The Heart And Its Diseases Essay, Research Paper

The Heart and Its Diseases

Cardiology has intrigued me since I was a little kid. It has been my end to go a heart specialist of all time since the first class. Cardiology is more than merely analyzing the bosom. To specify it decently would be to state that cardiology is the survey of the bosom, its action, and its diseases ( Clayman 52 ) .

The bosom is located in the centre of the chest, merely behind the breastbone, sitting in a hollow pit between the lungs. The bosom is somewhat larger than your fist. It is about five inches long, three inches broad, and two inches thick. The bosom is normally represented in the familiar Valentine form, but it really resembles a Citrus paradisi. The external characteristics of the bosom consist of the pericardium. The map of the pericardium is to back up and protect the bosom. The interior of the pericardium is lined with a membrane that secrets a lubrication fluid which allows the pericardium to skid swimmingly over the surface as the bosom pumps.

The internal characteristics of the bosom are rather a spot more complicated than the external characteristics. The chief characteristics internally are the bosom & # 8217 ; s four hollow infinites, which are referred to as the Chamberss ( Clayman 86 ) . The pumping portion of the bosom consists of two really thin walled upper Chamberss, which are given the name atria. The two thick-walled lower Chamberss of the bosom are called ventricles. The wall that divides the right side of the bosom from the left is called the septum. The musculuss in these walls of the Chamberss provide the pumping action of the bosom. These musculuss cause the chamber to contract forcefully when the bosom beats, which pushes blood through the organic structure. The Chamberss of the bosom can be divided into three beds. The most of import of the three is the myocardium, which contains the musculuss of the bosom. The other two are called the endocardium and the visceral pericardium. The bosom has a left and right side, which contains these atriums and ventricles.

There are four valves, which assistance in the map of maintaining blood fluxing in the right way ( Katz 75 ) . Two of these are known as the atrio-ventricular valves. These two are named the mitral valve and the tricuspid valve. These valves allow the blood to flux from each atrium into the corresponding ventricle. The mitral valve connects the left atrium to the left ventricle, while the tricuspid connects the right atrium to the right ventricle. The other two valves in the bosom let blood to flux to the organic structure from the ventricles but prevent blood from fluxing rearward into the ventricles from the organic structure. These valves are known as the semilunar valves. They are named this because they are slightly molded like a crescent Moon. The aortal semilunar valve allows blood to go out the left ventricle and enter the aorta. The aorta carries blood to the organic structure tissues. The other valve is called the pneumonic similunar valve, which allows blood to go out the right ventricle and enter the pneumonic arterias. These arterias carry blood to the lungs to absorb O, which is indispensable to our being. These valves are designed to travel blood in one way merely, unless damaged by hurt or disease.

The bosom can be viewed as a exactly designed two-stage pump. The first phase is the two atria, whose map is to guarantee that the ventricles are to the full inflated with blood. When this occurs, the ventricles contract to coerce blood out into the organic structure. Although both sides of the bosom contract at the same clip, they have really different maps. The right side of the bosom receives oxygen free blood from the organic structure and pumps it to the lungs. The left side receives oxygen rich blood from the lungs and pumps it to the remainder of the organic structure ( Katz 95 ) . Each ruddy blood cell passes through the bosom twice on its manner to tissues. The vein cavae AIDSs in this procedure by returning the deoxygenated blood to the bosom. The vein cavae is besides the largest vena in the organic structure. The superior vein cavae returns blood from the upper portion of the organic structure, while the inferior vein cavae returns blood from the lower portion. The oxygenated blood travels to the bosom from the lungs through four pneumonic venas. There are two for each lung. During this procedure, the blood is distributed to the remainder of the organic structure. The organic structure & # 8217 ; s largest arteria, the aorta, is so put to work, dividing the blood to travel to all subdivisions of the organic structure.

The bosom musculus is so active, that it uses about half its ain weight in blood every minute when the organic structure is resting and up to twice its weight in blood during exercising. Therefore, it is safe to state that the bosom requires a batch of fuel to map.

The bosom besides consists of two coronary arterias in which blood enters the bosom & # 8217 ; s web of blood vass, and foliages by agencies of the cardiac venas.

The bosom pumps about 2000 gallons of blood each twenty-four hours and about 680,000 gallons each twelvemonth. The catching and pumping stage of the bosom is called the systole, and the relaxing and filling stage is called the diastole. This is the manner of mensurating the blood force per unit area.

Now that it is clear how the bosom maps, it is easier to understand the diseases.

Harmonizing to the American Medical Association, the incidence of bosom disease over the last 25 old ages has been reduced ( Clayman 120 ) . Despite this fact, about half of all Americans will hold a wellness job sing their bosom or circulation. There are many cardiovascular diseases. All of which are non to be taken lightly. The usual symptoms of bosom or circulatory disease is dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, thorax hurting, palpitations, which is beating in your thorax or cervix that makes you cognizant of your ain pulse, conceited mortise joints, and spasms in your chest part. If any of these marks occur, a physical from your physician is normally the first measure that should be taken, harmonizing to the American Medical Association.

