Arrhythmia is a disorder which is characterized by improper and irregular heartbeats; be it too slow or too fast. This problem occurs when the electrical impulses that are used to regulate your heartbeat don t work in the correct manner. Your heart may beat irregularly, too slow or too fast.

Symptoms
Although this disorder does not yield many symptoms, a few noticeable symptoms of arrhythmia are slow heartbeat, or a racing heartbeat, chest pain, breathing difficulties and dizziness. Arrhythmia can lead to inefficient pumping by the heart, leading to bouts of fainting. A severe symptom of this disorder is ventricular fibrillation, wherein the ventricles tend to quiver instead of transporting blood. This symptom can cut off blood supply to the vital organs, which may lead to death.

Causes

Coronary artery disease: In this disease, arteries of the heart can get blocked, leading to irregular heart beat and impaired heart functioning.
A heart attack: An ongoing heart attack usually leads to irregular heartbeats.
High blood pressure: High blood pressure problems make you more vulnerable to this condition.
Impaired functioning of the thyroid glands: An overactive or underactive thyroid gland can lead to heart arrhythmia.
Excessive smoking and alcohol consumption: These habits can cause problems with the blood vessels in the body, thus increasing risks of this particular condition as well as other cardio-vascular diseases.
Stress: Too much stress can lead to high blood pressure; that is again linked to heart arrhythmia.
Treatment
Mild symptoms of arrhythmia do not require treatment. However, complications resulting from it warrant treatment. The various treatment options for this condition are:

Pacemaker: A pacemaker is a device that is used to regulate your heart rhythms. It is placed in the body by a surgical procedure and an insulated wire is put, connecting the heart to the pacemaker. In case of an irregular heartbeat, the pacemaker sends out impulses to correct the improper heartbeat.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator: This device is used to prevent a dangerous symptom of heart arrhythmia, a symptom wherein the ventricle quivers. It is similar to a pacemaker as it is also placed near the collarbone. In case it detects an abnormal rhythm, it sends out shocks to reset the heart rhythm.
Maze procedure: This is a surgical procedure wherein incisions are made on the upper heart tissue to create a scar tissue. Scar tissues act as insulators to prevent stray impulses.
Alternative therapies: Alternative procedures such as yoga and meditation can help remedy the disorder.

Is Your Heart Missing a Beat Regularly - Could it be Arrhythmia?


Foods that help High Blood Pressure

Our lifestyles are such that low and high blood pressures are common phenomena, people in their 20s and 30s are also diagnosed with unstable blood pressure. While lifestyle could be changed to a certain extent, there are adjustments which can be done to maintain good health. 
Foods that help cure high blood pressure problems are. 

1. Beans - White beans have calcium, magnesium and potassium in large quantities. These are important for someone with high blood pressure. This superfood can be included in side dishes, soups as well as entrées. Ensure that there is minimal salt added.

2. Yogurt - Fat free yogurt contains calcium in extremely high quantity along with magnesium and potassium. Making this the main-ingredient of breakfast, salad dressings, entrées and sauces is an excellent idea.

3. Fish - Tilapia fish is easily available all year-round and provides a good 8% of your daily potassium and magnesium needs.

4. Potassium And Magnesium Foods - Peaches, red bell pepper, broccoli, sweet potato and bananas contain calcium, magnesium and potassium which is needed by those suffering from high blood pressure.

5. Quinoa Seeds - The newest diet sensation food, quinoa contains 4.5% of potassium, 1.5% of calcium and 15% of magnesium from your daily need.
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 Got High Blood Pressure? Eat These 5 Foods!

The body receives its source of energy and nutrition through the blood, which is the transport medium. The blood runs through a highly complex network of blood vessels, with the aorta being the largest one. It originates in the heart, the left ventricle precisely and supplies oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. Coarctation is a condition where there is a narrowing of the aorta. The heart, therefore, has to exert extra pressure to push out blood so that blood supply to the target organs is not affected.

The exact cause of aortic coarctation is not known, though it often develops at birth and so is known as a congenital disorder. Depending on the severity of the narrowing, symptoms develop at various times in life. While some infants demonstrate symptoms, some may not show any symptoms well into adulthood. Infants with severe narrowing may manifest the below symptoms quite early in life.

Difficulty in breathing may gasp
Difficulty in feeding
Be extremely irritable
Profuse sweating
Pale skin
When these symptoms are not noticed and treated in time, the child may have heart failure or even die. If the symptoms do not manifest early in life, the infant can grow into childhood quite normally. Symptoms may then manifest which would be different, as below.

Increased blood pressure
Headaches (frequent)
Weakness in the muscles
Nosebleeds
Chest pain
Frequent fainting spells
These are generic symptoms and it is difficult to suspect coarctation of the aorta. Therefore, further imaging would be required to rule out coarctation of the aorta. There are some risk factors, most related to the heart, which puts one at increased risk of developing aortic coarctation.

Bicuspid aortic valve
Aortic valve stenosis and/or regurgitation
Mitral valve stenosis and/or regurgitation
Patent ductus arteriosus
Treatment: Diagnosis is the first step in treating coarctation of the aorta. This would include a series of imaging tests including an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, CT scan, and MRI.
Surgery is often the most definitive mode of treatment, and the approach chosen depends on the severity and stage of identification. The most common approach is to open up the narrowed portion and keep it from collapsing again, so that blood flow is restored. This is known as a balloon angioplasty and stenting. Some of the other procedures used include:

Resection with end-to-end anastomosis
Bypass graft repair
Subclavian flap aortoplasty
Patch aortoplasty
In all affected individuals, after surgery, medications are prescribed to maintain blood pressure levels, which is often increased. In addition, lifestyle changes including exercise and healthy eating habits have to be developed.

