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When a blood clot blocks one or more arteries in your lungs the condition is known as pulmonary embolism. It can cause a decrease in the oxygen levels in your blood, damage to your lungs due to sudden restrictions in the flow of blood along with adverse effects on other parts of your body. Life-threatening blockage can cause death if left untreated and you should immediately contact your health care provider to get a proper diagnosis. Pulmonary embolism requires various lab tests and generally requires a short time to resolve.

Symptoms: The symptoms of pulmonary embolism mainly depend upon many factors pertaining to your previous medical history. Pulmonary embolism varies with the size of your lungs, the size of the clots formed in your blood, and any other underlying history of the heart or lungs. That said, pulmonary embolism has symptoms which are not similar to any two persons and will vary accordingly.

The common symptoms, however, may include the following and you are advised to opt for a health checkup if these are persistent in your body:

Cough along with bloody sputum is a common symptom.
Shortness of breath, which will become worse as the days passes by. They will appear suddenly and cause huge discomfort in breathing.
Chest pain which may give you the feeling of a heart attack. The pain will intensify when you sit to eat or cough. A deep breath will cause problems too and will not go away easily with exertion.
Some other symptoms include fever, excess sweat, irregular heartbeat and dizziness.
Pulmonary embolism can be diagnosed by the following methods:

Electrocardiography (also known popularly as ECG) to measure your heart's electrical activity and functioning.
CT pulmonary angiography is the gold standard for diagnosing pulmonary embolism.
Chest x-ray, which is a common and non-invasive test to check your heart and lungs as well as the problems with any bones surrounding them.
ECHO can detect secondary changes in the heart due to pulmonary embolism.
Treatment of pulmonary embolism can be done with medicines if it is detected at an early stage or also if the clot is small. However, if the size of your clot is problematic and blocks the blood flow to your lungs or heart then surgery may be necessary. Open surgery and clot removal surgery are common in the treatment of pulmonary embolism and will require good regular follow up check-ups. Regular leg exercises will also reduce the chances of any underlying disease and you should hence consult your doctor.

Cardiomyopathy is a heart muscle disease that makes it difficult for your heart to supply blood to the rest of the body. This disease affects the heart s size, shape and structure, hence resulting in heart failure. Some of the common types of cardiomyopathies are

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Restrictive cardiomyopathy
dilated cardiomyopathy.
The disease is generally inherited and some family members might get more affected than others, while others may not suffer at all or come across any symptoms.

Symptoms

Early stages of the disease may not see any symptom but with the advancement of the condition, certain signs and symptoms tend to appear, which are mentioned below as follows:

There might be breathlessness due to exertion or even when your body is at rest.
You might notice symptoms as in swelling of the legs, ankles and feet.
Excess fluid gets accumulated which leads to bloating of the abdomen.
You might start to cough while lying down.
Rapid, fluttering heartbeats.
You might face discomfort in the chest.
A tinge of dizziness might be felt or you might also faint from time to time.
These signs and symptoms worsen over time, if left untreated.
Causes of Cardiomyopathy

The actual cause behind cardiomyopathy is not known. People might acquire this disease from another condition or some may inherit from one of his or her parents. Factors which lead to the acquiring of cardiomyopathy are:

Suffering from high blood pressure for a long time.
Heart attack which leads to damaging of the heart tissue.
Rapid heartbeat rate.
Certain metabolic disorders like obesity, diabetes or thyroid problem.
Deficiency of essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals, like thiamine.
Complications while conceiving a baby.
Consuming too much alcohol for a long period of time.
Use of cocaine or anabolic steroids also results in causing cardiomyopathy.
Drugs while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy to treat cancer could also lead to the problem of cardiomyopathy.
Certain kinds of infections, especially the ones which lead to inflammation of the heart can also this problem.
Any disorder which might allow the abnormal proteins to build up.
Sarcoidosis, which is a condition that causes inflammation and can lead to the growth of lumps of cells in the heart and other organs.
Treatment for Cardiomyopathy

The treatment for this particular disease mainly aims to manage the signs and symptoms, acts as a preventive measure from letting the condition go from bad to worse and also reduce the risk of complications. Treatment procedures vary as per the type of cardiomyopathy:

Medications: Medications prescribed by doctors generally aim to improve the heart s ability to pump, which in turn would improve blood flow, lower down the level of blood pressure, remove excess fluid from the body and also prevent blood clots from forming.
Surgically Implanted Devices: Doctors might look to place in the heart several types of devices and help the heart to improve it s working condition, thus relieving symptoms. The devices generally implanted are, Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD), Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) and Pacemaker.

