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September 18, 2022 By Heart Disease Go

The Effects of Kidney and Heart Disease

Coronary Artery Disease

Renal and coronary artery disease may progress parallel to each other, and there are many heart related diseases that affect the kidney, as well.

All our body parts and organs are vital for a happy existence; however, the heart is one of the most important organs, without which living is not possible. When faced with heart disease, treatment can be challenging, but when heart problems combine with another major organ failure, there can be fatal consequences.

Kidney and Heart Disease

The kidneys are one of the most important organs of the body. Kidney problems are common nowadays due to the increased number of toxins existing everywhere. The kidneys help us to deal with impurities circulating in the blood and people having kidney problems often face severe health issues.

The kidney’s function is to filter wastes and excrete fluid by using the bloodstream’s own natural pressure. There are a number of causes that can trigger damage to the kidneys, and some of them are:

  • Decreased blood flow is usually caused by clogged arteries that, in turn, will cause kidney and heart disease.
  • Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) – this may occur when tissues are not getting enough oxygen or when the renal artery is blocked or narrowed.
  • Over-exposure to metals, solvents, radiographic contract materials, and certain types of medications.
  • Myoglobin in the urine (myoglobinuria) – this condition occurs when one consumes excessive amounts of alcohol, tissue death of muscles for any given cause, or other disorders.
  • Direct kidney injury.
  • Infections such as acute septicemia.
  • Blood disorders, which affect the heart and can lead into a joint kidney and heart disease.

There are many other causes, which can lead to the deadly combination of kidney and heart disease. If you suffer from kidney disease and heart disease at the same time, the outcome is likely to be fatal. Do everything in your power to avoid this dangerous duo attack.

The earlier you catch the signs and symptoms of kidney and heart disease the better for you. You need to seek professional medical assistance as soon as possible to prevent further complications that could further weaken the heart. The symptoms of kidney and heart disease are usually the same for each other:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Itchy eyes and skin
  • Tiredness
  • Muscle pain or weakness
  • Upset stomach
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Dark-coloured urine
  • Swelling of the legs and ankles
  • Changes in appetite.

If you or a loved one have any of the symptoms listed above, it is advisable that you see a doctor as soon as possible. You may be able to avoid them from becoming more serious.

Prevention is Better Than a Cure

The only way to prevent a double failure of your body’s systems is to be constantly aware of your health’s situation by conducting regular check ups with your doctor and following his/her advice.

Knowing in time that you are in danger of some major failure, or that you will be faced with a serious disease should you not take precautions right away, will help save your life. Most people who have heart attacks never suspected one and usually end up in emergency room in a critical state. Take charge of your life and take care of your health today. Some of the main causes of kidney and heart disease can be avoided by taking certain measures; for instance:

  • Control your blood pressure by following a diet plan recommended by your doctor;
  • Avoid medications that can damage your kidneys;
  • Keep your body well maintained by getting regular exercise;
  • Limit alcohol consumption.

Pay attention to any signs or symptoms that may indicate that you have kidney or heart disease. Making an appointment with your doctor as soon as you notice any of them will help you avoid further damage to your heart and/or kidneys.

August 18, 2014 By Heart Disease Go

What Everyone Should Know About Women and Heart Disease

Women And Heart DiseaseWhen we think of a victim of heart disease, we tend to think of men, but unfortunately, heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women in the United States. Heart disease includes the narrowing of the arteries that bring oxygen to the heart, heart failure, diseases of the heart muscles, inborn defects, and other conditions. Five hundred thousand American women die each year from heart diseases, and the risks increase as a woman ages.

The Change of Life

The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center explains that menopause changes the risks for women and heart disease. Post-menopause, a woman’s body experiences reduced estrogen production, changes in cholesterol levels, changes in the structure of blood vessels, and increased production of the clotting agent fibrinogen.

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No one yet knows exactly how much a woman’s risk is affected by each of these changes, but they are definitely associated with greater heart disease risk.

Women who have gone through menopause are two to three times more likely to suffer heart disease than a pre-menopausal woman of the same age. Women that have had a hysterectomy experience these same raised risk factors.

