6 Signs That Indicate It's Time to Consult a Cardiac Surgeon

Cardiac surgeons, also known as cardiovascular surgeons, are one of the kinds of cardiothoracic surgeons who specialise in the surgeries done on the heart, its structures and heart valves, and the main veins and arteries around it. They should not be thought of as cardiologists or doctors who help diagnose and treat heart disease. Typically, many cardiologists refer a patient to the Best Cardiac Surgeon in India at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital when there is a need for heart surgery. A cardiologist diagnoses the patient’s heart condition and then checks if there is a need for surgery.

What are signs you should get your heart checked?

 

A cardiac surgeon can surgically treat a variety of cardiac health issues like coronary artery blockage, heart valve disease, aortic aneurysms, heart arrhythmia, and heart failure. When there is a need for cardiac surgery, it’s time to see a cardiac surgeon. But, for anyone who has no known heart condition, deciding when to see a cardiac surgeon may be confusing or difficult. In such a case, there are some symptoms to look out for.  

 

Here are the 6 signs that point out the need to see a cardiac surgeon:

 

1.  Pain or discomfort in the chest: It’s a hallmark sign of the heart not receiving sufficient blood, probably a heart attack that can only be surgically treated.

 

2.  Shortness of breath, palpitating heart, or dizziness: Such signs could be of irregular heartbeat or coronary artery disease that requires a surgical intervention.

 

3.  Chronic hypertension: Those who have had high blood pressure for a long time may be at high risk of heart stroke and attack as the heart works harder to pump blood.  

 

4.  Severe kidney disease or diabetes: There is a high link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Diabetics are at high risk of developing coronary artery disease that needs surgical treatment. Moreover, those who have severe kidney disease are at high risk of heart failure which may require cardiac surgery. 

 

5.  History of elevated cholesterol: High cholesterol may result in arteriosclerosis that further causes the blocking of arteries and hypertension. In such a case, a cardiac surgeon can help by performing bypass graft surgery.

 

6.  Unexplained swelling in the lower body like ankles, feet, abdomen, or legs: These could be signs of heart failure. A cardiac surgeon may be required to treat underlying heart issues and alleviate such swelling.

 

It is important that one must not neglect these signs and consult with a cardiac surgeon or heart doctor, shares Dr. Sujay Shad, a senior cardiac surgeon practising at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. Dr. Sujay Shad is an expert heart surgeon with expertise in heart surgeries, heart transplants, open heart surgery, and popularly known for Mitral Valve Repair in India.

 

Consult him if you are suffering from any heart issues or want more details on any type of cardiac surgery!

Can Rheumatic Heart Disease Lead To Heart Failure?

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a heart problem. It occurs when a streptococcal infection remains untreated, especially in places where medical care is not easily accessible. People can avoid getting Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), but it still affects millions of people around the world, mostly by hurting the heart valves. Even though the initial cause may seem far away, like a case of strep throat that wasn't addressed, the results can be terrible, even leading to heart failure. This blog looks at the complicated link between rheumatic heart disease and heart failure. Regarding this, the blog has been enriched with references from top-notch experts in heart failure surgery in Delhi and Mumbai (metro cities renowned for the best heart surgeons in India). 

An Overview of Rheumatic Heart Disease 

If one is unable to treat streptococcal illness, especially strep throat, the person can get down with rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disorder that can lead to rheumatic heart disease. 

How Rheumatic Heart Disease Leads to Heart Failure?

RHD can lead to an autoimmune reaction, and as a result, systemic inflammation forms. This condition affects the cardiovascular system. Within a certain amount of time, this inflammation could hurt the heart valves, making them less able to work properly and changing the flow of blood. The most common valve to be affected is the mitral valve, but other valves can also be impacted. 

As rheumatic heart disease gets worse, the heart valves gradually lose their ability to work. This leads to heart failure. Because the situation gets worse, the damaged valves have a harder time controlling the flow of blood. Unfortunately, this puts too much stress on the heart, making it work harder to make up for the valve's reduced function. Heart failure is a disorder in which the heart can't pump blood properly to meet the body's needs. Over time, the increasing amount of effort could lead to heart failure.

Factors of RHD Cause Heart Failure

• Damage of the Heart Valve

Heart failure is caused by a number of reasons that make rheumatic heart disease worse. At first, the damaged heart valves stop the blood from moving normally inside the heart chambers, which makes pumping less effective. This can cause fluid to build up in the lungs (pulmonary congestion) and other parts of the body, which can make it hard to breathe and cause the legs and belly to swell. If heart valve damage is diagnosed in a timely manner, heart failure can be eliminated. For this, heart valve repair replacement surgery is the most effective method. 

• Artery Blockage

The constant stress that a broken valve puts on the heart muscle could lead to enlargement, which means that the heart muscle gets thicker. At first, this might work as a way to make up for lost heart output. Over time, though, it could make it harder for the heart to relax and fill up with blood properly, which would make heart failure worse.

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABS) is an effective way to treat artery blockage. To consider this treatment, you can schedule an appointment with Dr. Sujay Shad, renowned as the best bypass surgeon in Delhi. 

• Blood Clots 

When heart valves don't work properly, they can change the way blood flows, which can make people more likely to form blood clots. These blood clots can move to other parts of the body, which can cause major problems like a stroke or pulmonary embolism. This can make it harder for people with rheumatic heart disease to get better from heart failure.

• Prevention and Treatment

The best way to stop rheumatic heart disease is to treat streptococcal illnesses, like strep throat, quickly and properly. If medicines are given right away, rheumatic fever and the damage it causes to heart valves can be avoided. People who already have rheumatic heart disease need to get regular checkups, take antibiotics as a preventative measure, and make changes to their lifestyle in order to keep it under control and avoid complications like heart failure.

Conclusion

Rheumatic heart disease is a major cause of life-threatening health issues, especially in places where there aren't many medical resources. The initial cause, like a strep throat infection, might not seem like a big deal, but the effects could be very bad, even leading to heart failure. Understanding the link between rheumatic heart disease and heart failure emphasizes how important it is to diagnose the condition quickly, take action as soon as possible, and put in place a variety of management strategies. 

To lessen the effects of rheumatic heart disease and its complications, one should try to find and treat the reasons as well as make treatments better. To get more details, visit Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, a popular heart hospital in Delhi, and consult with Dr. Sujay Shad.