Heart Attack, Its Symptoms, Causes and Treatments:

 What is heart attack:

This blog is about heart attack and we will discuss different symptoms, causes, and treatment of heart attack. When something blocks blood flow from our heart then heart problems happens. This is because our heart does not get enough oxygen according to its needs. We can also say heart attack is a myocardial infarction. According to research, more than one million Americans experience a heart attack every year. We say this problem as myocardial infarction because ‘Myo’ means muscles and we say 'cardial' as heart and ‘infraction’ is the death of tissues of the heart because of a lack of blood supply to heart muscles. The death of heart tissues causes lasting damage to our heart muscles.

Heart attack symptoms:

Its includes the following symptoms:

• A heart patient experiences pain in the chest, arms, and below the breastbone
• A patient with a heart problem experiences pressure, discomfort, squeezing, and tightness in their chest.
• A heart patient also experiences a choking feeling, like heartburn.
• Indigestion is also a symptom in a patient with a heart problem.
• Severe sweating, indigestion, upset stomach dizziness, and vomiting, these symptoms are common in a heart patient.
• A heart patient also feels an uneven and fast heartbeat.

Symptoms of a heart attack may vary from patient to patient. These symptoms are most common in women with heart problems.

Angina is a symptom of heart disease. It signals a heart attack. A patient with a heart problem can feel this sensation normally during normal activities. Patients with heart problems may feel pain, pressure, a sense of fullness, and squeezing in the center of their chest. Angina is a serious condition and a patient should have to immediately consult a doctor.

Heart attack causes:

A constant supply of oxygen-rich blood is needed for our heart. This critical blood supply is given to our heart by the coronary arteries. These arteries become narrow when we have coronary artery disease and blood flow does not remain as constant as it should. When our blood supply is blocked, we have a heart attack. When proteins, calcium, fat, and inflammatory cells are grown up in our arteries and they form plaques. These plaque deposits are hard on the outside of arteries and they are soft on the inside of arteries. The outer shell of arteries is cracked, when plaque is hard and this is a rupture.

Platelets which help in blood clotting and are disk-shaped come to this area and form a blood clot around the plaque. Our heart muscles become starved for oxygen when a blood clot blocks our artery. This condition leads to a heart problems.

In some cases, a spasm in our coronary artery also causes a heart problems. Blood supply to our heart muscles is restricted during this coronary spasm. This coronary spasm happens when we are in rest condition and even if we do not have some serious coronary artery disease.

Blood is supplied to different parts of the heart muscles by each coronary artery. After a heart attack, our heart muscles heal quickly. Like skin, wound heart muscles take 8 weeks to heal, but the new scar tissues do not work as they should. So after a heart attack, our heart could not pump as much.

Treatment of heart problems: 

This is a severe condition and to prevent permanent damage and death we need immediate care. We should have to take medicines within 1 to 2 hours from the start of heart damage. This immediate medication limits heart damage.

• Aspirin should be used to stop blood clotting.
• Another anti-clotting drug used during a heart attack is clopidogrel. This medicine is also an option used to prevent blood clot formation in arteries. 
• Thrombolytic therapy is also used to treat a blood clot in our heart arteries. 

Stent placement, Balloon angioplasty, Cardiac catheterization, and Bypass surgery are some other treatments for preventing heart damage.

Kidney Failure, Its Symptoms, Causes And Treatment

 

What is Kidney Failure:

This blog is about symptoms, causes and treatment of kidney failure. If a person’s one kidney or both are not working properly then we say that person has kidney failure. We can also say that the person has renal failure. Our kidneys are located in the region of our lower back. Our kidneys remove toxins from our bodies and filter our blood. These toxins accumulate in our bladder and when we urinate these toxins are eliminated. different problems of kidney occurs when our kidney loses the ability to eliminate these toxins from our blood. Many factors are involved In kidney failure like:

• severe dehydration
• contaminated water with certain medications and environmental pollutants
• other acute and chronic diseases
• kidney Injury

When our body is overloaded with toxins because the kidney is not working properly. This condition leads to failure of kidney . If this problem remains untreated it can lead to death.

