Friday, December 08, 2006 Heart of the matter By Henrylito D. Tacio Health 101
OFTENTIMES, we hear someone saying, "I love you will all my heart." But the question is: do you love your heart?
Our heart, a muscular, cone-shaped organ about the size of a fist, pumps blood throughout the body. "In a normal person, the heart beats 70 times a minute, 100,000 times a day, 40,000,000 times a year!" informs Julius Miller.
The weight of the heart in men averages between 280 and 340 grams and in women between 230 and 280 grams.
Medical books state that the base of the heart is the portion of the heart opposite the tip. The base is tilted to the right side of the body. It forms the upper border of the heart and lies just below the second rib.
The layers of the heart, starting from the outside, are the epicardium. The chambers of the heart include two ventricles with thick muscular walls, making up most of the organ, and two atria with thin muscular walls. An inner wall (called septum) separates the ventricles and extends between the atria, dividing the heart into the right and the left sides.
The left side of the heart pumps blood with oxygen from the lung veins into the aorta and on to all part of the body.
The right side of the heart pumps blood from which the oxygen has been removed into the lung arteries. Both atria contract almost at the same time, followed quickly by the contraction of the ventricles.
Some recent studies have shown that there's a strong link between the brain and the heart, between depression and heart disease. While depression is typically considered a brain disorder, the possible repercussions from the disease read like a checklist for heart disease:
(1) Depression may cause abnormal heart rhythms, increased blood pressure and faster blood clotting; (2) Depression can elevate cholesterol levels; (3) Depression may result in chronically elevated levels of stress hormones, which can contribute to heart damage; and (4) Depression can elevate insulin levels. Anytime you find your heart doing something abnormal, you're experiencing what cardiologists call as arrhythmia.
"Get a check-up immediately," advises Dr. Wille Ong, a cardiologist at the Manila Doctors Hospital. "Once the doctor determines the type and treatment for your arrhythmia, then you may be able to give first aid for yourself. Undiagnosed arrhythmias are considered dangerous first, unless proven otherwise."
Whether it's serious or not, you have to address a number of things that could be contributing to your abnormal heartbeat.
Here are some steps to consider:
* If you smoke, stop. "Smoking causes a drop in the oxygen supply to the heart," says Dr Alfred Cheng, head of the cardiac clinic at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre in Singapore. "The lack of oxygen causes irregularities in the heartbeat and cause the heartbeat to increase."
* Go easy on alcohol. Moderation is the key. "If you drink a lot, cut it down to the recommended levels," says Dr Maria Rosario Sevilla, a cardiologist at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Manila.
* Don't dare that extra challenge. "Moderate exercise should also be done gradually," says Dr Ong. "Sedentary people should not jog three miles immediately. Try brisk walking first, then increase your distance from day to day. Don't overdo it."
* Warm up and cool down. If you exercise, add at least ten minutes to the beginning and end of your routine.
* Avoid stressful situations. Stress is a risk factor. If you're prone to arrhythmia, don't put yourself in stressful circumstances.
* Say no to caffeine. "Since it is a stimulant, caffeine can cause palpitations," says Dr Sevilla. As such, people with heart palpitations should not drink caffeine too much (example: four or more cups of coffee or tea per day).
* Be wary of medicines. Some decongestants can cause palpitation, according to Dr Ong. Weight reducing drugs are also notorious for causing palpitation, high blood pressure and heart attacks.
* Relax. "Relaxation always helps, especially when the patient gets agitated," says Dr Sevilla. Give yourself a break, see a movie, or take the much-needed vacation.
