Introduction
The heart is a very
important organ in the human body in charge for pumping blood throughout the
circulatory system. It's situated between the lungs, slightly left of the
center of the chest. The heart is divided into four chambers: the left and
right atria and the left and right ventricles .Its main function is to pump
oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body and to receive oxygen-poor blood
from the body and pump it to the lungs for oxygenation. It beats rhythmically,
and its steady pumping action is essential for sustaining life.
However any of the following conditions also can damage or weaken the
heart and cause heart failure.
·
Coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease is the
most common cause of heart failure. The disease results from the buildup of
fatty deposits in the arteries. The deposits narrow the arteries. This reduces
blood flow and can lead to heart attack. Damage to the heart muscle from a
heart attack may mean that the heart can no longer pump as well as it should.
·
High blood pressure (B.P). Known as hypertension, this
condition forces the heart to work harder than it should to pump blood through
the body. Over time, the extra work can make the heart muscle too rigid or too
weak to properly pump blood.
·
Heart valve disease. The valves of the heart keep blood
flowing the right path. If it isn't working properly, the heart must work
harder to pump blood. It can weaken the heart over time.
·
Inflammation of the heart muscle. Myocarditis is
most commonly caused by a virus, including the COVID-19 virus, and can lead to
left-sided heart failure.
·
A heart problem that you're born with
If the heart and its chambers or valves haven't formed correctly,
the other parts of the heart have to work harder to pump blood. This may lead
to heart failure.
·
Irregular heart rhythms, called arrhythmias. Irregular heart
rhythms may cause the heart to beat too fast, creating extra work for the
heart. A slow heartbeat also may lead to heart failure. Treating an irregular
heart rhythm may reverse heart failure in some people.
· Other diseases. Some long-term diseases may contribute to chronic heart failure. Examples are diabetes, HIV infection, an overactive or underactive thyroid, or a buildup of iron or protein.
Is it easy to check that your heart weak or not
The risk of heart disease increases with age, for a number of reasons,
but you can tell how good your heart is without a test.
A study from La Coruna University Hospital found that the stair step
test is a simple way to measure heart health, and if it takes someone more than
a minute and a half to climb 60 stairs or four flights of stairs, health is not
as good and better.
The study analyzed the relationship between daily activities such as
stair climbing and a laboratory exercise test, and according to the
researchers, we discovered that this method is an easy and inexpensive way to
test heart health.
This, he said, would help doctors prioritize patients for more detailed
examinations.
The study included 165 patients with symptoms of heart disease who were
advised to undergo an exercise test to screen for arterial disease.
These symptoms included chest pain or shortness of breath during any
physical activity.
In the exercise test, the volunteers were asked to walk or run on a
treadmill and gradually increased the intensity until they were exhausted.
A scale called METS was used for exercise capacity.
After the exercise, the subjects were allowed to rest for 15 to 20
minutes and then instructed to climb 60 stairs at a brisk pace, but without
running, and their time was recorded.
Researchers analyzed the relationship between exercise and stair climbing duration and found that those who managed to climb stairs in 40 to 45 seconds had a METS score of 9.10.
Previous research reports have shown that those who achieve a METS score of 10 on an exercise test have a 10% reduction in mortality over the next 10 years.
In contrast, people who took a minute and a half or longer to climb
stairs had a METS score of less than 8, with a 30 percent higher mortality rate
over the next 10 years.
The researchers also took images of the heart during the running machine to assess the heart's function during exercise, if the heart worked normally, indicating a lower risk of heart disease. This was later compared to the stair climbing test.
