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Cardiovascular Disease When the pulse rises to one hundred and eighty per minute
Silent and insidious, but with fatal consequences: cardiovascular disease. According to the Federal Statistical Office, almost every second death in Germany alone can be traced back to a heart or vascular disorder. Behind the collective term, however, hides a variety of different diseases that often arise unnoticed and mutually conditional.
"These include, for example, hypertension and vascular calcifications, which are the main trigger for a life-threatening heart attack or stroke," Sebastian Grünig, specialist for internal medicine and cardiology of radprax Wuppertal. An early diagnosis of a disturbed cardiovascular system is therefore considered crucial to prevent sequelae. On the first signs concerned should pay attention and what the treatment steps look, explains the expert below.
Risk factor hypertension
If there is an increased pressure in the vessels, doctors speak of a so-called hypertension. Unfortunately, this initially causes no complaints and often remains undetected for a long time. However, if patients suffer from headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pressure or so-called heart stumbling, it is important to take these noticeable warning signs seriously. "Over time, high blood pressure overloads the vessel walls and causes serious damage to the heart, kidneys or brain, to a heart attack," warns the physician. Obesity, stress and physical inactivity are among the risk factors. Also, an enormous consumption of alcohol, smoking and an excessive salt or meat-containing diet favor the pressure on the vessel walls.
For most people, the resting heart rate is 60 to 80 beats per minute. Many different factors are responsible for making your heart beat faster and slower. (Image: leungchopan / fotolia.com) Dangerous bottleneck
Vascular calcifications, also called arteriosclerosis, are among the leading causes of cardiovascular disease. "This builds deposits of lime and fat on the arteries that constrict the blood vessels over time, and thus cause dangerous circulatory disorders," explains Dr. med. Grünig. In the worst case it even comes to a complete closure of the vessels, which triggers a heart attack or stroke.
The symptoms that occur depend on the affected area. A constriction of the coronary arteries manifests itself, for example, in the chest, in carotid arteries, however, the deposits often lead to paralysis or speech disorders. In such cases, sufferers should seek medical attention immediately. In particular, smoking, diabetes, high blood and cholesterol and high blood pressure increase the risk of contracting arteriosclerosis.
Proper care
When vascular calcification is suspected, physicians first use a special form of ultrasound to measure the blood flow in the affected area. "In this so-called Doppler sonography, in addition to the usual organ structures, blood flow velocities can be detected and any bottlenecks identified. Depending on the severity and severity of atherosclerosis, narrowing can be treated with medication or, if necessary, surgery, "says the radprax expert. If suspicion of hypertension is close, only repeated measurements of blood pressure provide information.
To achieve a more meaningful result, doctors prescribe so-called long-term measurements. To do so, sufferers wear for 24 hours a meter with a cuff on his arm, which automatically measures and records the blood pressure at short intervals. In general, hypertension can be well normalized with a diet and lifestyle change.
Only if this does not achieve any success, antihypertensive agents come into question. In order to prevent long-term cardiovascular diseases, in addition to regular check-ups at the doctor, it is important to eat healthy and balanced, to refrain from cigarettes and to move sufficiently. (Sb, pm)