In the past, scientists studying women and heart disease hypothesized that hormone replacement therapy could help post-menopausal women fight heart disease; however, long-term studies do not confirm that preliminary idea and doctors no longer recommend hormone replacement therapy to battle heart disease. Menopause we cannot change, but other risk factors are under our control.

Using hormonal birth control (the pill or the patch) is considered safe for women under thirty-five. As of now, doctors do not have proof that birth control hormones can increase or decrease problems for women and heart disease, especially after the age of thirty-five. When talking about your heart disease risk factors with your doctor, get his or her opinion on your personal situation.

A Change of Lifestyle

Scientists studying women and heart disease find that women are knowledgeable about what lifestyles are associated with heart disease, but are also prone to having those lifestyles. For example, according to the National Institutes of Health, fifty-six million American women have high cholesterol, 33% of women have high blood pressure, and 62% of women are overweight. Despite these risks, women are less physically active than men, on average.

For women, as for men, there are a few good guidelines to a healthier heart. Habits such as not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight by regular activity or exercise, cutting down on the fatty foods, and getting your cholesterol tested can dramatically help prevent heart disease. Don’t become another statistic about women and heart disease.

August 10, 2014 By Heart Disease Go

Understanding Congenital Heart Disease

Heart PacemakerThe heart is the most important part of one’s body; it ensures blood circulation throughout the body, without which life would not be possible. Medicine has advanced greatly and, with modern technology, almost all heart diseases can be treated successfully if detected in time.

What is Congenital Heart Disease?

Congenital heart disease, or CHD, is a malformation of the heart or a large blood vessel near the heart. Congenital heart disease is a condition that one is born with and it is one of the most common forms of major birth defects in newborns, affecting approximately 8% per 1000 infants. It is normally diagnosed within one week from birth in 40-50% of congenital heart disease cases.

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This condition is not a problem until after birth, as the blood circulation differs from that after birth. The fetal circulation derives oxygen and nutrients from the mother through the placenta, and the fetal circulation has important communications between the upper heart chambers and the great blood vessels near the heart. Consequently, most types of congenital heart disease are well tolerated during fetal life.

The Cause of Congenital Heart Disease

This disease can have different causes such as:

  • Environmental factors such as chemicals or drugs are sometimes to blame. For example, if a mother-to-be catches measles or rubella during pregnancy, the infection can impair the development of the unborn baby’s heart or other organs. Similar effects can take place if the mother-to-be consumes alcohol during pregnancy.
  • Maternal diseases for the mother can increase the risks of developing congenital heart disease in the unborn baby.
  • Chromosome abnormalities – a common chromosome abnormality causing congenital heart disease is Down’s syndrome where an extra #21 chromosome is present. About 50% of children with Down’s syndrome also have CHD.

Treating Congenital Heart Disease

The treatment depends from person to person due to the huge difference in occurrence from case to case. Everything needs to be taken into consideration in order to follow an effective treatment program.

A treatment program can only be decided after proper diagnosis made by a specialist. While eating healthy and exercising always helps, congenital heart disease is a special case which needs to follow strict doctor’s instructions; no self medication or treatment is advised. Information and guidelines are available both online and in the doctor’s office to help one educate themselves in order to deal better with this disease.

August 10, 2014 By Heart Disease Go

The Risk Factors for Congestive Heart Disease

Coronary Artery DiseaseCongestive heart disease affects approximately five million Americans, and some medical professionals believe that within five years time approximately half of those people will unfortunately die from their condition. Congestive heart disease is marked by the heart’s inability to pump efficiently enough to supply the body with freshly oxygenated blood. It is the leading cause of hospitalization among senior citizens and accounted for nearly 20% of the hospitalization of this age group in 2003.

Since congestive heart disease is a condition that warrants attention, a brief discussion of some of the risk factors might be in order. While some of these factors cannot be helped, there are many things a person can change about their lives to reduce the risk.

