Heart To Heart

It is essential to recognise any abnormality of the heart to prevent seizure or the onset of a serious cardiovascular disease. K R K Moorthy takes an overview of what can go wrong.

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Cardiovascular relates to the system through which blood circulates – heart, arteries, veins and capillaries. The heart is a pear-shaped organ not much larger than one’s fist, reddish-brown in colour, and weighing about 350 grams. It is a muscular pump that keeps blood going through all parts of the body, carrying oxygen and other vital nutrients that nourish the live cells in our body. The heart’s function, like its position in the body, is central to life. The chambers of the heart have four valves that close when blood has passed through to prevent it from flowing back. A healthy heart responds with ease to extraordinary demands made on it. Then the question arises why heart diseases are a major killer in the world.

The answer is simple: today’s easy lifestyle, cholesterol-rich diet, lack of physical exercise, some hazardous habits and stress act together to affect the heart. Despite advances in medical and surgical techniques, heart diseases are not cured often. Preventing damage to the heart beforehand is definitely better than trying to minimise the impact of heart problems later. Therefore it is important to identify the risk factors leading to heart diseases, which number over 20. The heart is a muscle, and it must get enough oxygen to function well. Therefore anything that restricts the availability of oxygen to the heart or obstructs the coronary arteries may damage the area of the heart that these arteries serve.