There are several major types of heart diseases with different symptoms. It’s important to be aware of them to be prepared to handle them correctly.
1) Heart Failure
Heart failure does not mean that the heart stops working, but it is a condition where the heart cannot function as well as it should. The condition where the heart is weakened or runs out of strength, making tasks that are normally easy much harder. However, there are various ways in which patients and doctors can cooperate to help improve heart function.
2) Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease is a common heart disease in adults. Key risk factors include aging, heavy smoking, high blood cholesterol levels, diabetes, high blood pressure, and lack of regular exercise. These factors cause narrowing of the arteries and can lead to insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle.Symptoms include chest pain or fatigue, tightness, burning in the chest, sweating, heart palpitations, fainting, and can be sudden and severe, leading to a heart attack. Patients have a high risk of death if not treated promptly and appropriately. It is a critical condition that requires urgent treatment.
3) Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia refers to the condition where the heart beats too fast or too slow due to abnormalities in the generation of electrical impulses in the heart or their conduction, or both. Arrhythmias can result from various heart diseases, such as abnormal heart valves, abnormal heart muscles, or coronary artery disease, or other abnormalities, such as short circuits, scars, or fat lumps, causing areas where abnormal heart electrical impulses are generated.Symptoms include palpitations, dizziness, chest pain, fatigue, unconsciousness, or cardiac arrest, depending on the heart rate, the duration, and the cause. However, if the heart contracts normally, the chance of heart failure is low.
Treatment of abnormal rapid heart rhythms can be managed with medication, starting with antianxiety drugs. If the abnormality cannot be detected, but if the electrical abnormality is found, doctors may prescribe various anti-arrhythmia drugs or other medications, or use high-frequency electrical ablation similar to radio waves and implantation of special devices. Furthermore, patients should avoid stimulants such as stress, anxiety, insufficient rest, excessive exercise, smoking, tea, coffee, energy drinks, drinks containing caffeine, alcohol, and using or injecting drugs that stimulate the heart.
4) Aortic Aneurysm
The aorta is the largest artery in the body and is responsible for carrying oxygenated blood from the heart to various organs. It extends from the chest to the abdomen. Any disorder that weakens the wall of this vessel, whether due to aging or other abnormalities, can lead to ballooning and possible rupture. The most common sites are the abdominal and thoracic aorta.5) Congenital Heart Defects
These are caused by abnormalities in heart development while in the mother’s womb, especially during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Congenital heart disease may arise from holes in the walls separating heart chambers, narrowing or leakage of heart valves, or incorrect emergence of blood vessels, among others. These abnormalities can be detected while still in the womb through an echocardiogram.
6) Rheumatic Heart Disease
Occurs in children aged 7 – 15 years and is associated with infection by beta-hemolytic Streptococcus bacteria in the throat, which causes sore throat and high fever. The body builds immunity against this infection. Repeated exposure can cause inflammation in the heart, particularly the valves, joint pain, and body rash. Severe cases can lead to heart failure and death. Repeated inflammation can lead to scarring on the heart valves, making them unable to open fully or close tightly, causing the valves to narrow or leak.
Heart Disease Symptoms in Children
Common symptoms in children with heart disease, including congenital heart disease and post-natal heart disease, include:
• Tiring easily while feeding
• Breathing faster than normal, some may exhibit wheezing after physical activity
• Easily fatigued
• Slow weight gain, not growing well or slow growth compared to normal
• Heart beating strongly and faster than normal
• Frequent colds or pneumonia more often than normal
• Some may show cyanosis at birth or cyanosis later on
Treating Heart Disease in Children Treatment varies depending on the type of disease. Generally, treatments include:
- Treatment with heart medications and diuretics to help the heart work better and reduce heart failure
- Treatment using a balloon to expand the abnormal blood vessels or heart valves, or using special devices to plug holes or abnormal vessels without surgery
- If the child has abnormal heart rhythm, medications to control this or possibly ablation using electricity in the area causing the abnormal rhythm may be used
- Surgical correction of heart defects, either correcting all defects at once or staging the surgery to alleviate symptoms first and then correcting all defects when the child is older
