Sudden Cardiac Death:
Unlike a heart attack, in this case, your heart’s electrical system goes on the fritz, which causes your heart to beat irregularly and very fast. In this situation, instead of pumping blood, the heart basically shakes and quivers.
A person suffering from sudden cardiac death can die in minutes, but getting CPR can often save them, so call the EMTs immediately and start performing CPR on them.
Testing for CVDs:
EKG: Electrocardiogram is a painless test where the doctor places electrodes on your skin for a few minutes to measure your heart’s electrical activity. An EKG can also determine if you’re having a heart attack or had one in the past, as well as determine the regularity of your heartbeat.
Stress test: You use a treadmill or stationary bike in a progressive workout while your heart is being monitored by an EKG. This will tell doctors how your heart works under stress.
Holter monitor: If your doctor suspects that your heart might be skipping a beat here and there, he’ll give you a Holter monitor to wear throughout the day. This device constantly measures the electrical activity of your heart to give your doctor more comprehensive data.
X-rays: By taking an X-ray of your chest, doctors can tell if your heart has an irregular shape or size.
Echocardiogram: It’s an ultrasound for your heart, and it shows your heart’s activity in real time, allowing doctors to spot possible issues with your pump.
Cardiac CT: Cardiac computerized tomography takes detailed X-rays of your heart and blood vessels. This helps doctors find plaque or calcium buildups in your arteries, as well as valve problems and more.
Cardiac Catheterization: A tiny tube is inserted into a blood vessel that leads to your heart, and the doctor then injects a dye into it, making any blockages visible on X-ray.
Life with a Heart Disease
Most heart diseases are long-lasting, and can sometimes be asymptomatic for years, but if left untreated – they will get progressively worse.
Once your disease has been diagnosed, it’s possible that your whole lifestyle will change. You may need to start taking pills daily to control your cholesterol, blood pressure, rhythm, heart rate, and clot prevention.
If you suffer from a blocked artery, you may need to go through surgical intervention to unblock it. Angioplasty is an operation where a doctor guides a catheter with a balloon into the blocked artery. When it reaches the blockage, the balloon is filled with air, opening the blockage. Your surgeon may also put in a small mesh tube to keep the artery open.
More severe cases will call for bypass surgery, which involves taking a blood vessel from another part of your body and using it to replace the damaged blood vessel, thereby “bypassing” it.
Whether you’ve been diagnosed or treated for CVD, get on a cardiac rehab program. Specialists will help you with nutrition, exercises, and emotional support to help you get back on track.