Ever wondered why you needed to share your family s health history at a doctor s clinic? Specific questions regarding health issues of your immediate family or close blood relatives give your doctor an insight into various health risks you might have now or in future. Those are medical conditions inherited by parents or grandparents through genes. Genes are passed from parents to children in DNA of eggs or sperms. Even a single mutation (fault) in gene can influence body systems and may lead to disorders. If any of the parents have a faulty gene, there are 50:50 chances of the child inheriting it.

Hereditary heart diseases are also a result of mutation in one or more genes and tend to run in families. Genes control almost all aspects of cardiovascular system including strengthening blood vessels, pumping capacity or communication of cells in the heart. A single genetic variation is enough to alter cardiovascular processes increasing the risk of developing a heart disease, attack or a stroke. Some of the most common hereditary cardiac disorders include; Arrhythmias, congenital heart diseases and cardiomyopathy. A family history of heart attack or stroke is also an established high-risk factor for the family members. High blood cholesterol, medically known as familial hypercholesterolemia also tends to run in families.

Unfortunately, many of these conditions cannot be prevented since they are acquired through genes. But there are many ways in which these could be managed before they become complicated or fatal.

Let s look at some ways by which we can deal with hereditary heart diseases and increase a patient s chances of survival:

Early Diagnosis And Treatment: When one person in the family is diagnosed with a heart disease, it is strongly advisable for other family members to go in for screening. An early diagnosis can help in better treatment and management of the disease and impacts positively on patients  life. Medical screening of siblings is highly recommended in case a person suffers a sudden cardiac death especially at a young age.

Watch out for these symptoms at a young age: Abnormal heart rhythm, asthma that does not get better with inhaler, seizures that do not improve with medication, extreme fatigue or shortness of breath are warning signals and need immediate medical attention.

Genetic Testing: Family members may opt for genetic testing to check if they carried genes of an inherited disorder.

Genetic Counselling: Genetic counselling deals with problems like anxieties and fear of attacks, confusion over disease and emotional difficulties in accepting the situation.

We may not be able to change the family history but we can surely change our environment, lifestyle and habits. Eating healthy and following an active lifestyle does help in prevention and management of such diseases.

How To Deal With Hereditary Heart Diseases?

Read to know why choosing diet drinks over regular beverages is not good for your health. The diet contains aspartame which is reportedly 200 times sweeter than table sugar. It adversely effects the brain, increases belly fat, headache, abdominal pain etc. 

Diet Drinks vs. Regular Beverages: Which is Worse For Your Health?

A heart attack does not always have obvious symptoms, such as pain in your chest, shortness of breath and cold sweats. In fact, a heart attack can actually happen without a person knowing it. This condition is known as a  silent heart attack , medically known as  silent ischemia , occurring due to the shortage of oxygen supply to the heart muscle.

The causes of a silent heart attack are similar to that of a heart attack. They include-

Obesity or excess weight

Lack of exercise

Disorders such as diabetes

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Age, usually above 65

Heart diseases

Consumption of tobacco or smoking

A silent cardiac arrest makes one more vulnerable to another heart attack that could be fatal.

Diagnosis:

The only method to diagnose if you had a silent heart attack is through imaging tests, such as echocardiogram, electrocardiogram or others. These tests can show certain changes which might be indicative of a heart attack.

An analysis of one s overall health and the symptoms can aid in deciding whether few more tests are required.

How would you prevent a silent heart attack?

Get your cholesterol and blood pressure count tested regularly.

Refrain from smoking.

Be aware of your body and call on a doctor if you feel there s anything which is bothering you.

Understanding Silent Heart Attacks

Symptoms of heart attack

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) should not be confused with stroke or heart failure. It is the condition which causes major damage to heart muscles because of sudden blockage by a blood clot. The most common symptom of heart attack happens to be chest pain. Heart failure and ventricular fibrillation are probably the most common complications in this condition. 

Clear symptoms of heart attack are:

1. Feeling vaguely ill - very vague feeling of illness is one symptom. You cannot really put your finger on what is wrong with you, but you do feel unwell.

2. Pain in left arm - pain in the arm, mainly the left arm is also one of the symptoms of an impending heart attack.

3. Sweating and heartburn - a lot of people have reported experiencing sweating, indigestion and heartburn before a heart attack. If you are sweating profusely and without any particular reasons, or having an unbearable heartburn, consult a medical specialist immediately.