Pulmonary Embolism is a blood clot in the Pulmonary arteries that usually travels from a deep vein in the legs to the lungs. This clot blocks the lungs and creates a life-threatening situation for the patient. With prompt medication and treatment, the risk can be mitigated.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism vary with the size and position of the clot. The most common symptoms include pain in the chest and shortness of breath. The patient with Pulmonary Embolism suffers from chest pain occasionally, and it gets worse with physical activity. The pain is deep and feels like a heart attack.

The other common symptoms are:

Pain in legs or swelling

Fever

Irregular heartbeat

Fatigue

Feeling tired all the time

Coughing

Dizziness

Heartburn

Causes

Pulmonary Embolism is caused due to the formation of several clumps or blood clots that enter into the Pulmonary arteries. Typically, these clots are formed from the deep veins of the legs, also known as Deep Vein Thrombosis. The clots block the flow of blood in the lungs, which is fatal to the patients.

These clots gradually build up in the arteries. Some very common causes for the formation of these clots are the release of fats from the broken long bones, the tissue in the bloodstream or air bubble.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism is difficult in patients who are already suffering from heart or lung conditions. However, doctors look for a D-dimer level in the bloodstream to determine the clots. There are various causes for a high level of D dimer, but it gives a starting point to the doctor to investigate further.

Blood Test: The blood test checks the level of D dimer in the blood. If the level is high, the doctor may determine the amount of oxygen level in the blood. Generally, the blood clots lower the level of oxygen in the blood. If the oxygen level is low, doctors doubt the presence of blood clots.

Ultrasound: The body imaging method helps doctors to check for clots in the blood without performing any operation. This non-invasive way gives the imagery of the veins. Clumps can easily be seen in the images of the Ultrasound report.

CT Scan: The spiral CT scan moves around the body to look for clots in the veins. It is a high-tech method through which doctors determined the number, size, and amount of blood clots in the patients.

Takeaway

The treatment for Pulmonary Embolism depends upon the size and number of clots in the body. If a person is already suffering from heart or lungs condition, then he/she shall be given medication accordingly. The most common treatment entails medicines, such as blood thinners, which makes the blood thinner. These medications help in dissolving the clots.

Cardiomyopathy is a heart muscle disease that makes it difficult for your heart to supply blood to the rest of the body. This disease affects the heart s size, shape and structure, hence resulting in heart failure. Some of the common types of cardiomyopathies are

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Restrictive cardiomyopathy
dilated cardiomyopathy.
The disease is generally inherited and some family members might get more affected than others, while others may not suffer at all or come across any symptoms.

Symptoms

Early stages of the disease may not see any symptom but with the advancement of the condition, certain signs and symptoms tend to appear, which are mentioned below as follows:

There might be breathlessness due to exertion or even when your body is at rest.
You might notice symptoms as in swelling of the legs, ankles and feet.
Excess fluid gets accumulated which leads to bloating of the abdomen.
You might start to cough while lying down.
Rapid, fluttering heartbeats.
You might face discomfort in the chest.
A tinge of dizziness might be felt or you might also faint from time to time.
These signs and symptoms worsen over time, if left untreated.
Causes of Cardiomyopathy

The actual cause behind cardiomyopathy is not known. People might acquire this disease from another condition or some may inherit from one of his or her parents. Factors which lead to the acquiring of cardiomyopathy are:

Suffering from high blood pressure for a long time.
Heart attack which leads to damaging of the heart tissue.
Rapid heartbeat rate.
Certain metabolic disorders like obesity, diabetes or thyroid problem.
Deficiency of essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals, like thiamine.
Complications while conceiving a baby.
Consuming too much alcohol for a long period of time.
Use of cocaine or anabolic steroids also results in causing cardiomyopathy.
Drugs while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy to treat cancer could also lead to the problem of cardiomyopathy.
Certain kinds of infections, especially the ones which lead to inflammation of the heart can also this problem.
Any disorder which might allow the abnormal proteins to build up.
Sarcoidosis, which is a condition that causes inflammation and can lead to the growth of lumps of cells in the heart and other organs.
Treatment for Cardiomyopathy

The treatment for this particular disease mainly aims to manage the signs and symptoms, acts as a preventive measure from letting the condition go from bad to worse and also reduce the risk of complications. Treatment procedures vary as per the type of cardiomyopathy:

Medications: Medications prescribed by doctors generally aim to improve the heart s ability to pump, which in turn would improve blood flow, lower down the level of blood pressure, remove excess fluid from the body and also prevent blood clots from forming.
Surgically Implanted Devices: Doctors might look to place in the heart several types of devices and help the heart to improve it s working condition, thus relieving symptoms. The devices generally implanted are, Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD), Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) and Pacemaker.

