Do you have elderly people at home suffering from mild heart-related issues? If so, then this blog is for you. Over the years, heart problems have increased by leaps and bounds. Now, people suffer from cardiac arrests even at a very young age. One of the potential causes of this increase in heart issues is the kind of lifestyle you lead. Due to your busy and hectic schedule, you barely pay attention to your health. As a result, you suffer from heart issues at a young age.
Many of you get confused between a heart block and other heart issues. To help you in this regard, we have come up with this blog. In this blog, we will discuss heart blockage. Many times, it happens that people barely understand the actual cause of death and put it under the category of cardiac arrest. A lot of science is involved in a heart block. If you have to treat a heart block, you have to understand the mechanism that goes behind it.
Since many of you do not have a detailed idea about heart block, we have come up with this blog. In this blog, we will share with you the details of a heart block, its types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. So, without any further delay, let us get into the details of the blog.
What is a heart block?
A heart block occurs when there is a disturbance in the electrical signals of your heart. These electrical signals control the working mechanism of your heart. How your heart will function entirely depends on how these electrical signals flow from the upper chambers of the heart. Next, these electrical signals come down to the lower chambers and figure the ventricles of the heart to let blood out of it and pass into the lungs and the remaining part of the body.
The moment there is an unsettlement in the electrical activities of the heart, especially the ones caused between the ventricles and the atria, it results in a heart blockage. Due to a heart block, you can have heart injury or a heart attack and similar other issues. No treatment is required if your heart block is a minor one. But in case of a severe heart block, the cardiologist refers to using a pacemaker to restore the proper electrical functioning of the heart.
Types of heart block
You can classify a heart block in terms of its degree and intensity. The classification of a heart block is majorly dependent on the severity of the electrical blockage. The various types of heart blocks are:
1. First degree
The first degree of a heart block can be characterized by slow movement of the electrical signals from the upper chambers of the heart to the lower chambers. You will commonly find this in people about the age of 60.
2. Second degree
The second degree of heart block has two types – Type 1 and type 2. Compared to type 2, type 1 is a less severe form of heart block where the electrical activity is slow and your heart skip. In type 2, several electrical signals do not reach the heart ventricles. As a result, you experience an abnormality in your heartbeat.
3. Third degree
The third degree of heart block is the ultimatum where the electrical signals from the atria of your heart never reach the ventricles due to a complete blockage. Due to this, you experience a more irregular and slower heartbeat. It becomes challenging for the heart to pump adequate blood and circulated throughout the human body.
Causes of a heart block
Generally, a heart block occurs when trauma affects the electrical signals of your heart. The older you get, the more the risk of a heart block. Some of the other risk factors and causes of a heart blockage include the following:
- Heart attack
- High potassium levels
- Heart structure problems
- Heart valve disease
- Cardiac tumors
- Acute rheumatic fever
- Hyperthyroidism
- Lymphoma
- Lyme disease
Sometimes some medications can also lead to a heart block. Some of the drugs that you need to be careful about include beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, digoxin, and fingolimod. Similarly, you can also have a heart block due to a congenital condition like Sjogren’s syndrome. Whatever the cause of heart blockage be, make sure to consult with the London cardiovascular clinic.
Symptoms of a heart block
The symptoms of heart block depend and vary on the type of blockage you have. In case of a first-degree heart blockage, you will not experience any symptoms apart from an abnormal heart rhythm detected with the help of an electrocardiogram.
For a second-degree heart blockage, the possible symptoms could be chest pain nausea heart palpitations rapid or shallow breathing. Usually, the symptoms of a third-degree heart blockage are more severe and include chest painting extremely slow pulse, and dizziness.
Diagnosis and treatment of a heart block
To diagnose a heart block, the first step is to reach out to a cardiologist and allow him to undergo a physical examination of your heart. You should also share with him your medical history and the kind of medications and supplements you are taking at present. Sometimes, the cardiologist can ask you to undergo an ECG to figure out your heart rhythm, strength, and rate.
If you are suffering from a first-degree heart block, know that you do not need any treatment for the time being. However, make sure to undergo a routine check-up under the able guidance of a cardiologist. In case of a second and third-degree heart block, the cardiologist suggests putting on a pacemaker.
A pacemaker is an electrical device that runs on a battery to normalize the heart beating. Through the pacemaker, your heart sends electrical signals to the ventricles and restores the heartbeat. This is a long-term and effective solution to your heart blockage and can make your heart run at ease.
Conclusion
Therefore, heart block is a serious medical condition and must be treated at once. If you have a first-degree heart blockage, make sure to follow a healthy lifestyle. You can consult with the London cardiovascular clinic for proper treatment of your heart. When you detect a heart block at an early stage, you can treat it and manage it to live a good life.