Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy refers to diseases of the heart muscle. These diseases enlarge your heart muscle or make it thicker and more rigid than normal. In rare cases, scar tissue replaces the muscle tissue.
Some people live long, healthy lives with cardiomyopathy. Some people don't even realize they have it. In others, however, it can make the heart less able to pump blood through the body. This can cause serious complications, including
Heart failure
Abnormal heart rhythms
Fluid buildup in your lungs or legs
Endocarditis, an inflammation of the heart lining
Heart attacks, high blood pressure or infections can all cause cardiomyopathy. Some types of cardiomyopathy run in families. In many people, however, the cause is unknown. Treatment might involve medicines, surgery, other medical procedures and lifestyle changes

Heart Valve Diseases

Heart Valve Diseases

Your heart has four valves. Normally, these valves open to let blood flow through or out of your heart, and then shut to keep it from flowing backward. But sometimes they don't work properly. What can happen?
Blood can leak back through the valve in the wrong direction, which is called regurgitation
One of the valves, the mitral valve, sometimes has "floppy" flaps and doesn't close tightly. This is called mitral valve prolapse, and it's one of the most common heart valve conditions. Sometimes it causes regurgitation
When the valve doesn't open enough, which blocks blood flow, it is called stenosis
Valve problems can be present at birth or caused by infections, heart attacks, or heart disease or damage. Some valve problems are minor and do not need treatment. Others might require medicine, medical procedures or surgery to repair or replace the valve

Heart Surgery

Cardiac surgery

Each day, thousands of people in the U.S. have heart surgery. There are many different types of heart surgery. Surgeries may be used to

>>Repair or replace the valves that control blood flow through the heart's chambers
>>Bypass or widen blocked or narrowed arteries to the heart
>>Repair aneurysms , or bulges in the aorta, which can be deadly if they burst
>>Implant devices to regulate heart rhythms
>>Destroy small amounts of tissue that disturb electrical flow through the heart
>>Make channels in the heart muscle to allow blood from a heart chamber directly into the heart muscle
>>Boost the heart's pumping power with muscles taken from the back or abdomen
>>Replace the damaged heart with a heart from a donor

Heart Diseases--Prevention

Heart Diseases--Prevention

Heart disease is the leading cause of the death in the U.S. Over one quarter of all deaths are from heart disease. It is also a major cause of disability. The risk of heart disease increases as you age. You have a greater risk of heart disease if you are a man over age 45 or a woman over age 55. You also are at greater risk if you have a close family member who had heart disease at an early age.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do reduce your chances of getting heart disease. You should
Know your

>>blood pressure and keep it under control
>>Exercise regularly
>>Don't smoke
>>Get tested for diabetes and if you have it, keep it under control
>>Know your cholesterol and triglyceride levels and keep them under control
>>Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables
Maintain a healthy weight