Heart Valve Surgery

Heart valve surgery is an operation that replaces valve tissue by removing what is damaged and replacing it with a new valve made from plastic, metal, or bioprosthetic choices. The effects of the surgery will help the heart to function better thus improving overall health and the function of other vital organs as well. Robotic heart surgery decreases the risk associated with a complex operation because the use of technology makes it less invasive. The use of robotic arms limits the size of the incision to about six centimeters or less. This procedure also reduces the pain and recovery time compared to a conventional procedure. Timing is everything on having this procedure since the longer a person goes with tissue damage the more harm is done to the aorta.

Plastic and metal valves increase the risk of clotting but will probably never need to be replaced. Bioprosthetic ones are usually made from pig tissue and decrease the risk of clotting but do not last as long and may need to be replaced eventually. Heart valve surgery is an option for anyone who has cardiac failure. Some of the conditions that can lead to having the procedure are untreated high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart attack, valve deterioration, and problems with the cardiac muscle. Cardiac failure symptoms include shortness of breath, irregular or fast heartbeat, coughing up mucous, swelling of legs, fatigue, and dizziness.

The risks of developing cardiac disease include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and diabetes. Some pain relievers can increase risks; these include over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and prescription drugs known as cox-2 inhibitors. Having rheumatic fever greatly increases a person's risk of needing robotic heart surgery. Rheumatic fever is caused from strep throat that has gone untreated. The condition can cause inflammation in the body that leads to valve damage. God's Word can serve as a reminder that His will for His children is to be healthy and prosperous. People who are worried about health related conditions should seek God for healing. "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (3 John 1:2)

Stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and death are risks associated with heart valve surgery. Anesthesia can complicate the procedure if the patient reacts badly to the medication or has problems breathing. As with any type of surgical procedure there is a risk of bleeding and infection. The benefits of the procedure outweigh the risks because of the positive result on heart function and the relief from symptoms associated with valve damage. Intensive care may be needed for about three days after the operation and the hospital stay may be as long as two weeks. Total recovery time may take up to several months but that is dependent upon the patient's health before the operation.

There are four valves in the aorta that help to control the blood flow; the opening and closing of these is what makes the sound of the heartbeat. These are called aortic, mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary. During the heart valve surgery a patient is put on a bypass machine that keeps the blood circulating doing the operation. The replacement valves can come from several different sources including human donors, and animal donors. The artificial ones are made from plastic or metal. The decision on what type of tissue to use will depend upon the general health of the patient and other health conditions.

New technology allows a surgeon to use robotic arms so that the operation is less invasive. Robotic heart surgery makes recovery time less and post operative pain is minimized. A video monitor allows the surgeon to see the site and the endoscope responds to simple voice commands. This allows the surgeon to tell the endoscope where to locate for better visualization of the site. The mechanical arms become the surgeon's eyes and hands during the operation. The incision necessary for this procedure is much smaller than possible when doing the operation conventionally. The mechanical arms can do the repair and replacement of damaged valves in very small places compared to the surgeon using his or her hands.

Smoking is one of the very worse things a person can do because it is so detrimental to health. Smoking cigarettes decreases the oxygen to the aorta, increases blood pressure and heart rate, and can damage cells to the arteries causing them to become stiff and narrow. One way to avoid robotic heart surgery is to quit smoking. Smoking not only affects the heart but can also damage the lungs causing conditions such as lung cancer and emphysema. The skin and the teeth are affected by cigarette smoke and the risk of developing other diseases will greatly be diminished when a person quits. Some of these include throat cancer, esophageal cancer, and ulcers.

Losing weight is another big issue that needs to be addressed to decrease the risks of cardiac disease, and other health problems. Being overweight can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, stroke, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, breast and colon cancer, and respiratory problems. The best way to lose weight is to increase activity and decrease calories. The healthiest way to do this is to choose to eat healthy and exercise at least 30 minutes per day five days per week. Some people think just being a few pounds overweight will not make much of a difference but anything over 10 pounds is too much and does increase the chances of obesity related problems.

