Some years back, one of my friends asked me that a person known to him is having pain in the left arm while walking, compelling him to take a break; and gets back the pain sometimes after resuming his walk. I suggested an electrocardiogram (ECG), and as expected by me a coronary artery disease was diagnosed. This symptom is somewhat a tale tell story of angina pain of heart. In my childhood, I have seen dancing of some superficial arteries of old aged persons and surprised over it; now, I am clear about its cause i.e. it is due to thickening of wall of peripheral arteries from atherosclerosis. In atherosclerosis; there occurs deposit of cholesterol, calcium, some blood cells and some other components in the inner layer of blood vessels called intima. This is equally seen larger as well as smaller blood vessels in the body. Smoking is an important cause of atherosclerosis.
Recently, researchers have found out the role of immune cells in the formation of atheroma after triggering an inflammation in the intima of blood vessels. Drugs targeting these cells also cause harm to useful effects of these cells. So, now they are targeting research, how to destroy the bad effect of cells leaving ahead the good effects. They also found out one molecule that switches on the harmful effect of these immune cells. The new research will be focusing more on blocking the action of the molecule.
Pot bellied persons due excess abdominal fat; the apples are prone to develop atherosclerosis than the pears; persons having fat deposit around hip, researchers say. Smoking, alcohol, sedentary life style and more saturated fat consumption are some of the contributing factors for atherosclerosis. Measurements of waist circumference (WC), waist to hip ratio (WHR) and Body mass index (BMI) are some of predictors of risk of heart attack. Waist circumference >32 inches in female and >37 inches in male have the risk of heart attack. Persons having WHR > 0.7 and BMI >30 are at the risk of developing atherosclerosis.
Niacin, a “B” group vitamin, widely distributed in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet; is responsible for many vital metabolisms in the body. It is available as an insoluble compound in maize. Those primarily depending on maize as staple diet may suffer from its deficiency. In its deficiency people suffer from Pellagra; characterized by diarrhea, dermatitis and dementia. There may occur reddish to blackish dis-colorization if exposed parts of skin the of the extremities, called dermatitis. Dementia is marked by forgetfulness. If not treated adequately, death may ensue.
It has property of raising high density lipoproteins(HDL), the good fat in the body; which protects heart from atherosclerosis. This a good fat is responsible for mobilizing bad fat, the low density lipo-proteins(LDL). This requires administration of niacin in higher doses. To minimize the adverse reaction to highly dosed rapidly absorbed niacin, sustained released types are available. Combining niacin with ezitimibe, a lipid lowering drug has been seen to have synergistic action; say researchers.
Reeling of head is a distressing condition.In medical terminology it is called Vertigo.Here there is sensation of reeling of head or the surrounding.There are so many causes for it.It may be physiological or pathological. Mainly three systems are involved in it.The ear and related nervous system,the eyes and related nervous system or the peripheral sensory system.
The Course Of Vertebral Artery.
Physiologically this is seen while suddenly getting up from a sitting or standing position called a positional vertigo.Amongst the pathological conditions atherosclerotic hypertension is most common .Other diseases of the three system described above can give rise to vertigo.Common causes are an infection or disease of the middle ear,visual disturbances like ill fitting glasses , sensory disturbance of lower limbs and more generalized diseases like diabetes are important.
Atherosclerosis causes impairment of blood flow to the brain and it’s subsections causing vertigo.Any body presenting with vertigo should be examined for atherosclerosis first.Hypertension easy to diagnose should be treated.Investigations like blood lipid profile is contributory.
Ill fitting glasses easily be corrected and an ear disease is easy to diagnose and treat.
The next important disease to cause vertigo is Cervical Spondylosis.Here the seven neck vertebral bones get affected commonly due to aging process.Other diseases of neck bone like Ankylosing Spondylosis also
Blood Supply
important.Here the vertebrae are deformed ,loose the flexibility and loose the natural C curve.The deformity may pose an obstruction to the blood flow in the vertebral arteries which travels through the bony processes of of neck bones.The vertebral arteries in tern could not deliver required amount of blood to the brain system and cause relative ischaemia and the consequent symptom of vertigo.This disease can also be diagnosed easily from a host of available investigations i.e. from a good quality digital X-Rays to MRI .
Adequately treated spondylosis can go a long way in relieving the symptoms.
But before jumping to diagnosis of Cervical Spondylosis as cause of vertigo the more common and dangerous cause atherosclerotic hypertension should be excluded.
MRI Image.
Generally speaking heart attack means assault on it’s muscles.Heart can be thought as a muscular pump,maintaining blood circulation throughout the body providing nutrition and oxygen .The heart also get supply from it’s own blood vessels to survive and function.Due to various reasons importantly blockade to it’s blood vessels, may be partial or complete, deprives it of the oxygen and other things.This blocked most commonly occurs due to deposition of bad fat on it’s wall called atherosclerosis . This causes heart muscles to scream for oxygen and nutrition and may progress to death of a portion it, called myocardial infarction.The symptoms experienced are in form of some sort of squeegeeing sensation of chest more towards left,severe to milder pain in left lower chest which may seem traveling to neck,arm, upper abdomen and right side of chest.Patient may be sweating, fainting,vomiting and laboring to take respiration.Patient may go to immediate shock and even death instantaneously.More often patient becomes breathless on accustomed exertion, a common warning sign not to be ignored.Immediate rush to the local doctor in the first place instead of searching for expert may save life and lessen the damage .
The message is that the local doctor is the savior
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