Symptoms of kidney failure:

In its early stage doesn’t show some major symptoms. Research shows that about 90% of people with kidney problems do not know that they have this complication. Signs and symptoms of failure of kidney appear gradually. Symptoms of kidney failure includes:

• Swelling of our legs, feet, and ankles
• Difficulty in breathing
• Urine amount is reduced
• Fatigue and excessive drowsiness
• Unexpected pressure or pain in our chest

Early signs of kidney failure:

 It is difficult to point out the symptoms of early-stage kidney failure. We can hardly identify them. Its early signs may include:

• Difficulty in breathing
• Swelling in the legs and ankles that is caused by fluid retention due to damage kidney
• Decrease in amount of urine
• Irregular heartbeat

Urine color of a person with kidney problems:

Our body’s health can be estimated a little bit by the color of our urine. At an early stage urine color does not tell us about the functioning of the kidney until our kidney damage has progressed. But changes in urine color have the signs of some kidney issues.

 

• Dark yellow: Dark yellow color of urine is a sign that maybe we are dehydrated. We should try to avoid sodas, tea, or coffee and try to drink more water
• Pale yellow or clear urine: This is the ideal color of urine. Pale yellow or clear color of urine indicates that we are fully hydrated.
• Orange urine: Orange color of urine is a sign of bile in our bloodstream and also it indicates that we may have dehydration.
• Red or pink urine color: Red or pink color of urine indicates that our urine has blood In it which is caused by some foods such as strawberries and beets.
• Foamy urine: Excessive amount of bubbles in urine indicate that our urine has a lot of proteins in it; this is a sign of kidney disease.

Causes of kidney failure:

Several causes and conditions lead to kidney diseases. The common causes of kidney problems according to the National Kidney Foundation, diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes. Its other causes may include:

• Loss of blood flow to the kidney due to many factors such as heart attack, dehydration, heart disease, and severe infections or allergic reactions.
• Elimination problems of urine are also a cause of kidney failure and these elimination problems are caused by blockage of the urine passageways by some types of cancers such as cancer in the colon, cervical, and prostate. Other reasons for urine elimination problems are maybe kidney stones and blood clots in our urinary tract.

 

Treatment of kidney problems: 

There are many types of treatments for the kidney problems and these treatments depend upon the condition of kidney as well as causes of kidney problem. Its treatments include dialysis, kidney transplant, modifications in lifestyle, limiting alcohol intake, and changes In diet.

 Diabetes: its types, symptoms and causes

Hi everyone, this blog is about diabetes. Diabetes is a condition in which our body does not produce enough insulin or does not use it properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps cells to absorb glucose from the blood and to use this glucose in the form of energy. Another term used for it is hyperglycemia which also refers to high blood glucose or sugar level. This is a long-lasting (chronic) health problem that results in many other health issues such as blurred vision, it can affect nerves, kidneys, and many other body organs.

Types of diabetes:

Here are some types:

• In type 1 diabetes cells in the pancreas are destroyed, by the attack of the immune system and the pancreas is the place where insulin is made. The reason that causes this attack is still unknown. About 10% of diabetic patients experiences this type. 
• When our body becomes resistant to insulin and sugar level in our blood cells is increased. In this condition type, 2 diabetes has occurred.

• When our blood sugar is higher than normal, pre-diabetes occurs. But it is not higher enough for the diagnosis of type 2.
• It also occurs during pregnancy for a short period this type is called gestational diabetic problem. During pregnancy, insulin-resistant hormones are produced by the placenta which causes gestational diabetic problem.
• A rare condition of diabetic problem is diabetes insipidus. In this condition, too much fluid is removed by the kidney and results in causing diabetic insipidus.

The symptoms, treatments, and causes of each type of diabetes are unique.

Symptoms of diabetic problems: 

Some commonly observed symptoms of diabetic problems include an increase In hunger and thirst, weight loss, blurry vision, frequent urination, sores that don’t heal quickly, and fatigue.

Type 1 diabetes:

Increased thirst and hunger, weight loss, tiredness, blurry vision, and frequent urination are some symptoms of type 1.

Type 2 diabetes:

Type 2 can be characterized by an increase in hunger, increase in thirst, increased urination, tiredness, blurry vision, and sores that heal slowly.

Gestational diabetes:

its symptoms are not very common. During the 24th and 28th weeks of gestation routine tests for oral glucose tolerance and blood sugar are performed. This type of diabetic problem is mostly detected in these tests. An increase in thirst and urination is detected in very rare cases.

