegaly. In dilated cardiomyopathy, the walls of both the left an d right side of the heart (ventricles) become thin and stretched. The result is an enlarged heart. In the other types of enlarged heart, the heart's muscular left ventricle become s abnormally thick:Left ventricular enlargement (hypertrophy) is usually caused by high blood pressure. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an inherited (genetic) condition. Generally speaking, the heart's pumping ability is better preserved when the enl arged heart is "thick" rather than "thin." Most often, an enlarged heart causes no symptoms. If an enlarged heart becomes u

nable to pump blood effectively, symptoms of congestive heart failure can develo p: Shortness of breath (especially with exertion or when lying flat) Leg swelling Increased abdominal girth Weight gain Fatigue Palpitations or skipped heartbeats 3.Atrial Fibrillation:Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat. Atrial fibr illation increases the risk of stroke and heart disease. Signs include dizziness , weakness, and fatigue. It is treated with medication and lifestyle changes. A procedure called cardioversion may be done to get the heart back into a regular Rhythm. Sometimes other procedures such as ablation, pacemaker, or surgery may b e needed. Symptoms of atrial fibrillation include: Heart palpitations. Irregular pulse. Shortness of breath, especially during physical activity or emotional stress. Weakness, fatigue. Dizziness, confusion. Lightheadedness or fainting (syncope). Chest pain (angina). Atrial fibrillation is associated with many conditions, including: High blood pressure Coronary artery disease (blockages in the heart's arteries) Heart valve disease Previous heart surgery Chronic lung disease Heart failure Cardiomyopathy (disease of heart muscle that causes heart failure) Congenital heart disease (heart disease present at birth) Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in lungs) In addition to taking medications, there are some changes you can make to improv e your heart health.If you notice that your irregular heart rhythm occurs more o ften with certain activities, you should avoid them,Quit smoking,Limit your inta ke of alcohol,Beware of stimulants used in cough and cold medications. 4.Valvular heart disease:Valvular heart disease is any disease process involving one or more of the valves of the heart (the aortic and mitral valves on the lef t and the pulmonary and tricuspid valves on the right). Valve problems may be co ngenital (inborn) or acquired (due to another cause later in life). Treatment ma y be with medication but often (depending on the severity) involves valve repair or replacement (insertion of an artificial heart valve). Symptoms of heart valve disease can include:Shortness of breath and/or difficult y catching your breath,Weakness or dizziness,Discomfort in your chest,Palpitatio ns,Swelling of your ankles, feet, or abdomen,Rapid weight gain. There are several types of heart valve disease: Valvular stenosis. This occurs when a heart valve doesn't fully open due to stif f or fused leaflets. The narrowed opening may make the heart work very hard to p ump blood through it. This can lead to heart failure and other symptoms (see bel ow). All four valves can develop stenosis; the conditions are called tricuspid s tenosis, pulmonic stenosis, mitral stenosis, or aortic stenosis. Valvular insufficiency. Also called regurgitation, incompetence, or "leaky valve

", this occurs when a valve does not close tightly. If the valves do not seal, s ome blood will leak backwards across the valve. As the leak worsens, the heart h as to work harder to make up for the leaky valve, and less blood may flow to the rest of the body. Depending on which valve is affected, the condition is called tricuspid regurgitation, pulmonary regurgitation, mitral regurgitation, or aort ic regurgitation. 5.Congenital heart defect:Congenital heart defect (CHD) or congenital heart anom aly is a defect in the structure of the heart and great vessels which is present at birth. Many types of heart defects exist, most of which either obstruct bloo d flow in the heart or vessels near it, or cause blood to flow through the heart in an abnormal pattern. Signs and symptoms are related to the type and severity of the heart defect. Symptoms frequently present early in life, but it's possib le for some CHDs to go undetected throughout life.Some children have no signs wh ile others may exhibit shortness of breath, cyanosis, syncope,heart murmur, unde r-developing of limbs and muscles, poor feeding or growth, or respiratory infect ions. The cause of congenital heart disease may be either genetic or environment al, but is usually a combination of both PREVENTION FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS: Currently practiced measures to prevent cardiovascular disease include: A low-fat, high-fiber diet including whole grains and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (at least five portions a day) Tobacco cessation and avoidance of second-hand smoke; Limit alcohol consumption to the recommended daily limits;[34] consumption of 12 standard alcoholic drinks per day may reduce risk by 30% However excessive alc ohol intake increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Lower blood pressures, if elevated; Decrease body fat (BMI) if overweight or obese; Increase daily activity to 30 minutes of vigorous exercise per day at least five times per week; Reduce sugar consumptions; Decrease psychosocial stress.Stress however plays a relatively minor role in hyp ertension.Specific relaxation therapies are not supported by the evidence. For adults without a known diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, or cardiovascular disease, routine counseling to advise them to improve their di et and increase their physical activity has not been found to significantly alte r behaviour, and thus is not recommended. CONCLUSION:Heart disease is our nation s number one killer! The gradual clogging, hardening and damage done to the interior walls of our blood vessels are the pri mary cause of heart attacks and strokes. This process of atherosclerosis, the ha rdening of the arteries, results in poor circulation to the extremities, the bra in and other organs. Ailments such as senile dementia, leg pain and even erectil e impotence have their origin in atherosclerosis. The accumulation of fatty plaq ue on the inner walls of our blood vessels begins early in childhood and progres ses gradually throughout life due to modern day dietary practices.Two things are necessary to predictably reverse heart disease: one is to become thin and super bly nourished with antioxidants and phytochemicals found in natural plant foods, and the other is to get your LDL below 100. Reversal of heart disease then pred ictably occurs. By following diet plan, one can both safely and effectively impr ove their health, while enjoying the benefits of great tasting food.We can win t he war against heart disease by making a few simple and profound, dietary and li festyle changes.Almost everyone can achieve protection against heart disease.