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Risk Factors That Cannot be Helped

There are a number of risk factors for congestive heart disease that simply can’t be helped. One such factor is a previous heart attack, and advanced age, specifically over the age of 65, is another common factor for this condition. Another, of course, is a history of diabetes. Both these factors, although treatable cannot be reversed, and if you have had one of these medical conditions, there is a distinct possibility that congestive heart disease might be a condition to watch out for.

Another risk factor that cannot be changed when dealing with congestive heart disease is having a genetic disposition to the disease. Genetic testing and knowledge of the complete family history can go a long way in indicating whether or not congestive heart disease is something that should be a concern for you.

Risk Factors the Can Be Changed

While some factors that indicate the potential for congestive heart disease cannot be helped, there are a number that can. These factors include such things as chronic high blood pressure, drug or alcohol abuse, thyroid disease, and even heart valve disease. All these risk factors, especially drug and alcohol abuse can be managed with help from your medical professional or friendly neighborhood physician. The best course of action is talk to your doctor to design a plan to attack congestive heart disease and hopefully stop it from affecting your life.

Unfortunately, congestive heart disease is difficult to diagnose because it often occurs as a result of or in conjunction with other forms of heart disease. Perhaps the best hope for patients with this disease is to catch it early and begin treatment as soon as possible.

August 10, 2014 By Heart Disease Go

Learning About Heart Disease Symptoms Can Save Your Life

The heart has the most important function of pumping blood throughout our bodies without which we cannot live, ensuring that one’s heart is in good shape and functional should always be on the priority list.

However, sometimes one heart disease or the other creeps on us and by being able to identify a heart disease symptom will save one’s life.

Heart Attack Symptoms

Acute Myocardial Infarction

The heart disease symptom that is connected to heart attack is easier to read than other diseases but at the same time it can get confusing; if you are not sure of any one symptom, check with your doctor right away.

  • Pain, fullness and/or squeezing sensation of the chest
  • Jaw pain, toothache, headache
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nausea, vomiting and/or general upper middle abdomen discomfort
  • Sweating profusely
  • Heartburn and/or indigestion
  • Arm pain – more commonly left arm but sometimes the right arm as well
  • Upper back pain
  • General feeling of being unwell

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One or more of these symptoms may occur at the same time depending from person to person where as some may have no symptoms what so ever. Knowing to recognize the heart disease symptom is not easy and often it may lead to be just a false alarm however never ignore any symptom – it’s better to be too careful than sorry.

Coronary Heart Disease Symptoms

The symptoms associated with coronary heart disease are pronounced such as:

  • Chest pain or angina – is the most common heart disease symptom related to coronary disease however, the intensity of pain may vary from person to person
  • Shortness of breath – this is a usual symptom of congestive heart failure; the heart is usually very weak at this point from lack of blood and oxygen and/or from a past heart attack

Heart disease symptom recognizing is usually hard as many of these symptoms can be caused by many other different factors as well; this is probably one of the main causes why some people walk in emergency rooms sometimes too late to be able to be helped.

If you are faced with any kind of doubt about a heart disease symptom that you may have, check with your doctor as soon as possible in order to avoid a disaster.

Your health is the most important possession, learn to listen to your heart and protect yourself from any heart disease by conducting regular check ups, eating healthy and exercising as much as possible.

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  • The Effects of Kidney and Heart Disease
  • How Obesity and Heart Disease are Related
  • Turn Back Time – Reversing Heart Disease
  • Doctor Approved Ways to Prevent Heart Disease
  • What Everyone Should Know About Women and Heart Disease

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Coronary Artery Disease

Renal and coronary artery disease may progress parallel to each other, and there are many heart related diseases that affect the kidney, as well. All our body parts and organs are vital for a happy existence; however, the heart is one of the most important organs, without which living is not possible. When faced with […]

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Recent Posts

  • The Effects of Kidney and Heart Disease
  • How Obesity and Heart Disease are Related
  • Turn Back Time – Reversing Heart Disease
  • Doctor Approved Ways to Prevent Heart Disease

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Reversing heart disease can be done by adopting a few lifestyle changes. By avoiding certain risk factors that put you in harm’s way of the disease to begin with, you can turn back the clock, so to speak, and continue to live a long, healthy life despite the condition.

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