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Liu Ying
Cardiology
About me
Benxi Central Hospital, Cardiovascular Department, Associate Chief Physician, has been engaged in cardiovascular clinical work for many years and has rich clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Proficient in diseases
Specializing in common cardiovascular diseases such as angina, high blood pressure, sudden death, arrhythmia, heart failure, premature beats, irregular heartbeat, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, acute myocardial infarction, etc.
Voices
How to lower high blood pressure?
Hypertension is divided into primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. If it is secondary hypertension, removing the factors that cause high blood pressure can cure it. For example, if the hypertension is caused by an adrenal tumor, removing the tumor can normalize blood pressure. However, if diagnosed with primary hypertension, lifelong medication is required. There are many types of medications available, which need to be specifically analyzed based on the individual situation. If the patient primarily has high systolic pressure, it is recommended to use some calcium channel blockers, which are commonly used for elderly patients who primarily exhibit high systolic pressure. If it is primarily high diastolic pressure, some ACE inhibitors or ARBs are suggested. If sympathetic excitement is predominant, some β-blockers can be used. (Medication should be taken under the guidance of a professional doctor.)
Can heart failure be cured?
We say that some early-stage heart failure can be cured, such as peripartum cardiomyopathy and thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy. If discovered and treated early, there is hope for a cure. However, most heart failure cannot be cured. Although some psychological failures cannot be cured, if patients can receive early treatment and effective treatment, take their medication on time, and have regular check-ups as advised by their doctor, most heart failure can still be controlled or alleviated. However, if heart failure is detected and not actively treated, even mild heart failure may gradually worsen, or even become end-stage heart failure.
How many ventricular premature beats per day?
Ventricular premature beats can be caused by physiological reasons, diseases, ion disturbances, certain medications, and so on. If a healthy person without any diseases experiences ventricular premature beats, they should quit smoking, limit alcohol intake, ensure adequate rest, avoid staying up late, avoid excessive fatigue, and drink less or avoid strong tea, coffee, and other substances that stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. If ventricular premature beats are caused by other reasons, the specific cause should be determined by a specialist based on the medical condition and related examinations, and a reasonable treatment plan should be provided. (The use of medications should be conducted under the guidance of a doctor.)
"Tachycardia" means heart beats too fast.
We define a heart rate over 100 beats per minute as tachycardia, which can be sinus tachycardia, atrial tachycardia, junctional tachycardia, among others. Moreover, tachycardia can be physiological or pathological. For instance, a person experiencing tachycardia during intense physical activity or emotional excitement without any organic disease, and if this tachycardia is sinus tachycardia, then it is considered related to the intense activity or emotional state. On the other hand, conditions like anemia, hyperthyroidism, or heart failure can also lead to tachycardia. Whether tachycardia is physiological or pathological, and whether it is sinus or caused by other pacemakers in the heart, should be determined by a specialist.
The difference between ventricular premature beats and atrial premature beats.
Atrial premature beats are excitations of the heart initiated by the atrium and are prematurely triggered; ventricular premature beats refer to heart excitations initiated by the ventricles, which are also premature. On the electrocardiogram (ECG), atrial premature beats can be seen as prematurely occurring P waves and QRS complexes, where the shape of the QRS complex is consistent with that of the normal sinus rhythm. In contrast, ventricular premature beats on the ECG are shown as prematurely occurring wide and abnormal QRS complexes, with no preceding P wave.
Treatment of constrictive pericarditis
Constrictive pericarditis refers to a disease in which the heart is surrounded by a densely thickened fibrotic or calcified pericardium, restricting ventricular diastolic filling and producing a series of circulatory disorders, typically chronic in nature. In China, the most common cause of constrictive pericarditis is tuberculosis. Constrictive pericarditis is a progressive disease, and most patients will develop chronic constrictive pericarditis. At this stage, pericardiectomy is the only effective treatment method. It should be performed early to avoid complications such as cardiac cachexia, severe liver dysfunction, and myocardial atrophy, with surgery usually carried out after controlling the pericardial infection. For tuberculosis patients, anti-tuberculosis treatment should continue for one year after surgery.
Symptoms of acute pericarditis
Acute pericarditis is an acute inflammatory disease of the visceral and parietal layers of the pericardium, with the most common cause being viral infections. The hallmark of acute pericarditis is pain in the precardiac area behind the sternum. The nature of the pain is very sharp, typically occurring during the fibrinous exudation phase of inflammatory changes, caused by friction between the visceral and parietal layers of the pericardium. The pain can radiate to the neck, left shoulder, and even the upper abdomen. It is associated with respiratory movements and often worsens with coughing, deep breathing, or changing body positions. When fluid exudes into the pericardium, separating the visceral and parietal layers, the patient's pain may decrease or disappear. However, some patients may experience symptoms such as breathing difficulties and edema due to cardiac tamponade.
Pericarditis is caused by what?
Pericarditis refers to the inflammatory disease of the visceral and parietal layers of the pericardium. It can be classified according to its etiology into infectious, non-infectious, allergic, and immune pericarditis. Causes of infectious pericarditis include viral, purulent, tuberculous, and fungal pericarditis. Non-infectious pericarditis can be caused by acute myocardial infarction, uremia, tumors, trauma, aortic dissection, radiation, acute idiopathic, and sarcoidosis, among others. Causes of allergic or immune pericarditis include rheumatic, vasculitis, drugs, and more. Some patients remain undiagnosed after examinations and are categorized as having idiopathic pericarditis or nonspecific pericarditis.
Symptoms of chronic heart failure
Chronic heart failure can be divided into left heart failure, right heart failure, and total heart failure. The symptoms of left heart failure primarily manifest as congestion in the pulmonary circulation, that is, a reduction in cardiac output. Patients may experience varying degrees of breathing difficulties, starting with exertional dyspnea, then orthopnea, followed by paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and eventually acute pulmonary edema. Additional symptoms may include coughing, expectoration, hemoptysis, fatigue, tiredness, dizziness, reduced exercise tolerance, and symptoms of insufficient blood supply to organs and tissues, including oliguria and kidney damage. The symptoms of right heart failure can present as gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal distension, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and also exertional dyspnea. When both left and right heart failures occur, it is referred to as total heart failure. In cases of total heart failure, symptoms of both left and right heart failures may be present.
Causes of Heart Failure
Heart failure can be divided into acute heart failure and chronic heart failure. There are many causes of acute heart failure, such as acute coronary syndrome, hypertensive emergency, acute massive pulmonary embolism, right ventricular infarction, severe pulmonary hypertension, and so on. Chronic heart failure can also have many causes, for example, coronary artery disease and hypertension have become the main causes of chronic heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, and valvular heart disease can also cause chronic heart failure. Chronic cor pulmonale and high-altitude heart disease also have a certain incidence rate in China, among others.