View the original article here

Heart Failure Treatment

Heart failure treatment is a serious need for the patient whose heart can't pump blood in the way it was intended to be circulated. There are times when the cardiac muscle cannot fill with enough blood and other conditions when the muscle isn't strong enough to actually pump blood through the circulatory system. Cardio breakdown doesn't happen over night; the muscle grows weaker over time and there may be few symptoms for an extended period. Cardio malfunction can occur on the right side, the left side or both sides of the cardiac muscle. The breakdown occur in both children and adults and affects about five million Americans each year.

Cardio failure takes different forms, depending on which side of the cardiac muscle is affected. Left sided breakdown usually results in shortness of breath and fatigue, while right sided breakdown can cause those symptoms plus fluid buildup in the feet, ankles, liver, and abdomen and sometime though rarely in the veins of the neck. In most cases, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and diabetes are the main causes of this disorder. Cardiac breakdown treatment is needed for cardio problems that may not immediately cause death, but needs addressing to keep the condition from becoming fatal. There are five million people in the United States who have this condition each year. The breakdown be treated but must not be ignored. Treatment begins with addressing the three main causes for cardiac failure.

Coronary artery disease, often referred to as CAD, is the fatty buildup of plaque in the arteries of the cardiac muscle. The muscle is damaged and the rest of the cardiac muscle must work harder. While plaque buildup is partly due to a fatty diet, smoking, lack of exercise and other causes, much of it is hereditary with a liver that naturally produces more cholesterol that the body can handle. Heart failure treatment and the prevention of the breakdown happening will include cholesterol busting drugs that fight cholesterol in different ways. Depending on the physician's assessment of the LDL and HDL levels and the triglyceride readings, the doctor will prescribe particular cholesterol protocols. Without heart failure being a part of the picture, and without diabetes and high blood pressure as part of the patient's history, a target goal of 160 mg/dl is desired.

High blood pressure is another of the big three causes for cardiac failure and one of the targets for heart failure treatment. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms and a person can have the disorder for years and never be aware of it. During that time a lot of damage can be done to the heart, liver, kidneys and other organs. It is often the unawareness of the hypertension that brings about the beginnings of cardiac failure. In the case of hypertension issues, the physician will prescribe a drug therapy that will help control the blood pressure problem. Diet and exercise can also help treat the disorder that over one in three Americans have, many not even knowing they have the disorder.

Diabetes is the third of the major causes for cardiac breakdown and the physician will want the person who has this condition to immediately begin to address it as part of pre heart failure treatment. The truth of the matter is that often after a person is diagnosed with diabetes there is an onset of heart failure. In most every case, it is not the diabetes drug that causes the cardiac breakdown but rather the fact that the person had diabetes for so many years and left it untreated. Cardiac breakdown is one of the most common complications of diabetes, so a physician treating a patient for diabetes will want to address the issue of heart failure treatment as a regular part of the physical exam process from the time of diabetic discovery forward. There are some diabetic drugs that may actually bring some fluid around the heart, further complicating a possible cardiac failure situation so a physician will have to monitor the patient regularly.

While cardiac breakdown, given a prolonged period of not being treated can be life threatening, is certainly treatable with the right medication and the patient losing weight. Getting plenty of exercise, reducing salt intake and having a positive attitude can all go a long way towards having a successful heart failure treatment program. Of course, smoking is one of the high risk causes of cardiac breakdown and any heart failure treatment program will include a demand that a patient stop smoking completely as part of the long term treatment. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, making the heart work harder and faster. The Christian has some help for difficult tasks such as smoking that the non-Christian doesn't have. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

Heart failure treatment will include a diet that is low in salt content. Less than two thousand milligrams of salt a day are recommended for patients who have cardiac failure issues. Since one serving of processed soup can have seven hundred to a thousand mgs. of salt already in it, there must be an ever vigilant look out for salt contained in so many processed foods that almost everyone is exposed to in America. Cardiac weakness therapy must also include a limiting of alcohol and of course the addition of regular exercise to the everyday regimen of the patient. Additionally, the physician will talk to the patient about ways of reducing stress.

View the original article here

Fast Food Fat - Bad For The Heart

View the original article here