Heart Disease Symptom analysis and diagnosis online

HEART DISEASE

Some Heart conditions that cause chest pain include:

Heart Attack occurs when blood flow to the arteries that supply the heart becomes blocked, due to which the heart does not receive enough oxygen and begins to degrade leading to chest pain. It is also called as Myocardial Infarction and it refers to the death of a certain part of the heart muscle. The main cause of myocardial infarction is atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries which results in the impaired contractility of the heart muscle. Myocardial ischemia or infarction begins in the inner lining of the heart muscle and spreads to the outer lining of the heart. Irreversible heart damage occurs if the blockage is complete for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Most of the damage occurs in the first 2 to 3 hours, if there is some restoration of blood flow within the first 4 to 5 hours, some heart muscle can be saved, but the salvage is greater if flow is restored within the first 1 to 2 hours. The critical factor for determining the death of the heart muscle is the size of the infarct. Increasing the oxygen supply to the involved site by coronary reperfusion is an effective way of salvaging the heart muscle. The onset of acute Q wave myocardial infarction occurs commonly in the early hours of the morning. Some other causes of myocardial infarction include carbon monoxide poisoning. Increase in symptoms in patients known to have coronary artery disease occur with exposure to carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide has greater affinity for hemoglobin than oxygen. The cardiac effects are the results of lower oxygen levels and are determined by the degree of carbon monoxide exposure, hemoglobin concentration, and the presence coronary artery disease. Symptoms of of carbon monoxide intoxication include headache, confusion, visual disturbance, unconsciousness, seizures and in severe cases death. Other causes of myocardial infarction include coronary artery dissection, which is the separation of the heart muscle by accumulation of blood with or without an associated tear.
Diagnosis is made on the basis of the symptoms and medical problems, physical examination, increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. There can also be pale skin with a bluish discoloration of the lips. The eyes need to be examined and may show diabetic changes, changes due to High Blood Pressure, and atherosclerotic changes. Examination of the lungs may show abnormal breath sounds. An Electrocardiograph (EKG) needs to be performed for a confirmation of the diagnosis. Echocardiogram and X-rays are other tests that can be ordered by the doctor. Enzyme tests are critical for assessing the damage on the heart muscle. Some enzymes that are measured include Troponin I, Creatnine Kinase (CK), CKMB, and LDH.

Angina occurs when there is an imbalance in the oxygen demand and supply to the heart and it is the term for chest pain or discomfort due to coronary heart disease. Angina is due to myocardial ischemia (which means insufficient blood supply). It occurs usually because the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle become narrowed. Angina is normally described as pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the chest. Discomfort can also be felt in the neck, jaw, shoulder, back or arm. Angina normally occurs when the heart needs more blood such as while running or exercising, during strong emotions or extreme temperatures. Angina is a sign that suggests that someone is at increased risk of a heart attack. Some people have a type of angina called stable angina which is characterized by episodes of chest discomfort that are predictable. These episodes occur on exertion for example while running or under emotional stress. The chest discomfort is relieved with rest, or nitroglycerin or both. In people with unstable angina, the chest pain is unexpected and usually occurs at rest. The discomfort is more severe and prolonged than the typical angina. The most common cause of angina is reduced blood flow to the heart muscle because the coronary arteries are narrowed by atherosclerosis. An artery can also be partially blocked by a blood clot and also due to inflammation and infection. Another form of unstable angina is called as variant or Prinzmetal angina which is due to coronary artery spasm. Unstable angina is an acute coronary syndrome and is treated as an emergency. Patients with new worsening or persistent chest discomfort/pain should be evaluated in a emergency room as they are at an increased risk for a heart attack, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, or even sudden death. Prinzmetal angina. unlike any typical angina nearly always occurs when a person is at rest, and does not follow exertion or stress. These attacks are usually painful and occur between midnight and 8 a.m. About 66 % of patients have severe atherosclerosis in at least one major vessel. Angina can also occur in patients with valvular disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure.

Pericarditis: It is due to an inflammation of the lining surrounding the heart and is accompanied by changes in the electrocardiogram (EKG). Viral and bacterial infections that involve the pericardium produce chest pain similar to that seen with cardiac pain. The pain of pericarditis is aggravated by deep breathing and by changes in body position. The pain of pericarditis stops when the breath is held or if the victim leans forward. Because of its similarity to cardiac pain it can easily be mistaken for an heart attack. If coronary artery disease is found on an angiogram, coronary artery bypass surgery may be performed that is possibly harmful to the patient.
How do you find out what is causing your chest pain? Doctor's diagnose the causes of chest pain by taking a comprehensive medical history by asking you a series of detailed questions about the chest pain, your general health, your family history, your health risks, and much more. Based on this they then order a series of tests to further investigate what the think might be the problem, known as their differential diagnosis.

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YourDiagnosis takes a very comprehensive medical history online using easy to understand questions which you can answer by just clicking on the relevant answers. Once completed it provides a comprehensive list of differential diagnoses as well as a detailed Personal Health Summary which you can take to your physician. You can also use it to store your medical history and symptoms history that can be used by your physician(s) at a later date. This would help you as you will not miss providing important information to the different doctors you visit.