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Liu Yong
Cardiology
About me
Graduated from Shandong University, has been dedicated to the study and treatment of heart-related diseases. Has extensive experience in coronary heart disease, hypertension, arrhythmia, and congenital heart disease, has worked on the front line of clinical practice for a long time.
Proficient in diseases
Specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of common diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, congenital heart disease, cardiac valve disease, and acute myocardial infarction.
Voices
Coronary heart disease clinical manifestations
Coronary heart disease is fully known as coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. From its name, we can see that the basis of its onset is due to the formation of plaques and narrowing of the lumen in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, leading to insufficient blood supply to the myocardium and a series of symptoms. So what are these symptoms? The common manifestations include chest tightness and chest pain in the precordial area after physical activity, emotional excitement, or even after a full meal. Some patients may also experience radiating pain in other areas, such as the back, shoulders, abdomen, and even the throat. Additionally, some patients may experience atypical symptoms such as palpitations and abdominal pain.
What to do about insomnia at night with coronary heart disease?
Firstly, the two are mutually influencing. If this condition exists, some medications that improve sleep quality can be used under the guidance of a doctor. At the same time, during the treatment period, it is appropriate to drink some teas like ginkgo leaf tea, honeysuckle tea, or soybean sprout tea, which have the effect of nourishing the heart and calming the mind. It is also important to maintain regular bowel movements, avoid noisy environments, and regularly monitor blood pressure and heart rate. Patients of this category are also advised not to eat overly greasy foods, to lose weight appropriately, and to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits like mushrooms, garlic shoots, onions, and kiwis. Do not smoke, avoid staying up late and overworking, and, if possible, use some medications that soften the arteries and improve microcirculation. It is also important to maintain emotional stability, among other things. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a physician.)
Is premature beat related to coronary heart disease?
Firstly, there is no direct connection between coronary heart disease and premature contractions. If we must discuss whether ventricular premature beats are related to coronary heart disease, we should mainly consider patients with myocardial ischemia, especially those with active myocardial ischemia. In these cases, premature beats may be somewhat related to coronary heart disease, but these two conditions cannot be directly equated. Since the majority of premature contractions are unrelated to coronary heart disease, these two issues should not be confused or directly equated. It is common to see some elderly people with premature contractions on their ECGs and consider coronary heart disease, but this consideration is not entirely correct. Of course, the occurrence of real premature beats, especially frequent ventricular premature beats, also suggests the possibility of myocardial ischemia. However, a large number of people, even those with obvious real premature beats, do not have significant coronary insufficiency, thus there is no direct relationship between the two.
What are the symptoms of the early stage of coronary heart disease?
Coronary heart disease refers to the condition where the coronary arteries undergo arteriosclerotic changes, leading to the narrowing or blockage of the vessel lumen, which in turn causes myocardial ischemia, hypoxia, or necrosis, resulting in a series of heart conditions. Some of the early manifestations of this disease often include chest pain triggered by physical activity or emotional agitation. Sometimes it can also manifest as a feeling of suffocation and pain, which often appears as paroxysmal angina or crushing pain, and may radiate to other areas such as the shoulder, upper arm, and fingers. Resting or taking medications like nitroglycerin can significantly alleviate symptoms. Other possible symptoms include fever, sweating, panic, nausea, vomiting, etc.
How to Provide Emergency Aid for a Heart Attack
The cause of coronary heart disease is the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries, leading to insufficient blood supply to the heart and resulting in symptoms. Therefore, the emergency treatment for a coronary event often involves the use of medications that dilate the coronary arteries to alleviate the symptoms of myocardial ischemia. Commonly used nitrate medications taken sublingually can quickly relieve symptoms of angina. The significance of nitrates lies in their ability to release nitric oxide donors, which can effectively dilate the coronary arteries. This dilation improves blood flow through the coronary arteries and thus corrects symptoms of myocardial ischemia. During an attack, considering sublingual nitrate medication is advisable, provided there is no history of severe hypotension from nitrates, or if there is no hypotension during the attack, under these circumstances, this type of medication can be considered. If any of the above contraindications exist, such as low blood pressure, one might also consider sublingual administration of some traditional Chinese medicine preparations, like emergency pills, which can be used as well.
