Heart Diseases: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options

This report provides a comprehensive overview of various heart problems, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, endocarditis, valvular heart disease, and peripheral artery disease. It delves into the causes, symptoms, and available treatment options for each condition. The report highlights the role of lifestyle choices in the development of heart diseases, emphasizing the importance of medication, surgery, and healthy habits. It also discusses the role of cardiologists in managing these diseases. The report concludes by stressing the need for preventative measures and increased training of healthcare professionals to combat the growing prevalence of heart problems. References to relevant research and guidelines are included to support the information presented.

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Heart problems and solutions
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Introduction

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In Western world, heart problems are the leading causes of death despite the existence
ways to either treat or prevent them. It is condition that affect the heart thus, lead to
malfunction of the heart and make the life of the patient vulnerable. There is array of diseases
under the umbrella of heart disease. They include coronary heart disease, hypertension,
rhythm disorders, endocarditic, congestive heart failure, valvar disease, peripheral arterial
cardiac arrest among others. It is next to impossible to talk about heart problem without
mentioning ‘cardiologist’ (doctors who are specialized in handling cardiovascular diseases).They
offer solution to many heart problems by administering medication to patients and prescribe
healthy diet to patient since some cardiovascular problems are caused by unhealthy life style.
However, my main goal is to discuss cardiovascular problems as well as their remedy to remain
within the framework of the topic and requirements of the document. And it is to this that I
now turn to:
Coronary artery diseases (CAD)
People do not just developed heart problem, they are either caused or inherited from
parents. Coronary heart problem occurs when the coronary arteries (arteries that supply blood
to the heart muscle) get clogged up by the plaque (fatty materials) which is fuel by unhealthy
lifestyle of consuming fatty foods frequently .This can lead to ischemia ( inadequate or lack of
oxygen in the heart muscles) which is malignant, if not acted upon immediately. Remedy to
coronary heart diseases can be through medication or changing of life style among the victims.
Medicines help a lot if the patients adhere to the prescription of the doctor. Medicines such as
‘statin’ lowers the production of harmful cholesterol by the liver and blood thinner that dissolve
existing blood clot in the blood vessels thus, prevent blood clots. Under serious condition, the

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cardiologist can recommend surgery to patient i.e coronary artery bypass surgery that restores
blood flow.
High blood pressure
Fifty five years old individuals have high chances of contracting hypertension (Chobania
et al 2003). High blood pressure is a condition that occurs when pressure in arteries remains
constant or rise when hearts refills up with blood after pumping. As result excess tension occurs
in arteries (Phoden and Schein, 2010). Similarly is pressure exerted on the wall of the blood of
blood vessels when blood flow through them from the heart. Every diseases needs to be
treated. High blood pressure responds well to both medication and healthy lifestyle habits. For
instance ‘ Essentially healthy people report that adopting healthy lifestyle habit is sufficient to
control high blood pressure in most cases’( Phoden, C and Schein, S. Pg. 173,2010).On
medication, thiazide –type diuretics can be used on patients with high blood pressure but
without complication. In addition, antihypertensive medicines can also be used. For example
angiotensin that convert enzyme ACE inhibitor which inactivate hormones that regulate
hypertension.
Endocarditis
Is heart problem that occurs when irritant (bacteria or chemical) access heart muscle. It
characterized with both morbidity and mortality at high level ( Nishimura et al 2008). If not
remedies immediately discovered. It can lead to destruction of heart valves thus, life
threatening condition. Its symptoms may develop slowly or promptly depending on the irritant
and vary from one person to the other. For example fatigue, changed heart murmur, chest pain