Cardiomyopathy is serious heart disease. It is a disease associated with heart muscle or myocardium. In this disease, the heart muscles get weak and fail to pump blood to the organs of the body. It has several categories. The categorization depends upon the range of factors. In this disease, irregular heartbeat is observed. These irregularities can lead to heart failure or attack or can trigger problems in the valves. It is important to take care of your heart to avoid such a condition. It is also advisable to see a doctor as soon as the symptoms are noticed to avoid greater damage.

Types of Cardiomyopathy
This disease can be divided into four categories. These are as follows:

Dilated Cardiomyopathy: It is the most common type. It occurs at a time when the heart muscle gets too weak to pump blood properly. The muscles of the heart get thinner and weak. In fact, this also leads to the expansion of the heart chambers. In common terms, it is also referred to as enlarged heart. In most cases, this is inherited or caused by some coronary artery disease.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: This is genetically transferred to the patient. In this condition, the heart walls get thicker and this hinders the smooth flow of blood. It is one of the most common types of Cardiomyopathy.
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia (ARVD): This is a very rare form. It can cause sudden death, especially in young athletes. In this disease, fat and fibrous tissues are responsible for replacing the muscles in the right ventricle. This leads to an abnormal rhythm.
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy: It occurs as the ventricles of the heart get stiff and are unable to relax. This prevents them from getting filled up with blood. Under this situation, you might have to go for a heart transplant.
Other Types: Some of the other types include Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (the one which occurs after pregnancy), Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy (happens due to excessive intake of alcohol) and Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.
Treatment of Cardiomyopathy

The treatment of Cardiomyopathy depends upon the extent of damage caused. It might not require treatment if symptoms are not very troublesome or prominent. It may be dealt with certain lifestyle changes, adjustments and medications, in cases those needs to be addressed.

Tips to deal with Cardiomyopathy
1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by getting an adequate amount of night sleep. Go to bed early and wake up early too.
2. Don t spend long hours watching television or work till late at night
3. Eat a lot of fresh and green-leafy vegetables daily.
4. Avoid the intake of spicy, oily and fast foods.
5. Consume home-cooked food only. Avoid eating out at restaurants or street-side joints.
6. Don t drink excess coffee, tea or aerated drinks.
7. Don t consume alcohol or smoke up cigarettes.
8. Don t live a sedentary life and be a couch potato. Workout and exercise on a regular basis.
9. Avoid emotional outburst and try to keep control over your reactions.

When a blood clot blocks one or more arteries in your lungs the condition is known as pulmonary embolism. It can cause a decrease in the oxygen levels in your blood, damage to your lungs due to sudden restrictions in the flow of blood along with adverse effects on other parts of your body. Life-threatening blockage can cause death if left untreated and you should immediately contact your health care provider to get a proper diagnosis. Pulmonary embolism requires various lab tests and generally requires a short time to resolve.

Symptoms: The symptoms of pulmonary embolism mainly depend upon many factors pertaining to your previous medical history. Pulmonary embolism varies with the size of your lungs, the size of the clots formed in your blood, and any other underlying history of the heart or lungs. That said, pulmonary embolism has symptoms which are not similar to any two persons and will vary accordingly.

The common symptoms, however, may include the following and you are advised to opt for a health checkup if these are persistent in your body:

Cough along with bloody sputum is a common symptom.
Shortness of breath, which will become worse as the days passes by. They will appear suddenly and cause huge discomfort in breathing.
Chest pain which may give you the feeling of a heart attack. The pain will intensify when you sit to eat or cough. A deep breath will cause problems too and will not go away easily with exertion.
Some other symptoms include fever, excess sweat, irregular heartbeat and dizziness.
Pulmonary embolism can be diagnosed by the following methods:

Electrocardiography (also known popularly as ECG) to measure your heart's electrical activity and functioning.
CT pulmonary angiography is the gold standard for diagnosing pulmonary embolism.
Chest x-ray, which is a common and non-invasive test to check your heart and lungs as well as the problems with any bones surrounding them.
ECHO can detect secondary changes in the heart due to pulmonary embolism.
Treatment of pulmonary embolism can be done with medicines if it is detected at an early stage or also if the clot is small. However, if the size of your clot is problematic and blocks the blood flow to your lungs or heart then surgery may be necessary. Open surgery and clot removal surgery are common in the treatment of pulmonary embolism and will require good regular follow up check-ups. Regular leg exercises will also reduce the chances of any underlying disease and you should hence consult your doctor.

