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Rheumatic Heart Disease Information

Written by admin on January 24, 2010 – 6:27 pm -

100 years ago Rheumatic fever was the leading cause of death in people aged 5-20 years in the United States. Entire hospitals were dedicated to the treatment of rheumatic fever in children. Today Rheumatic heart disease is rarely seen industrialized countries do to the proper diagnosis and treatment of strep throat.


Rheumatic fever occurs when an untreated strep throat infection migrates to the the rest of the body. Rheumatic fever affects the joints and heart, causing fever, muscle aches, and possible permanent heart valve damage (Rheumatic heart disease). Rheumatic fever gets its name because one of its main symptoms is actually pain in the joints rather than the heart. Rheumatic fever primarily affects children between ages 6 and 15 years and occurs approximately 20 days after an onset of a strep throat infection.


It is believed that rheumatic heart disease is responsible for 79% of some type of heart valve disease in adults in the United States with the balance believed to be the result of the recreational use of Amphetamines, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Ecstasy and other drugs along with other heart related diseases such as atherosclerosis and birth defects.


Rheumatic heart disease is the most serious complication of rheumatic fever and chronic rheumatic heart disease is estimated to exist in 5-30 million children and young adults in the poorer countries of the world. The best defense against rheumatic heart disease is to prevent rheumatic fever from ever occurring with the proper use of anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin or corticosteroids.


If rheumatic fever has been diagnosed then long term use of low dose antibiotics (such as penicillin, sulfadiazine, or erythromycin) will be need to prevent recurrence. There is no cure for the disease and patients may need to maintain an active treatment for the rest of the patient’s life.


The National Institute of Health estimate that rheumatic heart disease develops in about 3% of untreated strep throat infections in the United States. A doctor will need to perform lab tests to diagnose rheumatic fever if any of the following symptoms develope after the onset of a strep throat infections. Fever, irregular heart beat, nodes under the skin, and physical pain usually in the joints.


Today Australia and New Zealand have reported an unexplained jump in the number of cases among some populations with little or no access to health care. Switzerland calls rheumatic fever a disease born of poverty. Rheumatic heart disease is easily prevented by a good strep throat treatment, many young people of the world do not have access to the health care that would keep their heart valves healthy and extend their lives. Patients simply suffer through fever attacks, and fall victim to heart valve failure later in life.


Rheumatic fever can be managed with the proper antibiotics and with the use of common Vitamins and over the counter product to reduce further damage to the heart muscle, a long and healthy life can be maintained. Common products include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Sytrinol, Pantothenic Acid, Niacin, Policosanol and Antioxidants.


Vitamin C has show to lower high blood pressure.


Vitamin E improves circulation and promotes normal blood clotting and is known to help the red blood cells to live longer.


Sytrinol are known to be useful in helping maintain a healthy cholesterol level in the body by reducing triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein levels.


Pantothenic Acid is another form of nontoxic B vitamins and is critical in the metabolism and synthesis of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.


Niacin is the closest thing available to a perfect treatment that corrects most causes of coronary heart disease. Niacin blocks the release of fatty acids from fat cells. Niacin plays a critical role in energy production, gene expression, and hormone synthesis. You cannot live without it. Niacin also tends to shift LDL particle distribution to larger particle size and improve HDL functioning.


Policosanol is a natural supplement derived from sugar cane and it promotes healthy platelet function and helps to maintain normal cholesterol levels in the human body.


Natural antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables such as, apples, blueberries, broccoli, cherries, cranberries, grapes, and spinach.


Lifestyle changes can also lower the risk of medical emergencies. If you smoke quit, eat healthy foods, maintain proper weight and get regular exercise.


This report is nutritional in nature and not to be construed as medical advice.


Always consult your doctor before using this information.

David Cowley has created numerous articles on heart disease. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to heart disease and how to treat them. Visit Heart Disease

Causes Of Valvular Heart Disease

Written by admin on January 23, 2010 – 12:06 pm -

This article is written to remove some of the mystery regarding valvular heart disease. It is necessarily somewhat complex but it should be easier to understand than most medical information that you might receive.


Valvular heart disease or valve disease can even be present at birth (congenital) or it can develop at any period of time throughout a persons life span. There are times when the exact valvular heart disease caauses cannot be discovered. Valvular heart disease is broken down into congenital valve disease, bicuspid aortic valve disease, acquired valve disease and mitral valve prolapse (MVP).


When valve disease is present at birth, it is referred to as congenital valve disease. This type generally affects the pulmonic valve or the aortic valve. Sometimes the valves are simply not the correct size or else the leaflets have not formed properly.