4. Chest pain - feeling of fullness or tightness in the chest followed by pain is also a symptom of a heart attack. A lot of people have reported to ignore it; kindly don't.

5. Breathlessness - sudden shortness of breath and inability to do a lot of work at one point of time is not a good thing. This could be an indication of a heart attack.

6. Silent attack - the scariest of all is silent heart attack. At times, it comes with no symptoms at all. A person could be visibly physically fit, and suddenly have an attack. This usually happens with those who are suffering from diabetes mellitus.

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All You Need To Know About Heart Attack Symptoms

In this health-conscious era, more and more people want to stay fit. They constantly look for ways to maintain good health. Many have even developed a good habit of starting the day with a glass of lukewarm water as soon as they wake up in the morning. Yes, drinking water on an empty stomach offers the maximum health benefits. It not only stimulates the removal of toxins from the body but also benefits the overall digestive system. 

Although warm water isn t the most palatable, there are many reasons to start drinking it this way, either alone or with lemon. Below given are 6 reasons to start drinking lukewarm water on an empty stomach:

Digestive system: The food pipe, after having digested a variety of foods the previous day, would still be left with remnants. Starting the day with a glass of warm water acts as a good flush, which removes all these remnants. The warm or hot water also helps in removing greasiness, which is very helpful in people who eat a lot of junk food.
Helps in Weight loss: Drinking warm water on an empty stomach is perfect for those who are trying to lose weight as warm water raises body temperature and the metabolism. This, eventually, helps in burning more fat and boosting the weight loss efforts through diet and exercise changes. Ideally, you should add some drops of lemon in it. 
Strengthens Immune system: When a glass of hot water along with some lime is consumed early in the morning, it gives the required dose of vitamin C and potassium to the body, which strengthens your immunity system. Also, as the stomach is empty, the absorption is faster. 
Maintains body s pH balance: The body s pH turns alkaline as the ascorbic acid and the citric acid is easily digested and removed from the system. Drinking warm water helps in maintaining the required pH in the body.
Keeps you positive throughout the day: A nice juicy lime smells great, and this can be one of the best mood enhancers to begin your day with.
Skin and hair: For anybody with good skin, the key success factor is hydration, and a glass of warm water in the morning works like a cherry on the cake. When our body accumulates toxins, it becomes prone to illness and aging. A glass of hot water in the morning stimulates detoxification and helps in repairing skin cells and elasticity.
So, start your day with a glass of warm water and feel the difference. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Benefits of Drinking Lukewarm Water in Morning - Start Your Day With It?

The Churg-Strauss disease is a rare medical condition, which causes abnormal and painful swelling of the blood vessels thereby obstructing normal blood flow to the different body organs and tissues. The Churg-Strauss disease generally attacks the blood vessels of the intestine, nose, heart, lungs and the sinuses. In rare cases, this abnormal swelling can damage the kidney and the body joints. If not diagnosed timely, Churg-Strauss disease might lead to further complications such as heart disease, nerve damage, and kidney damage.

Causes
1. As of now, the accurate causes of the syndrome have not been detected; although doctors suspect that hereditary factors and a long-term exposure to allergens might be responsible for the syndrome.

2. Also, the syndrome can be caused as a result of side effects of prescribed medications for asthma and allergies. However, many people who have been diagnosed with allergies do not show the symptoms of Churg-Strauss syndrome.

3. The chances of suffering from this condition increase if you suffer from episodes of chronic asthma, sinusitis (inflammation of the nasal passage cavities) or any other form of allergy in the nose. This syndrome has been generally observed in people within the age group of 30-50 years.

Symptoms
The symptoms of Churg-Strauss syndrome vary among people depending on the affected organ. However, the possible symptoms of the disease are but not limited to:

1. There might be a significant pain in the joints and abdomen along with fever, asthma, sinusitis, and a loss in body weight.

2. Development of scars on the body along with the presence of blood in faecal matters coupled with a tingling sensation in the limbs along with a feeling of numbness if the syndrome happens to attack the nerves.

Treatment
Churg-Strauss disease is an incurable medical condition, but a prescribed dosage of corticosteroids or chemotherapy medications can regulate the symptoms.

All About Churg-Strauss Disease

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