What is heart disease?

Written by Zhang Yue Mei

Cardiology

Updated on September 23, 2024

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Heart disease is caused by various factors that invade the heart, resulting in the loss of its normal physiological functions. Common causes of heart disease include rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, viral myocarditis, coronary artery disease, and pulmonary heart disease. These diseases are considered organic heart diseases, caused by various reasons that lead to pathological changes in the heart's muscles, valves, etc., losing the heart's normal ability to pump blood and supply the body with blood.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong

Cardiology

1min 12sec

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Is hyperthyroid heart disease dangerous?

Hyperthyroidism can repeatedly cause an increase in heart rate and metabolism, which is quite active, causing a long-term overload of heart function, leading to the formation of hyperthyroid heart disease, a chronic pathological change process. In the middle and early stages, it generally does not pose a life-threatening risk, only manifesting symptoms such as palpitations, tightness after activity, breathlessness, or chest tightness, which can improve with rest. However, if hyperthyroidism is not cured for a long time, or if hyperthyroid heart disease is not treated in time, it can lead to severe heart failure. If there is a severe decline in heart pump function, causing the ejection fraction to be below 30%, it can easily cause sudden pump failure or severe arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, posing a life-threatening risk to the patient.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei

Cardiology

42sec

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Is premature beat a type of heart disease?

Premature heartbeats belong to heart disease, and any disease that affects heart function and conduction is called heart disease. However, heart disease can be divided into organic heart disease and functional heart disease. Premature beats can also be due to different causes, categorized as physiological and pathological premature beats. Physiological premature beats are common in the normal population and are caused by disturbances in the nerves regulating the heart due to various reasons. Pathological premature beats are caused by organic heart disease, and it is necessary to treat the primary disease while correcting these premature beats.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei

Cardiology

37sec

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What is heart disease?

Heart disease is caused by various factors that invade the heart, resulting in the loss of its normal physiological functions. Common causes of heart disease include rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, viral myocarditis, coronary artery disease, and pulmonary heart disease. These diseases are considered organic heart diseases, caused by various reasons that lead to pathological changes in the heart's muscles, valves, etc., losing the heart's normal ability to pump blood and supply the body with blood.

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Written by Xiao Chang Jiang

Cardiology

1min 24sec

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Early symptoms of heart disease

How is heart disease diagnosed? What are its early symptoms? Actually, the concept of heart disease is very broad as it includes many diseases related to the heart. Generally, it refers to problems with the structure or function of the heart, or its inability to perform its pumping function. Its early symptoms can include chest tightness, chest pain, or a crushing feeling after activity, and some may even radiate to the back or the inside of the arms, even involving the shoulders, presenting symptoms like increased heart rate, palpitations, tinnitus, and breathing difficulties. All these are related to heart disease. But how can we determine what kind of heart disease it is? We believe that the first step is to visit a hospital for tests such as electrocardiograms (ECG), ambulatory ECGs, exercise stress tests, and other imaging tests including coronary CT and even coronary angiography. Of course, some biochemical tests are also necessary, such as myocardial enzymes, troponins, myoglobins, brain natriuretic peptides, immunological and biological tests, which all help to determine the nature of the heart disease. In summary, we must pay special attention to heart disease, and once these symptoms appear, we should seek medical attention promptly and early.

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Written by Hao Ze Rui

Pulmonology

46sec

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Complications of cor pulmonale

Complications of cor pulmonale commonly include several conditions. The first is pulmonary encephalopathy, caused by respiratory failure leading to hypoxia and carbon dioxide retention, which can cause somnolence in patients and, in severe cases, lead to coma. The second is acid-base imbalance and electrolyte disturbances. Cor pulmonale may present with various electrolyte disturbances, such as hyponatremia and hypokalemia. The third is arrhythmias, most commonly manifesting as atrial premature beats or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. The fourth complication is shock. Shock is not very common in cor pulmonale, but if it occurs, the prognosis is poor.