Symptoms & Causes Of Restrictive Cardiomyopathy And Louisville CPR Classes

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is when the walls of the heart’s lower chambers, called the ventricles, are too rigid to expand as they fill with blood. The pumping ability of the ventricles may be normal, but it’s tougher for the ventricles to get enough blood. With time, the ticker can’t pump properly, which leads to heart failure (HF).

Symptoms:

Many individuals with this have none or just minor ones, as they live a normal life, while other people have ones that get more severe as the ticker gets worse. Symptoms can happen at any age and may include fatigue; inability to exercise; swelling of the legs and feet; weight gain; nausea, bloating, and poor appetite; palpitations; fainting; chest pain or pressure; shortness of breath- at first with exercise, but eventually at rest, too.

Causes:

Its cause is often unknown but may include buildup of scar tissue, buildup of proteins in the heart muscle, chemotherapy or chest exposure to radiation, too much iron in the ticker (also called hemochromatosis) and other diseases.  

Diagnosis:

Restrictive cardiomyopathy, in some cases may be confused with something called constrictive pericarditis where the layers of the sac that surrounds the heart (called the pericardium) become thickened, calcified, and stiff. Your healthcare provider will figure out if you have restrictive cardiomyopathy based on your symptoms, your family’s history of cardiovascular disease, a physical exam, blood tests, an electrocardiogram, a chest X-ray, an echocardiogram, an exercise stress test, cardiac catheterization, a CT scan, an MRI. Sometimes a biopsy of the heart muscle is done to figure out the cause, which involves a tissue sample being taken from your ticker and looked at under a microscope.

Treatment:

Treatment is usually focused on treating the cause. Usually, your healthcare provider will suggest medications and lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes include:

Diet- How much sodium you get from food becomes important once you’ve symptoms like shortness of breath or fatigue. You’ll be instructed how strict you need to be, and it’s a good idea to follow those instructions even when your symptoms get better.

Exercise- Your healthcare provider will let you know if it’s a good idea for you to exercise. While being active is generally good for the ticker, people with this may get very tired and short of breath, even after just a little bit of activity. According to experts,

1.      Exercise at a time of day when you have the most energy, and make sure to take frequent breaks.

2.      You need to start slow, gradually build up strength and endurance.

3.      Heavy weightlifting isn’t recommended.

Medications- Some individuals may get better by taking types of drugs called beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors. Your doctor may add other medicines like digoxin, diuretics, and aldosterone inhibitors if symptoms are still around. Your doctor may prescribe something to control your heart rate (if you have an arrhythmia) or make the arrhythmia happen less often. You aren’t required to worry as your doctor will let you know which medications are best for you.

Your doctor may talk to you about a heart transplant if the condition is severe.

GetCPR trained at the AHA certified CPR Louisville and contribute towards the safety of cardiac arrest victims. Contact CPR Louisville on 502-804-6132 to join a course.

Things You Should Know About Mitral Valve Repair And Replacement

Mitral valve is the valve located between the left heart chambers- left atrium and left ventricle. To treat diseases of the mitral valve, mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement are procedures that may be performed. Different types of mitral valve disease exist:

1.      The flaps (leaflets) of the mitral valve don't close tightly in mitral valve regurgitation, causing blood to leak backward into the left atrium, which commonly occurs due to valve leaflets bulging back — a condition called mitral valve prolapse.

2.      The leaflets become thick or stiff in another condition called mitral valve stenosis, and they may fuse together, which results in a narrowed valve opening and reduced blood flow through the valve.

Mitral valve disease treatment depends on the severity of one’s condition. Doctors may recommend surgery to repair or replace mitral valves for some individuals with the disease. Open-heart surgery or minimally invasive heart surgeries are some of the surgical procedures that exist to repair or replace the mitral valves.

Risks:

Bleeding, blood clots, infection, heart rhythm problems, stroke, valve dysfunction in replacement valves and death are some of the mitral valve repair and replacement surgery risks.

Preparation:     

Your doctor and treatment team will explain to you what to expect before, during and after the surgery, and potential risks of the surgery. They’ll discuss concerns you may have about your repair or replacement surgery. The procedure will necessitate for you to shave hair off at the location of your body where the procedure will take place. Do talk to your family about your hospital stay and discuss help you may need when you return home before being admitted to the hospital for your surgery. You’ll need to follow specific instructions in terms of food and medications, clothing and personal items, precautions regarding medications and allergies, etc. given by your doctor and treatment team during your recovery when you return home.

