Chronic Disease Preparedness

Archive for the ‘Cardiomyopathy’ Category

Cardiopathy is a general term used to describe various disorders affecting the heart, the blood supply and the surrounding tissues. These conditions are greatly influenced by the lifestyle choices we make, and they are often fatal in adults. A number of heart problems are categorized by this term, and they include the following:

● Cardiomyopathy is caused by deterioration and disorders of the heart’s muscular tissue. Each form has its own prevention methods, causes and treatments.

● Heart failure occurs when there is deterioration in the heart’s ability to function and the blood no longer circulates effectively throughout the body.

● Inflammatory diseases affecting the heart, including myocarditis and endocarditis, often result from infection. In addition, if the blood supply to the coronary arteries becomes compromised or blocked, this is known as coronary heart disease, and heart attacks occur frequently in such cases.

● Cardiovascular disease is related to dysfunction or damage to the blood vessels flowing to and from the heart, which supply blood throughout the body. Note that this domain also has several sub-categories within it.

● With congenital heart disease, cardiac problems have been present since the patient’s birth. These may be caused by genetic or developmental issues, and most of them occur during gestation.

Treating various heart conditions

Treatment for cardiopathy may include medication, open heart surgery or a less invasive procedure. Most patients are prescribed medication to help manage their condition and ward off a heart attack.
Your cardiologist may prescribe medication that will help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, or you may need to take anti-clotting medicine, such as low-dose aspirin, to avoid heart problems. At the same time, doctors also recommend a low-fat diet, a certain amount of controlled exercise, and no smoking.

Angioplasty, a minimally invasive treatment, is often recommended for treating clogged arteries. With this procedure, a tiny balloon is inserted into the affected artery and inflated, which pushes the plaque against the artery’s wall. In this case, re-blockage may occur, and another procedure may be required at that time. In most angioplasties, stents (small metal tubes that are either drug-coated or uncoated) are often used to keep the arteries open and prevent re-blockage.