Heart disease is definitely something, which is serious. In most cases, it is the result of a person s lack of prudence when it comes to staying fit and moderating what food items feature in the diet. But is this always the case? Well, not at all. Genetic or hereditary heart diseases, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, long QT syndrome, very high cholesterol levels running in the family and many others, provide enough reason as to why not.

This is because a person cannot be blamed for hereditary heart disease as the reason why this occurs is on account of the genetic makeup. So, the best way for one to know if there is a risk of this sort of disease is to take a look at the family history with respect to the disease.

Keep a record: One of the ways by which a person can get to know if there is a risk of hereditary heart disease is by finding out if a condition known as arrhythmia is prevalent in the family. This is a condition in which the heart has an irregular heartbeat and can be potentially lethal. Other things which are to be watched out for include, but are not limited to, a track record of members in the family who have faced a heart failure at a young age, especially prior to them reaching the age of 50.

Watch out for signs: It is not always true that the signs of hereditary heart diseases pertain to the heart. If a person has fainted or has had seizures, and effective treatment could not be performed by making use of the normal medicines, which would generally be used in these circumstances, it could be taken as a sign of the presence of hereditary heart disease.

Get tested: To know if there is a risk of hereditary heart disease, it is important that a person gets genetically tested. This is to be done so that the gene analysis can provide details as to which hereditary heart diseases a person has, along with the other members of the family. There are various tests for things such as HCM, ARVD and Marfan syndrome.
Apart from this, undergoing genetic counseling is also considered important. This is to keep a check on the worries of having a sudden heart attack as well as the concerns one may have about passing the genes relating to the heart disease to one s offspring. This is one of the most necessary, but underrated things when it comes to dealing with hereditary heart disease.

When blood clot blocks one or more arteries in your lungs the condition is known as pulmonary embolism. It can cause a decrease in the oxygen levels in your blood, damage to your lungs due to sudden restrictions in the flow of blood along with adverse effects on other parts of your body. Life threatening blockage can cause death if left untreated and you should immediately contact your health care provider to get proper diagnosis. Pulmonary embolism requires various lab tests and generally requires short time to resolve.

Symptoms: The symptoms of pulmonary embolism mainly depend upon many factors pertaining to your previous medical history. Pulmonary embolism varies with the size of your lungs, the size of the clots formed in your blood, and any other underlying history of the heart or lungs. That said, pulmonary embolism has symptoms which are not similar to any two persons and will vary accordingly.

The common symptoms however may include the following and you are advised to opt for a health checkup if these are persistent in your body:

Cough along with bloody sputum is a common symptom.
Shortness of breath, which will become worse as the days passes by. They will appear suddenly and cause huge discomfort in breathing.
Chest pain which may give you the feeling of a heart attack. The pain will intensify when you sit to eat or cough. Deep breath will cause problems too and will not go away easily with exertion.
Some other symptoms include fever, excess sweat, irregular heartbeat and dizziness.
Pulmonary embolism can be diagnosed by the following methods:

Electrocardiography (also known popularly as ECG) to measure your heart's electrical activity and functioning.
CT plumonary angiography is gold standard for diagnosing pulmonary embolism.
Chest x ray, which is a common and non invasive test to check your heart and lungs as well as the problems with any bones surrounding them.
ECHO can detect secondary changes in heart due to pulmonary embolism.
Treatment of pulmonary embolism can be done with medicines if it is detected at an early stage or also if the clot is small. However, if the size of your clot is problematic and blocks the blood flow to your lungs or heart then surgery may be necessary. Open surgery and clot removal surgery are common in the treatment of pulmonary embolism and will require good regular follow up check ups. Regular leg exercises will also reduce the chances of any underlying disease and you should hence consult your doctor.

Our heart is one of the most important organs that must be kept healthy and fit so that we can lead a good lifestyle, however, unfortunately, many people still suffer from heart problems. And, one such heart problem is Cardiomyopathy.

What is Cardiomyopathy?

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscles that makes it very difficult for the heart muscles to pump blood to the rest of the body. Since the muscles are unable to pump blood effectively, it can lead to heart failure. It is a very serious condition and may require extensive treatment to fully recover from the disorder.

