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Heart with a few weak points That gets the heart out of sync
Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death in Germany and Europe. The organ that supplies our body with blood is extremely powerful, but also has weak points. Many diseases that harm the heart do not hurt and are often barely noticeable for a long time.
The biggest killers do not hurt
The human heart spends enormous benefits. Even at rest, the organ pumps approximately five liters of blood per minute into the circulation. When loaded, the performance increases many times over. The problem is that the biggest killer for the heart do not hurt and long hardly noticeable. These include high blood pressure, the so-called diabetes (diabetes) and disorders of lipid metabolism. In addition, tobacco smoke, severe overweight (obesity) and lack of exercise are very harmful.
Reduce risks for heart disease
According to the information, more than 342,000 people per year still die from cardiovascular diseases in Germany. To prevent it, you should often check your doctor's blood sugar, cholesterol levels and blood pressure and treat if necessary. It makes sense to give up smoking and exercise a lot and regularly. Overweight or obesity should be avoided. Also important is a healthy, balanced diet. For example, studies have shown that vegetarian or Mediterranean diets can protect against heart disease, and recently scientists from the US and Singapore have found in a study that coffee can also be good for the heart.
Thick heart muscle is not stronger
As Merkur.de writes, the heart valves have the function of valves and prevent the blood from flowing back into or into the heart. In particular, deposits, infections, but also congenital malformations can cause them to malfunction. If the valve is narrowed, then the heart is constantly pumping against increased resistance and that costs strength. When the victim struggles, he may suddenly become unconscious. "This is an alarm signal!", Said the heart expert Prof. Ulrich Pohl, who runs the Walter Brendel Center for experimental medicine at the campus Großhadern in Munich. In addition, the heart muscle thickened by the permanent effort. That does not mean that he is getting stronger and stronger. The opposite is the case: "The connective tissue of the muscles finally diverges," says Pohl. Often there is a heart failure in the end. However, if you recognize the problem in good time, you can often treat broken valves nowadays, for example with an artificial heart valve.
Deposits can narrow arteries
The organ is primarily supplied via the coronary arteries, also known as coronary arteries. These surround the heart muscle like a wreath. Often, they form deposits (plaques) over the years that can narrow the arteries more and more. This is particularly noticeable to sufferers when they make an effort. Then the heart beats faster and needs more energy. The constricted vessels do not let enough blood through. Therefore, the patients are often tired and after a few steps they run out of air. "Or in winter - snow shoveling," explained Pohl. Because coldness creates additional problems for the heart. Often there is a feeling of tightness in the chest, which is called angina pectoris. This Herzenge can be treated with various medications. Single bottlenecks can be kept open with vascular grafts (stents) inserted through the catheter. Through a bypass, a diversion via an implanted blood vessel, you can treat longer bottlenecks.
Heart muscle out of rhythm
If one of the fuel lines of the heart is blocked, there is a danger to life. This is the case with a heart attack. This usually happens when a deposit in a coronary vessel, a plaque, tears. Then the blood clots and a plug forms. As a result, the area supplied by the affected vessel no longer receives oxygen or nutrients. If the blood flow is interrupted too long, the muscle begins to die. After an infarct, a scar forms in the heart, which can result in heart failure. However, the immediate cause of death is often a different one: In infarction, the heart muscle is out of sync and there is an irregular tremor. When it affects the heart chambers, it is dangerous and patients die without prompt help with ventricular fibrillation. "A defibrillator can prevent that," explained Pohl. Nowadays, one can even find it at many subway stations. If someone breaks down, do not hesitate to use it. "You can not go wrong," says Pohl. The so-called "Defi" only sends a power surge, if necessary.
Some people do not notice atrial fibrillation
But not only a heart attack brings the heart from the clock. Less dangerous than ventricular fibrillation is when the atria of the heart are out of rhythm. Some people who suffer from atrial fibrillation notice nothing of it. But even this arrhythmia holds a danger: in the atrium of the heart often form clots, which are then abducted with the bloodstream. These can get stuck in a brain vessel and lead to a stroke. Therefore, even with atrial fibrillation necessarily medical help is needed. Narrowed coronary arteries, inflammation of the heart muscle or a surviving heart attack can also lead to the heart getting out of rhythm. Then, a pacemaker can set the heart of the heart by electrical signals or overcome blockages in the electrical excitation propagation. (Ad)