Subscribe
65
Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
About me
The Secretary-General and Standing Committee Member of the Cardiovascular Disease Professional Committee of the Rehabilitation Medical Association in Ganzhou City, and a member of the Ganzhou City Working Committee of the Heart Emergency Branch of the China Medical Health International Exchange Promotion Association. He has chaired 4 provincial and municipal-level research projects, participated in more than 20 research projects, and published over 20 papers.
Proficient in diseases
Specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease, hypertension, and structural heart disease. Research interests include hypertension, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, and cardiac rehabilitation.
Voices
What should I do about hypoxia due to a ventricular septal defect?
Mild ventricular septal defects generally do not cause hypoxia. If symptoms of hypoxia recur due to a ventricular septal defect, it is recommended to undergo minimally invasive interventional treatment or surgical treatment at a hospital to prevent further episodes. The success rate of this surgery is very high, almost 100%, with relatively few complications. If hypoxia occurs in untreated ventricular septal defects, initial therapy should include oxygen administration, followed by diuretic, cardiotonic, and other treatments to reduce cardiac load at a hospital, and surgery should be considered as soon as suitable.
Can rheumatic heart disease cause angina?
Rheumatic heart disease most commonly manifests as rheumatic myocarditis, pericardial thickening, or pericardial effusion. The majority of patients also present with mitral valve stenosis and insufficiency, and some also have aortic valve stenosis and insufficiency. When patients have severe aortic valve stenosis or severe aortic valve insufficiency, it leads to insufficient blood supply from the aorta, causing inadequate coronary circulation, which then can lead to angina.
Can patent ductus arteriosus be treated with medication?
The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel connecting the pulmonary artery to the aorta in the fetal heart, primarily used during the embryonic stage to supply blood from the mother to the heart, thus providing sufficient oxygenated blood for fetal development and growth. Generally, the ductus arteriosus should close automatically within three months after birth. If it remains open for over a year, it may indicate a congenital heart defect known as patent ductus arteriosus. Previously, high doses of aspirin were used to treat this condition, but this treatment was not very effective. Patients with patent ductus arteriosus should instead consider minimally invasive interventional treatments to seal the duct, or surgical ligation can be performed. However, surgical ligation may cause significant trauma or scarring to the patient. The majority of cases with patent ductus arteriosus can be treated using minimally invasive methods.
The difference between rheumatic heart disease and myocarditis
Rheumatic heart disease refers to changes in the heart and heart valves caused by a disruption in the body's immune system following infection by Group A Streptococcus. Some also exhibit signs of heart inflammation and pericardial effusion, commonly presenting mitral stenosis, aortic valve stenosis or insufficiency, and tricuspid valve insufficiency. Myocarditis, on the other hand, refers to direct invasion of the heart muscle by viruses or bacteria, leading to heart muscle damage and cardiac dysfunction. Some cases present with arrhythmias, while others exhibit heart failure or shock, which can be severe enough to cause death. Generally, rheumatic heart disease has a longer course of illness, whereas myocarditis tends to improve within about two weeks. However, fulminant myocarditis has a high mortality rate, often accompanied by symptoms of heart failure, and some patients may suffer from long-term arrhythmias as a complication.
Does rheumatic heart disease cause dizziness?
Patients with rheumatic heart disease primarily exhibit symptoms of rheumatic myocarditis, pericarditis, or lesions of the mitral valve, aortic valve, and tricuspid valve including the pulmonary valve, with mitral stenosis being the most common. Generally, severe heart disease can impair the heart's pumping ability, leading to insufficient blood supply to the brain, causing dizziness. Some individuals with mitral stenosis may experience an enlargement of the atrium, leading to atrial fibrillation. Once atrial fibrillation occurs, the left atrial appendage can form blood clots, increasing the risk of clot detachment. If a clot detaches, it can pass directly through the right ventricle into the cerebral arteries, causing a major artery embolism that results in dizziness. In severe cases, this can lead to sudden death in patients.
Can people with mitral valve regurgitation drink coffee?
The mitral valve refers to an important passageway between the atrium and the ventricle in the left heart system. This passageway is unidirectional. When the blood from the ventricle can flow back to the atrium through the mitral valve, it indicates mitral valve regurgitation. Mild to moderate mitral valve regurgitation often has no symptoms, and drinking coffee is permissible. However, patients with severe mitral valve regurgitation may experience severe palpitations, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Drinking coffee can cause arrhythmias, palpitations, chest tightness, and increased heart workload; therefore, it is advised that such patients should not consume coffee.
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Mild, Moderate, Severe Classification
Pulmonary artery pressure refers to the average pressure in the pulmonary artery when the body is at rest. Generally, the normal average pulmonary artery pressure is less than 25mmHg. Pulmonary hypertension is considered when the pulmonary artery pressure exceeds 25mmHg. The grading is generally divided into three levels based on the data: the first level is mild pulmonary hypertension with pulmonary artery pressure between 26-35mmHg; moderate with pressure between 36-45mmHg; and severe with pressure greater than 45mmHg. If classified by the functional impact of pulmonary hypertension, grade I pulmonary hypertension is characterized by patients who are not limited in daily activities, and do not experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or chest tightness after physical activity. Grade II pulmonary hypertension patients are limited by mild activities, do not feel discomfort at rest, but experience symptoms like difficulty breathing, fatigue, chest tightness, and chest pain during everyday activities. Grade III pulmonary hypertension patients have significantly limited activity; they feel no discomfort at rest, but experience symptoms like difficulty breathing, fatigue, and chest pain after only mild activity, less than everyday activities. Grade IV pulmonary hypertension is severe, with patients experiencing symptoms such as difficulty breathing and feeling tightness in their chest even at rest without any activity.
Can rheumatic heart disease patients exercise?
Patients with rheumatic heart disease should go to the hospital for assessment, undergo cardiac ultrasound, and perform exercise tests. If the exercise test indicates cardiac function is below class II, or if the six-minute walk test reaches above class IV, exercise can be pursued. If patients have concerns, they can exercise under the guidance of a cardiac rehabilitation therapist at the hospital. For patients with cardiac function class III and above, exercise is not recommended. It is advised that they manage heart failure in the hospital or consider exercise only after surgery and when the condition is stable.
Why is there a murmur during diastole in mitral stenosis?
The mitral valve is a one-way piston valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle. Generally, once the ventricle completes a contraction and ejects blood, it immediately begins to relax, at which time the mitral valve opens to allow blood from the atrium into the left ventricle. When the mitral valve is severely narrowed, the blood from the atrium cannot pass through the mitral valve into the left ventricle in a timely manner. At this time, the blood flow speed at the mitral orifice increases, forming turbulence, which results in the appearance of diastolic murmurs.
Is rheumatic heart disease related to dampness?
Rheumatic heart disease often occurs in the southern regions where there is a higher level of humidity. Some patients develop rheumatic heart disease after suffering from rheumatic arthritis or other rheumatic conditions. In Western medicine, it is believed to be due to a series of immune system damages caused by infection with Group A streptococcus, leading to rheumatic inflammation of the heart or damage to the valve functions. This often presents as mitral stenosis, atrial fibrillation, or pericardial effusion. Therefore, according to traditional Chinese medicine theory, rheumatic heart disease is related to humidity.