Causes of diabetic problems:

Each type of diabetic problems have different causes. The causes of type 1 diabetes are not exactly known. It is known that beta cells in the pancreas are mistakenly attacked and destroyed by the immune system. In some people, genes also play some role. Some other factors like lifestyle and genetics both are responsible for the cause of type 2. Obesity may also result in increasing the risk of type 2. Type 2 also runs In families. Genes are shared In family members and this results in an increased risk of type 2. Short-time hormonal changes occur during pregnancy which results in causing gestational diabetes. Women who are overweight and gain too much weight during pregnancy, have more chances to have this diabetic problem.

DASH Diet and its benefits in hypertension:

 

DASH Diet and its benefits:

This blog is about DASH diet. DASH diet is an eating plan which is used for the treatment of hypertension. As we know hypertension is a worldwide issue and it affects more than a billion people all over the world. Its number is increasing day by day. It is estimated that this number will be doubled in the next 40 years. Hypertension is due to high blood pressure and it affects people of all ages.

 It is a serious health issue, if it remains untreated it can also affect a person’s kidney, heart, and stroke. As we know that a healthy diet plays an important role in treating health complications, the DASH diet is designed to treat high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks in people. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium are present in rich amounts in a DASH diet. This diet restricts the foods which contain saturated fats, meat, sugars, and salt.

It is abbreviated as Dietary Approach To Stop Hypertension. Vegetables, fruits, lean meat, and whole grains are more focused on this diet plan. Research has shown that high blood pressure or hypertension is much less in people who eat a plant-based diet such as vegetarians and vegans. So foods of plant origin are recommended in this diet plan. Salt is restricted in this diet, about a teaspoon of salt is recommended per day in this diet which is about 2300 mg.

Other benefits of having a DASH diet:

• Beyond reducing hypertension, the DASH diet has a lot of other benefits such as it reduces the risk of cancer and it helps in weight loss. A normal person's blood pressure is between 120 to 80 mmHg i.e 120 mmHg is the diastolic pressure and 80 mmHg is the systolic blood pressure. While a person with high blood pressure has a reading of 149/90 mmHg. So this diet is recommended to balance this level of blood pressure. When sodium intake is restricted In diet so it helps to reduce the high blood pressure in the patient. Even if a normal person takes a DASH diet it reduces the systolic blood pressure by 4mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 2 mmHg. We should always keep in mind that a decrease In blood pressure doesn't always mean that it reduces the risk of heart disease.

 

• This diet also aids in losing weight. Research has shown that people who are having a DASH diet experience weight loss. This diet mostly contains plant-based food and it cuts off sugary foods and high fats. So automatically it reduces the calories in the diet and results in weight loss.
• The DASH diet can also decrease the risk of cancer. Recent research has shown that people following this diet have a lower risk of cancers like breast cancer.
• Studies have shown that this diet reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome by up to 81%.
• The DASH diet also reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance is also improved by this diet.
• This diet also reduces the risk of heart disease to 20% and it lowers the risk of stroke to 29%.

 

 

PCOs (Polycystic ovary syndrome), its symptoms and and causes:

 

PCOs (Polycystic ovary syndrome)

PCOs (Polycystic ovary syndrome) is a disease that mostly affects women. PCOs is most common in women who are at their reproductive age. A woman with the problem of PCOs faces an irregularity in their menstrual cycle. That woman would also have an excess level of male hormone which is an androgen. In Polycystic ovary syndrome ovaries develop several small cysts called follicles and after that ovaries fail to release eggs as regular. There is a lot of research done on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome but the exact cause of this syndrome is still unknown. This syndrome can also lead to complications that may be long terms like Type-2 Diabetes and heart disease but the early diagnosis and treatment along with weight loss can reduce the risk of such complications.

Signs and symptoms of PCOs ( Polycystic Ovary Syndrome):

Polycystic ovary syndrome can develop in early menstruation mostly their symptoms are developed during the first menstrual period but sometimes PCOs may develop later and their symptoms are going to appear in the form of weight gain. Its signs are more common in overweight women.