Mitral Valve Repair- Mitral valve repair surgery may involve patching holes in a valve, reconnecting valve leaflets, removing excess valve tissue so that the leaflets can close tightly, replacing cords that support the valve to repair the structural support, and separating valve leaflets that have fused. Surgeons may tighten or reinforce the ring around the valve (annulus) in a procedure called an annuloplasty, too.

Mitral Valve Replacement- Your doctor may recommend replacement if your mitral valve can’t be repaired wherein your doctor removes the valve and replaces it with a mechanical valve. You’ll need to take blood-thinning medications for the rest of your life to prevent clots if you have a mechanical valve. You aren’t required to worry as doctors will discuss with you the risks and benefits of each type of valve and discuss which valve may be appropriate for you.

Results:

You may be able to return to daily activities, such as working, driving and exercise after mitral valve repair or replacement surgery. Your healthcare provider will discuss with you when you can return to activities, but you'll generally still need to take certain medications. Moreover, you’ll need to attend regular follow-up appointments, and you may have several tests to evaluate and monitor your condition.

CPR Louisville offers CPR courses for both healthcare and non-healthcare providers. Either register online, or call on 502-804-6132 to sign up for a course at CPR Louisville. 

Things About Heart Diseases And Disorders You Should Know

Millions of people experience abnormal or irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias, at some points in their lives, which most of the time are harmless and also happen in healthy people free of heart disease. However, some abnormal heart rhythms can be serious or even life-threatening. For example, ventricular fibrillation (it is the leading cause of a cardiac arrest). Having other types of heart disease can also increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms.

Heart Disease Categories:

Electrical- Problems with the electrical system that regulates the steady heartbeat can cause abnormal heart rhythms. The heart rate may be too slow or too fast, it may be steady or become chaotic. Some arrhythmias are very deadly and cause sudden cardiac death, while others may be bothersome but not life-threatening.

Structural- Your heart muscles or valves can get damaged by cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease) and congenital abnormalities (problems in the development of the ticker and blood vessels which are present from birth).

Circulatory- High blood pressure (HBP) and coronary artery disease are the main causes of blood vessel disorders which can result in a stroke or heart attack. The good part is there are many preventive and treatment options.

Before talking about the disorders in detail, learn more about the life-saving CPR procedure.

Proper application of the CPR technique (a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths) can revive the life of a victim involved in a cardiac arrest. Select a certified training site for acquiring training, such as the AHA certified CPR Louisville in Kentucky. Courses for both healthcare and non-healthcare providers are offered. Training in how to operate the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) device is also imparted to the students. The process of defibrillation involves application of an electric shock (with AED device) to the chest of a victim to restore normal rhythm (provided the rhythm is shockable like Ventricular Fibrillation).

For an ACLS certification Louisville, sign up for an ACLS class and become certified.

ACLS Training Classes- An Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) class is designed for those who work in emergency response, intensive care units, the emergency department, anesthesia units, telemetry departments, cardiac catheterization labs, outpatient surgery centers, advanced dentistry, respiratory therapy departments, some pharmacy departments, and many more. Most employers of these departments require employees to be ACLS certified. An AHA ACLS certification comes with a validity of two years which means you’ll have to go for a renewal program to extend the validity of your AHA provider card.

Electrical Disorders:

Arrhythmias that start in the upper chambers of the ticker (the atria) include:

1.      Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) – In this condition, the heartbeat is irregular and rapid due to disorganized signals from the heart's electrical system. More than 2 million people in the US have AFib.

2.      Atrial Flutter (AFL) - Although it is similar to AFib as it also causes a fast beat in the atria, but AFL is caused by a single electrical wave that circulates very rapidly in the atrium.

3.      Sick Sinus Syndrome (SSS) - This isn’t a disease but a group of signs or symptoms that show that the sinus node (the ticker’s natural electrical pacemaker) is not working properly.

4.      Sinus Tachycardia- Sinus tachycardia is a harmless faster rhythm, which is a normal increase in heart rate that happens with fever, excitement and exercise.

Arrhythmias that occur in the lower chambers of the ticker (the ventricles) include:

1.      Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) - VT is a life-threatening arrhythmia, which is usually seen along with other serious heart disease but sometimes happens in individuals with normal hearts.

2.      Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) - The heartbeat is fast and chaotic in VF, causing the lower heart chambers, or ventricles, to spasm. Sudden cardiac arrest caused by VF is the cause of half of all deaths related to the ticker.