Late-stage symptoms of dilated cardiomyopathy
The so-called advanced stage refers to a phase where cardiac function has reached stage four. The common clinical manifestations of this stage are primarily those of heart failure, such as chest tightness and shortness of breath after activity, inability to lie flat at night, general edema, and even accumulation of fluid in the chest and abdominal cavity. Some patients with severe edema might experience abdominal distension, poor appetite, and even malnutrition, which are all manifestations of heart failure. Once cardiac function reaches stage four, patients with dilated cardiomyopathy are highly susceptible to malignant arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. These types of arrhythmias are a common cause of death in the late stages of dilated cardiomyopathy. Therefore, proactive prevention is crucial for these patients as they have a very poor prognosis, and it is essential to maintain active communication with their families.
Can people with cardiomyopathy eat spicy food?
Generally speaking, patients with cardiomyopathy during stable phases may consider consuming spicy food, especially since these patients often have relatively poor appetites. Using mildly spicy food can potentially stimulate the appetite and improve nutritional status. However, from another perspective, excessive consumption of spicy food may cause patients to drink large amounts of water. Excessive intake could potentially increase the burden on cardiac function; therefore, it is not recommended for patients with cardiomyopathy to consume overly spicy foods. Patients with cardiomyopathy also have dietary restrictions, including a diet low in salt and fat, as overly salty diets can also exacerbate the burden on the heart and kidneys.
Dilated cardiomyopathy clinical manifestations
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a type of heart disease characterized clinically by a significant enlargement of the heart, a marked reduction in ejection fraction, and a significant decline in heart function. Common clinical manifestations of this disease often present as heart failure symptoms, including chest tightness and shortness of breath after activity, nocturnal paroxysmal breathing difficulties, inability to lie flat, as well as swelling of the lower limbs and abdominal wall, and even conditions such as pleural effusion and ascites. Additionally, it may be associated with various types of arrhythmias, such as premature beats and tachycardia, especially ventricular tachycardia, which are all manifestations of dilated cardiomyopathy.
What is tachycardia?
Tachycardia can be caused by nervousness, anemia, hyperthyroidism, staying up late, cervical spondylosis, myocardial ischemia, hypoglycemia, high blood pressure, or low blood pressure, etc. Normal people may also experience faster heart rates when eating, climbing stairs, walking, exercising, feeling nervous, or when drunk. Tachycardia is just a symptom, and it is advised to visit a regular hospital for relevant examinations to obtain a clear diagnosis and appropriate treatment. It is also important to avoid being picky with food, not to consume too much junk food, and to drink teas that may improve microcirculation. Engaging in aerobic breathing exercises or beneficial health and wellness therapies can boost resistance. Additionally, one should not smoke or be around smokers, nor live in newly renovated houses to avoid potential discomfort.
Does cardiomyopathy require surgery?
Firstly, whether myocardial disease requires surgery, we need to clarify the type of myocardial disease and the stage of myocardial disease, that is, the stage of heart function that has been affected. There are many types of myocardial diseases, including dilated cardiomyopathy, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and restrictive cardiomyopathy, for instance. The treatment plans for different types of myocardial diseases are not exactly the same. For example, dilated cardiomyopathy is generally treated with medication, and only in the very late stages of dilated cardiomyopathy, or what is known as stage IV heart function, when conventional medication is ineffective, heart transplantation might be considered if a donor is available and conditions allow. However, currently, heart donors are extremely rare, making this option quite difficult to achieve. The latest advances in clinical research have introduced artificial mechanical hearts available for transplantation, but the costs of surgery are very high, and the technology is not very mature yet. Therefore, the chances and opportunities for surgery are not very great and must be decided based on the situation. For other conditions, such as ischemic cardiomyopathy, if it is clearly caused by severe ischemia, we might consider addressing the factors causing myocardial ischemia, such as performing a coronary angiography. If there is severe coronary artery stenosis, we might consider implementing a coronary artery stent or coronary artery bypass grafting to alleviate the ischemic factors. In cases like restrictive cardiomyopathy, if there are severe restrictive factors contributing to the disease, surgical treatment might also be pursued.