• Irregular or abnormal menstrual periods are the most common symptom of PCOs. A woman with this problem faces heavy periods and has more than 35 days between periods and has periods less than 9 times a year.
• Having androgen (the male hormone) in excess amounts also results in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, such as developing males secondary characteristics like long hair on the face and body, having severe acne and baldness like men.
• The swelling of ovaries and having follicles around the eggs is also a symptom of polycystic ovary. In this condition, the ovaries may fail to function normally.

Causes of PCOs (polycystic ovary syndrome):

• Genetics:

One of its main cause is Genetics. However, a single gene that causes this syndrome is not still found so we can say that multiple genes are involved in causing this ovary syndrome. The other family members of a woman with this problem also have chances to develop PCOs. Also, women with disease of polycystic ovary have a higher risk of developing Type-2 Diabetes.

• Irregularity In hormone levels:

It is also the main cause of developing this problem. These hormones are insulin and androgen (male hormone) which are involved in causing PCOs. The role of Insulin is to keep the level of sugar low in the blood after eating.

• Insulin resistance:

Insulin resistance is also a cause of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. It is estimated that about 85% of women with this syndrome have insulin resistance in their bodies. If our body has insulin resistance then our body’s cells stop their insulin response and it does not keep the sugar level of blood normal after eating as it blocks the entry of glucose into the cells and blood sugar level keeps on rising in the blood which causes Type-2 Diabetes.

• Androgen:

Androgen is also called male hormone and is present In both men and women but it is present in higher amounts in men than in women. In the body tissues of the ovaries and adrenal glands, all women have a small amount of androgen. When this androgen is increased in the body than its normal amount it causes PCOs in women. It shows symptoms like increased hair growth on the face and body, and severe acne.

• Weight and lifestyle of a person with PCOs:

life style and weight also cause PCOs. The overweight and slender women both have the chances of having PCOs but the overweight women have a higher risk of PCOs. Eating too much germ food is also a cause of having PCOs. However, a healthy lifestyle of nutritious food recommended by your dietitian and healthy physical activity can help to treat PCOs.

 

Obesity: its causes, diagnosis, complications and treatment

Obesity as a disease in which the body has an excessive amount of body fats. Obesity is a health problem that involves increasing the risk of other health problems. Such as heart problems, high blood pressure, cancer, and diabetes. We can also measure this problem as if the person has increased body mass index than normal. Adults with having BMI of 30 or more than 30 are obese. This is highly concerned with increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cancers. It is very common in European countries. According to the centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 42.4 percent of 20 years old Americans are obese. Not only is BMI involved in increasing body mass but other different factors such as age, sex, and muscle mass are also involved.

 

Classifying obesity:

These classifications are for adults having 20 years of age:

• If a person having a BMI of 18.5 or less is underweight. 
• If a person has a BMI of more than 18.5 and less than 25, then he will be considered normally weighted.
• If a person has BMI lies between 25 to 30, in this condition, he will be considered obese.
• If BMI extends these limits then that condition will be called morbid (extreme or severe obesity).

Child obesity:

When a doctor diagnoses it in a child who is over 2 years old or a teen then their BMI would be 95th percent of the people of their same age. So we can classify child obesity as:

• A child less than 5% BMI would be considered underweight.
• A child more than 5% to 85% of BMI would be considered normally weighted.
• A Child having a BMI of 85% to <95% would be considered overweight.
• BMI of more than 95% is obese.

Causes of obesity:

When we eat more calories than we need for our body on daily basis, we became obese. These extra calories are accumulated in our body and cause fat deposition which leads to weight gain. It is not just about having more calories. There are many other causes which include:

• PCO (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)
• Pregnancy
• Growing older
• Not sleeping enough
• Hypertension
• High blood pressure
• Cushing syndrome
• Osteoarthritis

How we can diagnose it:

We can diagnose it by BMI but this is a rough calculation of obesity. There are many other ways to diagnose this problem including testing skin fold thickness, waist-to-hip comparison, and screening tests like CT scans, MRI scans, etc. 

 

Its Complications:

Obesity can lead to many health complications. A high ratio of body fat can leads to putting strains on our bones and internal organs as well. This causes inflammation in the body and leads to cancer. It can also leads to Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol level, infertility, breathing problems, stroke, and arthritis. 

Treatment of obesity:

For treating this problem our first step is to consort a dietitian. A dietitian will suggest us a diet plan for managing our weight and overcoming obesity. Sometimes they also recommend weight-loss surgeries and medications.