Circulatory Disorders:

Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction) - Heart attack occurs when arteries become so clogged that the blood flow to the ticker is reduced or stopped, the lack of oxygen can damage or kill the heart muscle.

Strokes- Strokes aren’t true disorders of the ticker, they are caused by blockage or reduced blood flow to the brain.

Structural Diorders:

Heart Failure (HF) - HF or cardiomyopathy sets in when the heart muscle is too weak to effectively pump blood through the body. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to stop or slow down the worsening of HF.

Heart Valve Problems- They can develop on their own or can be inherited, and affect the ticker's ability to push blood efficiently from chamber to chamber, and out to the rest of the body.

Sign up for a CPR course today at CPR Louisville and contribute towards the safety of cardiac arrest victims. Call on 502-804-6132 to know more.

Reset Your Heart Rhythm With These Procedures And Louisville CPR Certification

Not every individual with atrial fibrillation needs to correct it as some people with an irregular heartbeat can go years without any treatment other than stroke prevention. But, a lot of people have so-called chronic AFib, where it's there all the time. They as well can live their lives normally as long as their heart rate isn’t too fast. Dizziness; fatigue and lack of energy; shortness of breath; racing, pounding, or fluttering heart are some symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation. Your doctor may not try to get it back into a normal rhythm if you don’t have any of these problems and your ticker is pumping blood normally. You may be able to control it with medication alone if your ticker goes in and out of a normal beat. If you're in AFib all of the time, your doctor may recommend something else like electrical cardioversion, ablation, etc.

Stay prepared to face out-of-hospital cardiac emergencies efficiently by getting CPR trained. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation comprises chest compressions and rescue breaths. It is a life-saving technique useful in many emergencies, including a heart attack or near drowning or a life-threatening cardiac arrest, in which someone’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped. Select a certified training site for acquiring training. If you belong to the Louisville region in KY, don’t look beyond the AHA certified CPR Louisville for your CPR certificationLouisville. Become certified at the end of the training classes after successfully passing a skills test and written exam.

Electrical Cardioversion- This is one of the first options to reset your ticker. It is a procedure in which an electric current is used to reset the heart’s rhythm back to its regular pattern. You will be given medication called a blood thinner before cardioversion which will give your body time to dissolve any blood clots lurking inside your heart that could come loose because of the procedure and lead to a stroke. The doctor will check for clots in your heart by doing a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) if your symptoms are too severe. After sedating you, your doctor will put a long, flexible tube with a small device down your throat until it's behind the top of your ticker. What the device does is it sends out sound waves and picks up their echoes to make a picture on a computer screen. If your doctor doesn’t find any clots, you are all set.

Ablation- Doctors may recommend a procedure to wipe out the heart tissue that's causing the misfiring signal if your AFib still isn’t under control. We are talking about ablation which isn’t a surgery, but requires a small cut. The doctor during the procedure will thread a long, thin tube called a catheter through a vein from your leg or your neck into your heart. Then heat, cold, or radio energy is used to create scars on specific places of your ticker, which stops them from sending or passing electrical signals.

Like all medical procedure, catheter ablation has its own risks with about 5 percent of patients having some type of complication including bleeding where the catheter goes into the body or when it enters the heart, as well as a 1% risk of stroke. Your doctor may skip the catheter and carry out just the ablation if you’re already planning a heart surgery.

Sign up for a course at CPR Louisville by calling on 502-804-6132.

Causes & Symptoms of Dilated Cardiomyopathy And Louisville CPR Certification

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the most common type of cardiomyopathy that occurs mostly in adults in the age-group 20-60. It affects the lower and upper chambers of the ticker (ventricles and atria). DCM is a disease of your heart muscle where it becomes stretched and thin(begins to dilate) and the heart isunable to pump blood around your body efficiently. The disease most often starts in the left ventricle, which is the ticker’s main pumping chamber causing the heart muscle to stretch. As a result, the inside of the chambers enlarges. It often spreads to the right ventricle and then to the atria. The heart muscle doesn’t contract normally and cannot pump blood well as the heart chambers dilate which can eventually cause heart failure (HF). Common symptoms of HF include fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling of the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen and veins in the neck. Dilated cardiomyopathy can also lead to heart valve problems, arrhythmias and blood clots in the ticker.

What Causes DCM:

Often, DCM cause isn’t known. Around one-third of individuals of those who have it inherit it from their parents. Diseases, conditions and substances can also cause DCM including coronary heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid disease, viral hepatitis and HIV; alcohol; infections particularly viral infections that inflame the heart muscle; complications during the last month of pregnancy; toxins like cobalt; drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines and certain medicines used to treat cancer.

