heart blockage
My father (70) has chronic heart blockage and recently a pacemaker has been installed in him. Am I (40) prone to heart problems? Should I take any precaution anticipating a cardiac failure ?
Yes, you are prone to heart problems because cardiac ailment may run in the family. Studies have revealed that heart blockages are common in people of West Bengal. In fact, one in every four pacemakers installed in this country is in this state. Perhaps the reasons of having such high incidence of the disease in West Bengal are pollution and the high quantity of mustard oil used in the Bengali cuisine. You should take guard in advance by being careful about your food habits and restricting the use of mustard oil. You should also avoid smoking and consuming alcohol. Avoid a sedentary lifestyle and try to exercise daily. You should also walk briskly for at least half an hour daily.
Cardiac angina
I had a myocardial infraction (a heart attack when muscles die) 11 years ago. I am not taking any medicines, but strictly watch my diet and exercise. My blood pressure is 150/90 and pulse rate is between 70-80 per minute. I have no other complication. But of late, I feel a congestion in the chest during exercise. Is it normal ?
It appears that you have cardiac angina. It obviously needs an investigation. An electrocardiograph (ECG) will certainly help evaluate the condition. A stress ECG and echocardiograph are also required. Blood sugar level should be checked and a lipid profile test should be done under the supervision of a cardiologist. Done together, the results of these tests will help your doctor make a clear assessment of the abnormalities (if there are any). Correction of the abnormalities will definitely help retard the progression of the disease.
Heart murmur
My six-month-old grandson has been diagnosed with a heart murmur by our family physician. What should we do now?
If your grandson doesn’t have any bluish discolouration of the tongue, lips, fingers, toes while he cries, then it’s unlikely that he is suffering from cyanotic congenital disease (or blue baby malady). As the murmur was not detected earlier, a valve obstruction may also be ruled out. The most likely reason could be a hole in the heart. If it’s a ventricular septal defect (a hole in the wall separating two lower chambers of heart) then it will close as the child grows up, but other types may need to be closed surgically. There are even chances that the murmur is an innocent sound without any cause. The child needs to be examined by a paediatric cardiologist. The surgeon will ask for an electrocardiograph and other relevant tests to clinch the cause.
operation needed
I (64) have a severe problem in my heart that causes deficiency of blood flow in certain parts of the body (ischaemia). Recently, I was diagnosed with a hernia in the abdomen. My doctor has advised me to undergo a surgery. Would it be safe for me to have an operation?
I hope the ischaemic problem is under control after taking the medicines prescribed by your cardiologist. If you are doing well now there is no harm in undergoing a surgery. However, you must consult your cardiologist first and the operation should be done under cardiac monitoring.
thrombosis
I am only 32 years old, but had a heart attack recently. Is there any chance of a recurrence? Is this an exceptional case?
No, your case is not an exception. Epidemiological studies have revealed that coronary thrombosis in young people is a very common problem in India. Even Indians living abroad are much more susceptible to the disease. This is probably due to environmental and genetic factors. Diabetes, high cholesterol level, high blood pressure, smoking and consuming alcohol also lead to various heart ailments. Moreover, a sedentary lifestyle with little physical exercise makes south Asians vulnerable to cardiac ailments.
YOUR HEALTH
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