Coarctation of the Aorta - Symptoms and Treatment

Obesity is a major problem across the world. In India, fast foods and an unhealthy lifestyle have led to widespread obesity as well. While following a proper diet and leading a healthy life can help manage obesity and weight gain in most cases, severely obese people require surgeries to lose weight.

Weight loss surgery, known as bariatric surgery, aims to reduce hunger and appetite in extremely obese people. However, simply undergoing surgery does not guarantee positive results. In fact, the lifestyle changes post-surgery is the most important factor to keep the extra weight off your body.

Recovery post bariatric surgery:

If you undergo a bariatric surgery, your lifestyle changes will depend on the procedure of the surgery. For instance, in laparoscopic bariatric surgery, the recovery period is short. In this surgery, the doctor will make 5-6 very small incisions on your stomach. He will then insert a tube-like equipment with a camera in your stomach and carry out the surgery.

Since very small incisions are made instead of a large cut, you will be discharged within a week. Furthermore, you can return to your normal routine within a month.

Lifestyle changes to follow:

1. Eating healthy: Post the surgery, you will need to follow a low sugar and low-fat diet. If this is a break from your usual diet then you need to get used to this diet, since you will need to stick to it for a long time. Immediately after the surgery, you will need to stick to a liquid diet, so that your stomach can adjust to the food.

Once your stomach starts adjusting to the sudden change, consume soft proteins. You will be able to return to solid foods around six months after your surgery. In the initial six months, it is essential to avoid foods such as white bread, pasta, and potatoes. Furthermore, you need to consult your doctor before consuming certain medicines such as painkillers.

2. Exercise daily:

Exercise becomes vital in your long-term goal of losing excess weight after the surgery. Your doctor will first need to clear you to take part in light activities, which will help enhance your body s metabolism. Joining a gym is helpful in this regard   you will have access to trainers and training equipment to help you exercise correctly. However, make sure to inform your instructor of your surgery before beginning an exercise regimen.

Most people fail to understand that you do not magically lose weight after bariatric surgery. You will need to maintain a healthy lifestyle if you want to achieve an ideal body mass and stay in shape. Therefore, you need to be committed to the procedure for the rest of your life.

Lifestyle After Bariatric Surgery!

Enlarged prostate surgery is a very common type of surgery that many have to undergo nowadays. An enlarged prostate causes many health problems including urinary tract obstructions and urinary tract infections. It may also lead to the passing of blood via urine. Thus, enlarged prostate must be treated as soon as possible as neglect may lead to prostate cancer and its associated health issues. There are various types of prostate surgeries that a doctor performs on his/her patients. However, of late, radical prostatectomy is the most popular of them all.

What is Radical Prostatectomy?

This process can be handled in two ways. Firstly, the prostate can be reached through an incision in the abdomen. This would help the doctor work with precision and carefully avoid all the other nerves and muscles in the area the operation take places. The prostate is examined and any nodule or lymph formed over it is carefully removed. The advantage of this surgery is that the patient is less likely to suffer from any erectile problems post- surgery. The second option would be to make an incision between the scrotum and the anus. This process is best for those who are obese. The surgery is performed quickly and there is less loss of blood. Furthermore, the healing time is less too.

How To Recover From The Surgery?

Like most other prostate operations, even in radical prostatectomy, you would have to wear a catheter till you recover completely. For a few days post the surgery your urine would be collected through a urine bag attached to the catheter. One might feel a little sore in his/her genitals after the surgery, but that is quite normal to occur. The soreness is caused due to the surgery and the incisions made and would heal in a matter of a few days. Interestingly, since the urethra plays an important role in this surgery, the catheter has to be in place for at least two to three weeks but the patient can be discharged after a two to three night stay at the hospital. It is advised that the patient takes ample rest. But this does not mean all rest and no work. In fact, it is seen that patients can walk a little and even go back to a normal diet within a week to ten days of the operation. But regular checkups, till the urethra is healed, are compulsory.

Hence, these are some of the recovery procedures after an enlarged prostate surgery. Such surgeries are quite common and heal quickly.

What To Expect Post An Enlarged Prostate Surgery?

High blood pressure and sex

High blood pressure is a condition in which the pressure of the blood against the artery wall is high enough to cause health problems, including heart disease. No symptoms may be noticed in a person for years but the damage to the blood vessels and to your heart continues. High blood pressure can have an impact on your sex life. Although sexual activity does not lead to any possible threats to your health but high blood pressure can affect the pleasure you would have otherwise derived from sex.

In Men

High blood pressure leads to the wearing out of the lining of blood vessels and causes arteries to narrow and harden that decreases the blood flow. This results in decreased blood flow to the penis. In case of some men, this decreased blood flow makes it difficult for them to achieve and maintain an erection. This problem is called erectile dysfunction.

High blood pressure may also interfere with ejaculation and be a cause for low libido. The medications that are prescribed for treating high blood pressure may lead to this condition.

In Women

Just as in the case of men, high blood pressure results in the decreased flow of blood to the vagina in case of women. This may cause problems like low libido, vaginal dryness, or complexities in achieving orgasm. Sexual dysfunction in women results in stress, anxiety and even relationship issues.



High Blood Pressure and Sex

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