DCM Symptoms:

DCM develops slowly in most cases, so some people can have quite severe symptoms before they are diagnosed with the most common symptoms being shortness of breath, excessive tiredness, palpitations and swelling of the ankles and abdomen.

Diagnosis:

ECG and echocardiogram are the most common tests for cardiomyopathy where the former records the electrical activity of your ticker whereas the latter shows the pumping action of your ticker. Doctors may also suggest an exercise test, angiogram or MRI scan.

Treatments:

There is no cure for DCM at present, but treatments are available to help control your symptoms thus preventing complications. The treatment depends on how your ticker is affected and the symptoms that you have. A number of other conditions can develop as a result of having DCM for some people including abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), blood clots and chest pain. Medicines, a pacemaker (to control your heart rate) or an ICD (if you are at risk of a life-threatening arrhythmia) may be required.

Living with DCM:

According to research, with proper treatment and follow-up, most people with the condition can live a normal life. However, a small proportion of people with the condition are at risk of sudden cardiac death as there’s a very small risk of getting a life-threatening arrhythmia. Discuss about this risk with your doctor, they may offer medication or advise that you need to have an ICD fitted if you are at a higher risk. To manage your symptoms, you may have to make small changes, but you should be able to continue to work or drive a car. Do consult your healthcare provider in this regard.

Cardiac arrest can strike anyone, any time. It’s better that you stay prepared to handle such medical emergencies efficiently involving someone else. Get trained in CPR which is a life-saving procedure for a person whose heart has stopped beating or is no longer breathing. It comprises chest compressions and rescue breaths. Proper application of the procedure can maintain circulation and breathing until emergency medical help arrives. Seconds count when someone’s blood flow or breathing stops, permanent brain damage or death can happen quickly. You could save a life with your knowledge in how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

If you belong to the Louisville region in KY, don’t look beyond the AHA certified CPR Louisville to sign up for a CPR course. Certified instructors conduct the classes. For more information, or to sign up for a course, contact CPR Louisville on 502-804-6132.

Different Causes of Heart Palpitations and CPR Training in Louisville

A person may feel his/her heart pounding, fluttering, or may seem like skipping beats- these feelings are called palpitations. They may feel scary, but most aren’t serious and rarely need treatment. Awareness in what makes your ticker race can help you not panic when it happens and know when to call your doctor.

Different causes of heart palpitations are:

Anxiety and Stress- Your heartbeat can increase by intense emotions as they trigger the release of hormones. Your body becomes ready to face threat, although you aren’t in danger. Panic attacks can last a few minutes which are intense bouts of fear with a racing ticker, sweating, chills, difficult breathing and chest pain being some of the symptoms. Your panic attack can feel like a heart attack (myocardial infarction-MI), get immediate medical help if you aren’t sure which one you are having.

Caffeine- You may have noticed or felt that your ticker beats faster after your morning latte, keep in mind that caffeine is a stimulant that raises your heart rate, regardless of where you get it from- coffee, soda, an energy drink, or another source. According to a study, caffeine from coffee, tea, and chocolate isn’t likely to cause palpitations in people with healthy tickers. But experts aren’t sure whether it might trigger them in people with heart rhythm problems.

Exercise- There are no two ways about working out being good for everyone. A mere brisk run or intense indoor cycling class naturally makes the ticker beat faster that helps it to pump more blood to power your muscles throughout the workout. Sudden fluttering or pounding of your ticker could be because you haven’t worked out in a while and you’re out of condition. Palpitations during exercise can also be caused by an irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia.

Nicotine- Nicotine is the addictive chemical in cigarettes and other tobacco products that raises the blood pressure and speeds up the heart rate. Quitting smoking is one of the best things that can be done for the heart, it might not slow your heartbeat right away though. It can be difficult to quit smoking- patches and other nicotine replacement products can help, but they can make your ticker race. Palpitations can also be a symptom of nicotine withdrawal which tend to stop within 3-4 weeks after you quit.

Fever- Our body, during fever due to an illness- uses energy at a faster pace than usual which can set off palpitations. Your temperature needs to be above 100.4 F to affect your heart rate.

Medicines- Palpitations sometimes occur as a side-effect of some prescribed and over-the-counter medicines including antibiotics, antifungal medicines, asthma inhalers, cough and cold medicines, diet pills, high blood pressure medicines, thyroid pills, etc. If you take one or more of these types of meds, ask your healthcare provider if it could affect your heartbeat. Never skip any doses before checking with your doctor.