Bicuspid aortic valve disease is congenital as well and in this case the bicuspid aortic valve has two cusps or leaflets instead of the three it is supposed to have. This can cause the valve to be stiff, leaky or both.


Acquired valve disease is any problem that happens as a result of once normal valves. Sometimes the makeup of valves change as a result of infections or diseases. Rheumatic fever causes the heart valve to become red and inflamed and the leaflets to cling together. This then leads to the heart valves becoming unnecessarily thickened, shortened, rigid and scarred. This can then lead to mitral regurgitation. Rheumatic fever often occurs as a result of a bacterial infection, one of the most common being strep throat. However the vast array of antibiotics that are available today have greatly reduced the incidence of this infection.


Another disease that can cause acquired valve disease is endocarditis. This disease happens when bacteria and germs make their way into the bloodstream and then begin to invade the valves of the heart. This attack causes growths to begin in the heart valves as well as holes to take place. This can then lead to scarring of the heart valves. Leaky valves end up being the result of all of this. Germs that cause endocarditis can come about as a result of surgery, IV drug use, dental surgery and/or serious types of infections. Anyone who suffers from valve disease (excluding those who have mitral valve prolapse) is at a terrible risk of getting endocarditis, which can be fatal if not treated immediately.


Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is very widespread and affects on average one to two percent of the American population on an annual basis. This disorder causes the mitral valve leaflets to fall back into the left atrium while the heart is contracting. MVP also makes the valve tissues become strange in shape and they become stretchy and cause seepage. It is rare for MVP to bring on any symptoms at all with a patient and most of the time it does not necessitate any kind of special medical treatment.


The above diseases and disorders are the most common causes of MVP but there are other causes as well. A visit to the doctor and a variety of tests should help pinpoint the exact cause of valve disease if you are diagnosed with it. Other causes include coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy (or heart muscle disease), heart attack, hypertension, aortic aneurysms, connective tissue diseases, and sexually transmitted disease (the most common being syphilis). There are also less common reasons for valve disease such as tumors, radiation and an assortment of drug treatments.

Verlyn Ross owns and operates a website dedicated specifically to providing health and fitness information. It includes a wealth of articles in which you may have an interest. I invite you to freely explore my website.

Heart Valve Disease Information

Written by admin on January 22, 2010 – 3:34 am -

The heart is one of the strongest muscles in the body and it is divided into two parts. The top part contains the two atrium chambers and the bottom half contains the two ventricle chambers. The atrium’s collect blood from outside of the heart area and forces it into the ventricular chambers. The two ventricular chambers distribute the blood into the lungs for oxygenation or into the rest of the human body depending on which one of the ventricular chambers you are looking at.


Some times one or more of the four sets of valves become damaged due to disease, injury or you could be born with a hart valve defect. Normally the he valves will allow the blood to flow in only one direction but when damaged the valves will not operate correctly. Valvular regurgitation (leakiness) and stenosis (stiffness) are the two major type of heart valve disease. If the damage to the valve is large enough you could suffer from heart valve disease and if left unchecked the possibility of a heart attack or even death is greatly increased.


Causes of heart valve disease.


The recreational use of Amphetamines, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Ecstasy and other drugs can overwork the heart and lead to a heart valve disease.


Another cause is a condition known as congenital abnormality which is a defect in the heart valve that is present at birth such as a heart murmur, small hole in the valve or some type malformation of the valves.


Narrowing of the blood vessels or arteries leading to and away from the heart can cause enough stress on the valves of the heart to cause damage. This can be caused by extensive calcification that sometimes occurs in old age such as atherosclerosis.


Bacterial infection, inflammation of the valve, and diseases such as rheumatic fever may also lead to heart valve problems.


Symptoms of some type of heart valve disease can be very mild and can be attributed to a number of different problems such as asthma, heartburn, cynosis (a blueish coloration to the lips and to the bed of the finger nails). It is a serious condition and you should never try to self-diagnose the problem.


If you notice any of the following symptoms during physical activity your should report it to your health care provider as soon as possible. If you experience dizzy spells or faintness, shortness of breath, chest pain, skin coloration changes to a gray or blueish tint (pink or red is normal), or your recovery time from physical activity is excessive.


Obviously good diet and exercise will greatly reduce your chances of developing some type of heart valve problems. As with any medical condition early detection and treatment is paramount in the successful recovery from heart valve disease.


Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with heart valve disease such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Sytrinol, Pantothenic Acid, Niacin, Policosanol and Antioxidants.