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Liu Ying
Cardiology
About me
Benxi Central Hospital, Cardiovascular Department, Associate Chief Physician, has been engaged in cardiovascular clinical work for many years and has rich clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Proficient in diseases
Specializing in common cardiovascular diseases such as angina, high blood pressure, sudden death, arrhythmia, heart failure, premature beats, irregular heartbeat, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, acute myocardial infarction, etc.
Voices
"Tachycardia" means heart beats too fast.
We define a heart rate over 100 beats per minute as tachycardia, which can be sinus tachycardia, atrial tachycardia, junctional tachycardia, among others. Moreover, tachycardia can be physiological or pathological. For instance, a person experiencing tachycardia during intense physical activity or emotional excitement without any organic disease, and if this tachycardia is sinus tachycardia, then it is considered related to the intense activity or emotional state. On the other hand, conditions like anemia, hyperthyroidism, or heart failure can also lead to tachycardia. Whether tachycardia is physiological or pathological, and whether it is sinus or caused by other pacemakers in the heart, should be determined by a specialist.
The difference between ventricular premature beats and atrial premature beats.
Atrial premature beats are excitations of the heart initiated by the atrium and are prematurely triggered; ventricular premature beats refer to heart excitations initiated by the ventricles, which are also premature. On the electrocardiogram (ECG), atrial premature beats can be seen as prematurely occurring P waves and QRS complexes, where the shape of the QRS complex is consistent with that of the normal sinus rhythm. In contrast, ventricular premature beats on the ECG are shown as prematurely occurring wide and abnormal QRS complexes, with no preceding P wave.
Treatment of constrictive pericarditis
Constrictive pericarditis refers to a disease in which the heart is surrounded by a densely thickened fibrotic or calcified pericardium, restricting ventricular diastolic filling and producing a series of circulatory disorders, typically chronic in nature. In China, the most common cause of constrictive pericarditis is tuberculosis. Constrictive pericarditis is a progressive disease, and most patients will develop chronic constrictive pericarditis. At this stage, pericardiectomy is the only effective treatment method. It should be performed early to avoid complications such as cardiac cachexia, severe liver dysfunction, and myocardial atrophy, with surgery usually carried out after controlling the pericardial infection. For tuberculosis patients, anti-tuberculosis treatment should continue for one year after surgery.
Symptoms of acute pericarditis
Acute pericarditis is an acute inflammatory disease of the visceral and parietal layers of the pericardium, with the most common cause being viral infections. The hallmark of acute pericarditis is pain in the precardiac area behind the sternum. The nature of the pain is very sharp, typically occurring during the fibrinous exudation phase of inflammatory changes, caused by friction between the visceral and parietal layers of the pericardium. The pain can radiate to the neck, left shoulder, and even the upper abdomen. It is associated with respiratory movements and often worsens with coughing, deep breathing, or changing body positions. When fluid exudes into the pericardium, separating the visceral and parietal layers, the patient's pain may decrease or disappear. However, some patients may experience symptoms such as breathing difficulties and edema due to cardiac tamponade.
Pericarditis is caused by what?
Pericarditis refers to the inflammatory disease of the visceral and parietal layers of the pericardium. It can be classified according to its etiology into infectious, non-infectious, allergic, and immune pericarditis. Causes of infectious pericarditis include viral, purulent, tuberculous, and fungal pericarditis. Non-infectious pericarditis can be caused by acute myocardial infarction, uremia, tumors, trauma, aortic dissection, radiation, acute idiopathic, and sarcoidosis, among others. Causes of allergic or immune pericarditis include rheumatic, vasculitis, drugs, and more. Some patients remain undiagnosed after examinations and are categorized as having idiopathic pericarditis or nonspecific pericarditis.
Symptoms of chronic heart failure
Chronic heart failure can be divided into left heart failure, right heart failure, and total heart failure. The symptoms of left heart failure primarily manifest as congestion in the pulmonary circulation, that is, a reduction in cardiac output. Patients may experience varying degrees of breathing difficulties, starting with exertional dyspnea, then orthopnea, followed by paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and eventually acute pulmonary edema. Additional symptoms may include coughing, expectoration, hemoptysis, fatigue, tiredness, dizziness, reduced exercise tolerance, and symptoms of insufficient blood supply to organs and tissues, including oliguria and kidney damage. The symptoms of right heart failure can present as gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal distension, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and also exertional dyspnea. When both left and right heart failures occur, it is referred to as total heart failure. In cases of total heart failure, symptoms of both left and right heart failures may be present.
Causes of Heart Failure
Heart failure can be divided into acute heart failure and chronic heart failure. There are many causes of acute heart failure, such as acute coronary syndrome, hypertensive emergency, acute massive pulmonary embolism, right ventricular infarction, severe pulmonary hypertension, and so on. Chronic heart failure can also have many causes, for example, coronary artery disease and hypertension have become the main causes of chronic heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, and valvular heart disease can also cause chronic heart failure. Chronic cor pulmonale and high-altitude heart disease also have a certain incidence rate in China, among others.
Early symptoms of acute pericarditis
The early symptoms of acute pericarditis are pain, which is located behind the sternum or in the precordial area, typically seen in the fibrin exudative type of inflammation. This pain arises from the friction between the visceral pericardium and the parietal pericardium. The nature of the pain is very sharp and related to respiratory movement, commonly exacerbated by coughing, deep breathing, or swallowing. The pain can radiate to the neck, left shoulder, and left arm. As fluid accumulates in the pericardium and the two layers of the pericardium separate, the pain may decrease or disappear.
Late-stage symptoms of heart failure
The most common symptom of late-stage heart failure is dyspnea, which is often persistent. Even in a resting state, there can be shortness of breath. Mild activities, such as eating and urination, can exacerbate the breathing difficulties. Patients in the late stages of heart failure often experience persistent edema, and conventional diuretics are not effective. Patients may also exhibit restlessness, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, reduced urine output, and other symptoms. Additionally, low blood pressure can be observed on cardiac monitoring, among other findings.
What foods are good for tachycardia?
When experiencing tachycardia, it is first important to determine the cause. If the tachycardia is due to emotional excitement or excessive exercise, one should maintain stable emotions and rest adequately. If tachycardia is caused by other reasons such as atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate, or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, treatment should target the atrial fibrillation or the paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Tachycardia caused by conditions like hyperthyroidism, fever, or anemia should be managed by treating the hyperthyroidism, anemia, fever, and lowering the body temperature, etc. During tachycardia, it is advised to avoid spicy foods, strong tea and coffee, alcohol, etc. The specific cause of tachycardia should be determined by a specialist who can then provide an appropriate treatment plan.