Low Blood Sugar- Skipping a meal can also lead to palpitations. Our body releases stress hormones like adrenaline to prepare for an emergency food shortage when our blood sugar level drop which speeds up the heart rate.

Hyperthyroidism- Thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that makes hormones that help manage your metabolism and other things. Hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid gland can make too much thyroid hormone that can speed up the ticker so much that you feel it beating in your chest.

Heart Rhythm Problems- Sometimes an irregular heart rhythm, called an arrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia- can cause palpitations.

Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs)- PVCs are extra heartbeats that happen when the ticker’s ventricles squeeze too soon. Occasional PVCs are nothing to be worried about if your ticker is healthy. You might require treatment if you have cardiovascular disease and you get these extra beats (they throw off the ticker’s normal rhythm and makes it flutter or pound in the chest) often.

Some of the other causes include alcohol, cocaine and other street drugs and hormonal changes.

See your doctor if palpitations come more often or you also have symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, dizziness or fainting. You aren’t required to worry about palpitations that happen once in a while and last only a few seconds- if you’re perfectly healthy.

Undergo CPR training at the AHA certified CPR Louisville in Kentucky and equip yourself in the life-saving technique- proper application of which can revive the life of a cardiac arrest victim. Call CPR Louisville on 502-804-6132 for more information.

Vital Heart Symptoms that your should Never Ignore

Remember, not all heart problems come with clear warning signs. You’d be surprised that some heart symptoms don’t even happen in your chest, and it’s difficult to tell what’s going on. Get it checked out if you aren’t sure which is especially true if you are 60 or older, are overweight, or have diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. The higher the number of risk factors you have, the more you should be concerned about anything that might be ticker-related.

Do not ignore these problems:

Chest Discomfort- It is the most common sign that your ticker is in danger. You may feel pain, tightness, or pressure in your chest if you have a blocked artery or are having a heart attack. The feeling varies in everyone with some saying it's like an elephant is sitting on them whereas some others say it's like a pinching or burning. The feeling generally lasts longer than a few minutes which may happen when you’re at rest or doing something physical. Immediately call 911 if the symptoms are more severe and do not go away after a few minutes. It’s also possible to have heart problems- even a heart attack- without chest pain, that’s especially common among women.

Pain Spreading to the Arm- Pain that radiates down the left side of the body is another classic heart attack symptom which almost always starts from the chest and moves outward.

Throat or Jaw Pain- Throat or jaw pain isn’t probably heart-related by itself which is more likely caused by a muscular issue, a cold, or a sinus problem. Call 911 and seek medical attention if you have pain or pressure in the center of your chest that spreads up into your throat or jaw as it could be a sign of a heart attack.

Dizziness or Lightheadedness- Although a lot of things can make you lose your balance or feel faint for a moment, but if you suddenly feel unsteady and you also have chest discomfort or shortness of breath- immediately seek medical attention as it could mean there has been a drop in your blood pressure because your ticker isn't able to pump the way it should.

You get Fatigued Easily- Make an appointment with your doctor right away if you suddenly feel fatigued after doing something you had no problem doing in the past -- like climbing the stairs as extreme exhaustion or unexplained weakness, sometimes for days at a time, can be a symptom of cardiovascular disease, especially for women.

Sweating- Call 911 and get to a hospital right away if you break out in a cold sweat for no obvious reason as that could signal a heart attack. If this happens along with any of these other symptoms, immediate medical attention should be sought.

An Ongoing Cough- This isn’t a sign of heart trouble in most cases but pay attention to the possibility if you have cardiovascular disease or you know you are at risk. A long-lasting cough that produces a white or pink mucus could be a sign of heart failure that happens when the ticker can't keep up with the body's demands, causing blood to leak back into the lungs.

Swollen Legs, Feet and Ankles- This could be a sign that your ticker doesn’t pump blood as efficiently as it should. Blood backs up in the veins and causes bloating when the ticker can’t pump fast enough. HF can also make it harder for the kidneys to remove extra water and sodium from the body, which can lead to bloating.

Irregular Heartbeat- When you are nervous or excited, it’s normal for your ticker to race or to add or skip a beat once in a while. Tell your doctor if you feel like your ticker is beating out of time for more than just a few seconds, or if it happens often as occasionally, it could signal a condition called atrial fibrillation that needs treatment. Ask your doctor to check it out.

Stay prepared to efficiently handle out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases by getting CPR trained at the AHA certified CPR Louisville in Kentucky. For more information, call us on 502-804-6132.