Take Care of your Heart in Winters - Dr Vanita Arora

The plummeting mercury raises the risk of getting a heart-attack and it is the time when one needs to remain extra cautious. 

As viscosity of blood increases with the drop in temperature, the number of cases of heart attacks and other coronary artery diseases increase during winters.

The limited awareness about the triggers that lead to heart attack and precautions which can be taken to avoid it during winters is a major cause of worry.  

DrVanita Arora, Associate Director & Head, Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab and Arrhythmia Services, Max Hospital, discusses vulnerability of the heart in order to empower people suffering from cardio vascular diseases with the right kind of prevention, more so during the winter season.

Dr Vanita Arora - Is there an thing “BENIGN” about “SYNCOPE”?

What is SYNCOPE?

Syncope is the medical term for fainting and precisely defined as a transient loss of consciousness followed by the return to full wakefulness. Syncope often includes dizziness and temporary loss of vision commonly referred as “blackout”, nausea and abdominal discomfort.

What is the cause of SYNCOPE?

Causes of syncope may be Non Cardiac or Cardiac

Non-Cardiac – Dehydration causing vaso- vagal syncope or reflex syncope

• Hypoglycaemia
• Brain Stroke

Cardiac – Abnormal Heart Rhythm

• Structural Heart disease (Heart Valve)
• Congenital Heart Disease

What are the types of SYNCOPE?

Neurocardiogenic  or reflex syncope underlie most forms of syncope. It is by far the most common cause of transient loss of consciousness. The three main types of reflex syncope are neurocardiogenic syncope, carotid sinus syncope and situational syncope. Neurocardiogenic syncope is provoked by triggering events such as prolonged stranding, emotion, pain, sight of blood. Carotid sinus syncope is caused by stimulation of the carotid sinus baroreceptors in the neck, which leads to low blood pressure or slow heart rate of both. Situational syncope is defined as loss of consciousness at the onset of, during or directly after swallowing, defection, micturition or coughing.

Dr Vanita Arora - How to keep your heart healthy

Dr Vanita Arora, Associate Director & Head, Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab and Arrhythmia Services, Max Hospital, answered queries related to heart health in an online chat with readers on January 15.

Here is the unedited chat transcript:

Nagendra sk: sir how do we know irregular heartbeat

Dr Vanita Arora: irregualr beat is felt as an abnormal rhythm and diagnosed by counting the pulse and doing an ECG or Holetr monitoring

sonia kapoor: my husband age 35 was detected bp due to stress (lipid profile and sugar levels remian under control) , on cardace1.25mg bp ranges 130/90. any suggestions/preacuations

Dr Vanita Arora: His BP needs to be as close to 120/80 mm of Hg. The dose of Cardace is very Low. So U need to reduce his stress, if that doesnt decrease his BP further then increase Cardace after consulting Ur Cardiologist

SURESH KHURANA: My cholesterol and triglycerides level were high. Dr advised me to take Atorlip 5 once daily. I have been taking this medicine for the last 6 years and the levels of triglycerides and cholesterol are within prescribed limits.I want to stop the medicine. May be I can have some food supplements such as garlic etc. Please advise.

Dr Vanita Arora - A Miracle Therapy for Heart Failure Cases

Dr Vanita Arora – Chronic heart failure (CHF) occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to sustain adequate circulation in the body’s tissues.

The patient complains of fatigue, shortness of breath (dyspnoea), swelling of the feet and ankles (Edema) and is unable to perform day-to-day activates.

A patient with heart failure has problems with the electrical system. The synchronization of two lower pumping chambers is compromised by a condition known as bundle branch block (BBB). A bundle branch block occurs when the conduction of the electrical impulse to the ventricles is blocked or slowed down. This causes the main pumping chambers of the heart to become “out of sync.” Read More: (A Miracle Therapy for Heart Failure Cases)

Dr Vanita Arora - A Patient’s Guide for Heart Failure

“Cardiac Re-synchronization therapy, an upgraded and smaller version of a pacemaker results in better quality and in some cases heals the organ before damage occurs”, says Dr VanitaArora.

Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to sustain adequate circulation in the body’s tissues. CHF affects more than 22 million people worldwide, a potentially debilitating disease and is the only major cardiac disorder that is steadily increasing. The patient complains of fatigue, shortness of breath (Dyspnoea), swelling of feet and ankles (Edema) and is unable to perform day to day activities. Once heart failure is diagnosed, prognosis is poor. Read More: (A Patient’s Guide for Heart Failure )

Dr Vanita Arora – 9 expert tips to prevent heart attacks in the winter!

The winters are quite undoubtedly here, and are more severe this time around. Often we concentrate on staying warm and keeping common infections at bay during this season, but there is more to staying healthy this winter season. According to Dr Vanita Arora, Associate Director and Head, Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab and Arrhythmia Services, Max Hospital, winter is the most vulnerable time for patients with heart disease. She says, ‘People become more prone to heart attacks in winters. That is because the arteries that arise from the aorta become constricted with a fall in temperatures, as a result of which the heart has to put more effort to pump blood. This makes the heart stress out and leads to a heart attack. It is more risky for those who do not have any inkling about pre-existing heart conditions. It is therefore very essential that you keep a constant check on your cardiovascular risk factors during these months’

Wondering how you can protect yourself from suffering a cardiac arrest in the winters? Here are nine tips to keep the condition at bay:

Dr Vanita Arora - Could your pacemaker be malfunctioning?

Mr Anant Singh, is a 65-years-old retired man who was enjoying his retired life after a pacemaker was implanted into his chest to stabilise the arrhythmia he was suffering from. But lately he had been feeling breathless for some time and needed three to four pillows to prop him up while he was sleeping to help him breathe. Mr Ananth would constantly feel low on energy and fatigued continuously. Although he thought his ailment was due to his age, the symptoms eventually got worse with time. One night after suffering from severe breathlessness Mr Ananth was rushed to the hospital, where it was found that one of the leads of his pacemaker had shifted position. Read more about arrythmia and why it is a cause for concern.

What is a pacemaker?
 A cardiac pacemaker is a group of cells within the heart that together induce contractions and control the pace of the heart. When the cardiac pacemaker does not function properly an artificial pacemaker is placed which sends electrical impulses to the heart muscle to provide proper heart rhythm. An artificial pacemaker may be used to treat repeated syncopal attacks, congestive heart failure and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Read about more heart related terms.