The first disease that is reasonably common is the inborn bosom disease. One individual in every 140 is born with a inborn bosom defect ( Clayman 88 ) . This term congenital means, & # 8220 ; present from birth. & # 8221 ; This disease of the bosom forms during the foetal st

age. They are considered to be anatomical abnormalcies of the bosom during the phase in which the bosom is developing. There are two divisions of this disease. There is the type in which excessively much blood base on ballss from the bosom to the lungs, and non plenty to the organic structure. The other is non plenty blood base on ballss to the lungs, doing the blood that is pumped to the organic structure to incorporate highly low sums of O. The bosom is formed in the early hebdomads of gestation, which frequently adult females are non cognizant that they are pregnant. If a pregnant adult female contracts a viral infection at this clip, it can take to this disease in the unborn kid. Ill controlled diabetes during gestation is another lending factor to this disease. There is besides an addition of this disease in twins. In most instances, there is no cause to be found though. So it is non needfully the parent’s mistake. This disease is non a familial disease. In fact, this disease is seldom found more than one time in the same household. If a newborn, or little kid with symptoms of this disease is non treated quickly, it will turn out to be a fatal disease without inquiry. Surgery could be an option. This disease can be treated efficaciously, and monitored by a heart specialist.

The following disease of the bosom is called the coronary bosom disease ( Cheitlin 156 ) . This term is used to depict different upsets of the bosom musculus that are caused by limitation or obstruction of its blood supply. This disease is the consequence of narrowing of the coronary arterias. Angina is a hurting, which is a symptom of this disease. The hurting is caused by exercising. It normally consists of a force per unit area uncomfortableness behind the breastbone. Angina is brought on by the overexertion of the organic structure.

The most common of all coronary diseases is the term bosom onslaught. This is potentially really serious. It causes many deceases. It can easy be summarized by stating that a bosom onslaught is the formation of a blood coagulum on top of a plaque in an arteria, doing the blood supply to be cut off to a portion of the bosom. It occurs when this country is so disadvantaged of blood, it can non work. This is called a myocardial infarction in medical footings. Heart attacks tend to happen with small or no warning at all. In some instances, patients who have had bosom onslaughts have claimed to hold a moving ridge of weariness haste over them before the bosom onslaught. The rate of endurance of bosom onslaught victims is mounting. In 1989, harmonizing to the American Medical Association, merely 8 to 15 per centum of bosom onslaught victims, who got to the infirmary, died within three hebdomads. There is intervention for this. An enzyme called streptokinase is put into the coronary by manner of a catheter, and over 80 per centum of instances with out of use arterias were opened once more.

Heart valve upsets are normally diagnosed as the failure of the valves to open or shut decently. These upsets fall into two groups. The first upset is when a valve fails to open right. This obstructs the forward flow of the blood, and is called stricture. The 2nd is when the valves fail to shut decently. This causes a escape of blood. These valves are referred to as incompetent. The aortal and mitral valves are more normally affected by this valve upset. Aortal stricture is the most common bosom valve upset in the United States. It affects work forces more frequently than adult females. Aortal inadequacy is less common valve upset.

Heart musculus disease is when the pericardium is affected. This disease is referred to as myocardiopathy and myocardial inflammation. In some instances the bosom may be affected by a tumour. The primary upset impacting the pericardium is an inflammatory status called pericarditis. Viruss, bacteriums, autoimmune upsets, and bosom onslaughts can do pericarditis. In this instance, a bosom graft might be the reply.

Heart rate and beat upsets are another type of disease impacting the bosom. A healthy bosom beats on a regular basis at a rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute during remainder. It is normal for this rate to rush up during exercising or emphasis. Cardiac arrhythmias have two classified groups. The first group is tachycardias, in which the bosom rate is faster than 100 beats per minute during remainder. The bradycardias is when the bosom rate falls below 60 beats per minute during remainder. Both are every bit unsafe. The most common cause of an arrhythmia is coronary bosom disease. Treatment of an arrhythmia can dwell of prescription drugs, or interpolation of a pacesetter.

Heart failure seems like it would intend that the bosom stopped crushing. This thought is incorrect. Heart failure consists of the bosom non maintaining up with the undertaking of pumping blood to the lungs and organic structure tissues. This status is frequently serious. The individual who has had bosom failure is in great danger of deceasing. Heart failure affects one in every one hundred people. The causes of bosom failure are coronary bosom disease, and the continued strain on the bosom from high blood force per unit area. It can besides happen when a normal bosom is called upon to crush fast or difficult all of the clip. This instance sometimes occurs when person has the status of thyroid overactivity. There are prescription drugs to assist handle this, and besides water pills are another option. In certain fortunes, mechanical AIDSs are besides available.

The bosom is a necessity for being. Without it working decently, the hazards of these diseases get the better ofing you are great. If you eat decently, exercise on a regular basis, and pattern good wellness wonts, the opportunities of you acquiring these diseases are dramatically reduced. So, take attention of your bosom. You need it to last.

Bibliography

Cheitlin, Melvin D. MD. Dilemmas in Clinical Cardiology. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis

Company. 1990.

Cheitlin, Melvin D. MD ; et Al. McIlroy, Malcom B. MD. ; Sokolow, Maurice MD. Clinical Cardiology. Sixth edition. Nutmeg state: Appleton & A ; Lange. 1993.

Clayman, Charles B. MD. Your Heart. New York: The Reader & # 8217 ; s Digest Association, Inc. 1989.

DeBakey, Michael E. MD ; et Al. Gotto, Antonio MD. The Living Heart. New York

David McKay Company, Inc. 1977.

Katz, Arnold M. Physiology of the Heart. New York: Raven Press. 1977.

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