ACE INHIBITORS: (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) – Drugs which block the formation of angiotensin-a natural substance which causes narrowing of blood vessels, especially in the kidney. These drugs are used to treat high blood pressure or heart failure. ANEURYSM-Ballooning out from a weak spot in the arterial wall or the heart … Glossary of heart termsoemmRead more
Disorders of rhythm (arrhythmia)
The normal heart-beat is initiated by a signal from the pacemaker cells in the heart which is very rapidly conducted over the whole heart so that its billions of muscle cells get the message simultaneously and contract collectively to provide an effective heart-beat. The conducting pathways can, however, become diseased. … Disorders of rhythm (arrhythmia)Read more
What is Heart failure
Heart failure is the term used to describe the state of a patient whose heart is not pumping adequately. The consequences of this is the accumulation of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary congestion or oedema) or in the legs (ankle oedema). Some diseases directly weaken the strength of the heart … What is Heart failureRead more
What is Congenital heart disease
Congenital defects are malformations of the heart or major blood vessels which are caused by abnormal development of the fetus and which are present at birth. Some are the consequences of German measles (Rubella) or exposure to chemical poisons during pregnancy. The most common defects are holes in the wall … What is Congenital heart diseaseRead more
What is Valve disease
One or other of the one-way valves in the heart may become diseased so that it does not fully open (stenosis) or does not fully close (incompetence or regurgitation). The heart has to pump harder to eject blood through a stenosed valve, or it has to pump twice as much … What is Valve diseaseRead more
What is Stroke
A stroke occurs when there is a sudden interference with the blood supply to part of the brain. Brain cells must have a continuous supply of oxygen-rich blood. If deprived of blood even for a few minutes, they cease to function and then die. Brain cells control sensation and movement … What is StrokeRead more
What is Coronary artery disease
(i) Angina. -When the heart is called upon to work harder, as it is during exercise or excitement, its need for energy (and oxygen) is increased. Normally this increased need is met by increased blood flow through the coronary arteries. If one of the coronary arteries is furred up by … What is Coronary artery diseaseRead more
What is High blood pressure
Blood in the arteries is under pressure, like water in a hose-pipe with the tap turned on. Blood pressure is pulsatile, rising to a systolic peak with each heart-beat and falling to a diastolic trough in between beats. Just as the pressure in the hose pipe (the strength of the … What is High blood pressureRead more
What is Atheroma
This slow degenerative disease of arteries is our major health hazard today. It accounts for a quarter million deaths from heart attacks and strokes each year in Britain. Patchy deposits of fatty material are laid down within the inner lining of the arteries. As a result (i) arteries get furred … What is AtheromaRead more
What is Cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death and disability in Britain today. They kill nearly 350,000 men, women and children annually-more than all the other causes of death combined. Some diseases affect primarily the arteries. Other affect the heart directly. The biggest single problem is coronary artery disease. Britain … What is Cardiovascular diseasesRead more