Different types of Cardiomyopathy

Now we will be discussing the different types of Cardiomyopathy that can affect an individual.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - In this case, the heart muscles become abnormally thickened, particularly affecting the muscle of your heart's main pumping chamber (left ventricle). The thickened heart muscle can make it harder for the heart to work properly. Most affected people have a family history of the disease.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy - In this case, the muscles enlarge and become weak, therefore they cannot pump the blood. These weak muscles over a period of time become absolutely ineffective and can cause heart failure.
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy - In this type, the heart muscle becomes rigid and less elastic, so it is unable to relax and can't expand and fill with blood between heartbeats.Which eventually does not allow the blood to flow properly.
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia - In this rare type of cardiomyopathy, the muscle in the lower right heart chamber (right ventricle) is replaced by scar tissue, which can lead to heart rhythm problems. It's often caused by genetic mutations. This condition can cause a sudden cardiac arrest or heart failure as well.
Symptoms

Patient may be asymptomatic in the early stages of cardiomyopathy. But as the condition advances, signs and symptoms usually appear, including:

Breathlessness with exertion or even at rest
Swelling of the legs, ankles and feet
Bloating of the abdomen due to fluid buildup
Cough while lying down
Fatigue
Heartbeats that feel rapid, pounding or fluttering
Chest discomfort or pressure-treated
Dizziness, lightheadedness and fainting
Signs and symptoms tend to get worse unless treated.

Complications

Cardiomyopathy can lead to other heart conditions, including:

Heart failure. Untreated, heart failure can be life-threatening.
Blood clots. Blood clots might form in your heart and may enter your bloodstream, then they can block the blood flow to other organs, including your heart and brain.
Valve problems. The heart valves might not close properly. This can lead to a backward flow of blood.
Cardiac arrest and sudden death. Cardiomyopathy can lead to abnormal heart rhythms which can result in fainting or, in some cases, sudden death.
Treatment

It can include medications, surgically implanted devices or, in severe cases, a heart transplant, depends on which type of cardiomyopathy you have and how serious it is.

Prevention

You can help reduce your chance of cardiomyopathy and other types of heart disease by living a heart-healthy lifestyle and making lifestyle choices such as:

Avoiding the use of alcohol or cocaine
Controlling high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes
Eating a healthy diet
Getting regular exercise
Getting enough sleep
Reducing your stress
So here are some of the most common types of Cardiomyopathy. These types can affect people of any age group if they lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Cardiomyopathy is a very serious condition and any person suffering from it should be diagnosed early and given medical treatment as soon as possible.

Lung diseases are some of the most common diseases suffered by human beings throughout the world. Smoking and infections are responsible for most lung diseases. The lungs perform one of the most important functions of the body. It is also one of the most active organs in the human body and hence lung problems can arise due to problems in any other part of the body. Some of the most common and infectious lung diseases are discussed below-

1. Asthma
Asthma is a common long-term disease which is characterized by reversible airflow obstruction and bronchospasm. The symptoms of asthma include coughing, shortness of breath and tightness of chest. These symptoms may occur frequently during a day and depending on the person, it may become worse during the night or during a certain exercise.

2. Pneumonia
Pneumonia is another common lung problem which is suffered due to inflammation in the microscopic air sacs in the lungs known as alveoli. Symptoms of pneumonia include dry cough, chest pain, breathing problem and fever. Pneumonia is caused most commonly by viruses or bacteria. It is also caused by certain medications and conditions which are popularly known as autoimmune diseases. There are a number of vaccines available to prevent certain types of pneumonia. Other methods include hand washing and refraining from smoking.

3. Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is a very infectious disease which is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, it has been known to affect other parts of the body as well. Symptoms of tuberculosis include cough containing sputum with blood, night sweats, fever and weight loss. Air is an active medium for spreading tuberculosis. This happens when people who already have tuberculosis sneeze, cough or speak. Infection occurs more in those who have HIV/AIDS or those who smoke. Prevention of tuberculosis includes staying away and keeping those who are at high risk, early detection and treatment and vaccination.

4. Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which affects the lungs. It affects the lining of the lungs and chest wall. Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, swollen abdomen, cough, chest pain, weight loss and general lethargy. Mesothelioma is caused mainly due to exposure to asbestos. Those people who mine asbestos, produce products from asbestos, work with asbestos products are at high risk. Mesothelioma also results from genetical problems and due to infection caused by the simian virus 40.

5. Pulmonary Embolism
This is a disease caused due to blockage of an artery in the lungs by a substance which has traveled from another part of the body by the bloodstream. Symptoms of this disease include chest pain, breath shortness and coughing up of blood. There may also be signs of blood clot in the legs.