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and so on….. Endocarditis can be treated through medication only. Antibiotics drugs are
administered to patient to either stop the growth or kills bacteria completely and in case of
chemical, it counteract the power of the chemical. In life threatening condition surgery can be
recommended by the cardiologist to replace the damaged heart valve
Vulvar heart disease (VHD)
It is a disease that attack the valves of the heart. Valves play vital role in heart- prevent
the back flow of the blood when being pumped by heart. Therefore any damage to them can
lead to malfunction of the heart. There are array of valvar diseases, namely: mitral valve, aortic
valve disease, right heart valve disease and pulmonary valve disease ( Hemein, M. 2009).
However I will not discuss them all since they are beyond the scope of this document. Most
contributors of heart valve disease are rheumatic and calcific ( Hemein, M . 2009). Solution to
vulvar disease are both medication and surgery. On medication the treatment is aimed at
hemodynamics thus, prevent ventricular dysfunction. In cases of valve disorders surgical
correction is employed. However this impose significant surgical risk to patient, thus medical
therapy is the best option to the patient
Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
It caused by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis if defined as chronic vascular disease for
both large and medium arteries. Its narrows the cross section of the blood vessels by plaque
formation (Coffman, J.and Eberhart, R .2003).It effect the blood vessels both outside the heart
and brain. In most cases patients experiences the symptoms of the disease in their legs and
feet. Remedy for PAD is elusive, but healthy life style and medication reduces its symptoms and

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chances of developing cardiovascular diseases such as: stroke and heart attack that are
associated to peripheral artery disease. Such medicines include statins which lowers the s the
level of LDL cholesterol by reducing production of it in the liver. Furthermore numerous
research reports shows that, change of lifestyle contribute a lot in reducing developing PAD.
Conclusion
From the forgoing. It is evidence that heart have numerous diseases that attacks
different parts of it. Some of them are developed as result of embracing unhealthy life style,
some inherited from parents and some contracted as result of access of bacteria in the heart. In
addition some heart diseases lead to other or degenerate to others e.g. PAD that can lead to
heart attack. Furthermore some of these diseases share remedies. To provide solution to these
diseases several techniques have been employed ranging from medication, surgery and
adopting healthy life style. Despite all these efforts some patents still lose their lives in the hand
chronic disease. To reduce cardiovascular disease people should embrace healthy life style
since most heart related diseases are associated with unhealthy lifestyle and more cardiologist
should be trained to help in managing and combating heart diseases.
Reference

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1 HENEIN, M. Y. (2009). Valvular Heart Disease in Clinical Practice.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-275-3.
2 Nishimura, R.A., Carabello, B.A., Faxon, D.P., Freed, M.D., Lytle, B.W., O'Gara, P.T.,
O'rourke, R.A. and Shah, P.M., 2008. ACC/AHA 2008 guideline update on
valvular heart disease: focused update on infective endocarditis: a report of the
American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on
Practice Guidelines: endorsed by the Society of Cardiovascular
Anesthesiologists, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions,
and Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Circulation, 118(8), pp.887-896.
3 RHODEN, C. A., & SCHEIN, S. W. (2010). Bringing down high blood
pressure. Lanham, Md, M. Evans
4 SELZER, A. (1992). Understanding heart disease. Berkeley, University of
California Press.
5 COFFMAN, J. D., & EBERHARDT, R. T. (2003). Peripheral arterial disease:
diagnosis and treatment. Totowa, N.J., Humana Press.
http://site.ebrary.com/id/10181423
6 Chobanian, A.V., Bakris, G.L., Black, H.R., Cushman, W.C., Green, L.A., Izzo Jr, J.L.,
Jones, D.W., Materson, B.J., Oparil, S., Wright Jr, J.T. and Roccella, E.J., 2003.
The seventh report of the joint national committee on prevention, detection,
evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure: the JNC 7
report. Jama, 289(19), pp.2560-2571.

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7 1999. Valvular heart disease. The Japanese Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular
Surgery, 47(8), Ataka, K., Okada, M., Yamashita, C., Yamashita, T., Wakiyama,
H., Nakagiri, K. and Yoshimura, N., pp.377-382.
8 Alm-Roijer, C., Stagmo, M., Udén, G. and Erhardt, L., 2004. Better knowledge
improves adherence to lifestyle changes and medication in patients with coronary
heart disease. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 3(4), pp.321-330.
Hypertension
Vulvar Heart Disease

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