Aarogyam

You feel your heart begin to beat wildly in your chest as you break into a cold sweat and have trouble catching your breath; is this a heart attack or panic attack? Your first thought is that it's a heart attack since you have an impending feeling of doom which you may even have felt before your attack began. This makes your heart beat even faster and you become so overwhelmed that the feeling gets even worse until you begin to feel light-headed or maybe even pass out. This is a panic attack.

When you suffer from anxiety, the slightest thing can trigger a panic attack and some can be so intense that you can't imagine it being anything other than looming death. It's very common for those having an anxiety attack to mistake it for a heart attack and this fear is enough to just take over and really wreak havoc on your heart rate, but no matter how fast your heart beats or how panicked you feel; you are not having a heart attack and this episode will not kill you.

One thing that will prove helpful in dealing with this is learning the differences between the two:

Signs of a Heart Attack:

1. Pressure in the Chest (described as feeling like there is an elephant sitting on your chest).

2. Chest pain - note that this is not always present.

3. Sweating.

4. Shortness of breath.

5. Pain in the right arm.

6. Pain in the back or shoulder blades for women.

7. Nausea or vomiting.

Panic attack symptoms include:

1. Increased heart rate.

2. Sharp or stabbing chest pain that lasts only 5 to 10 seconds.

3. Pain that is localized to one small area.

4. Pain that usually occurs at rest.

5. Pain that accompanies anxiety.

6. Pain that is relieved or worsened when you change positions.

7. Pain that can be reproduced or worsened by pressing over the area of pain.

The bottom line: Be vigilant and get checked out promptly.

Abnormal uterine bleeding, also known as AUB, is one of the most common causes requiring gynecologic evaluation. Hysteroscopy is a procedure wherein a thin camera called hysteroscope is introduced into the uterus via the vagina and this light helps in a thorough examination of the uterus. In cases where there are cysts or fibroids or even cancerous growths, this is used to get more details on the lesions. However, hysteroscopy also has a therapeutic use in that it is used to treat conditions like abnormal uterine bleeding. Read on to know more about AUB and how hysteroscopy helps in treatment. 

Causes of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: Vaginal bleeding that occurs more often than 21 days and farther apart than 35 days is known as abnormal uterine bleeding. The bleeding is also abnormal if it lasts longer than 7 days and more than 80 mL of blood is lost during each cycle. 

Some causes include: 

1. Hormonal imbalance 
2. Cancer 
3. Uterine polyps 
4. Uterine fibroids 
5. Cervical infections 

Diagnosis/Treatment: 

When a woman has abnormal bleeding, further diagnosis is required to confirm the exact cause of the bleeding. This is where the hysteroscopy comes into the picture. Hysteroscopy, literally translates to viewing the uterus from inside directly through a camera. 

How it is done: 

Hysteroscopy is done as an outpatient procedure and normally takes about 3 to 4 hours. General or spinal anesthesia may be used depending on complexity and overall patient health. The uterus is filled with a fluid like saline or glycerin and a thin lighted instrument called the hysteroscope is inserted through the vagina, up the cervix, and into the uterus. This tube is flexible and so can be moved across the uterus to identify any areas of abnormality. It also has a camera and so can be used to take pictures of suspicious areas. 

Causes for infertility may also be detected using hysteroscopy. Small knives can also be used to remove the lesion like fibroid or polyp. These are often the cause of abnormal bleeding. Samples can also be taken for biopsy to confirm if any cancerous growth is detected.

Hysteroscopy is a safe and effective way to examine the cervical canal and uterine cavity. It is better to accompany D&C with hysteroscopy instead of going for blind dilatation and curettage, especially in women who are peri or premenopausal. Hysteroscopy is a safe procedure if done by a doctor, specialised in gynecological endoscopy and helps in both diagnosis and treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding.

Blood pressure is the thrust exerted by the blood against the artery walls or blood vessels. A certain count of blood pressure is necessary for blood circulation, but anything excessive may prove to be trouble. A reading above the count considered normal; 140/90 (mmHg) may induce symptoms, such as short breath, severe headaches, nosebleeds and anxiety.

Any sort of hypertension during pregnancy can take a toll on the baby.

1. Preeclampsia is a condition wherein, the blood pressure peeks high after 20 weeks of conception accompanied by traces of protein in urine and functional disorders in a few organs.

2. Hypertension might often result in the delivery of an underdeveloped (abnormally small size) baby.

3. High blood pressure might also give rise to a complication wherein, one might have to go for Caesarian section rather than a normal vaginal delivery.

4. The placenta detaches itself from the uterine wall much prior to the delivery.

5. Preeclampsia escalates one’s risks of suffering from heart disorders or other cardiovascular diseases.

6. It restricts the blood flow to the placenta (an organ nourishing the baby), thus cutting off adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus.

Signs and symptoms:

1. Excessive protein content in urine

2. Impaired liver functioning

3. Low urine levels

4. Nausea or vomiting

5. Intense pain and tenderness in the upper abdomen

6. Problems in eyesight such as double vision or temporary loss of vision, light sensitivity and blurriness.

7. Abnormal swelling

8. Persistent and a severe headache

Treatment:

Medications do meddle with pregnancy. However, certain medications are considered safe to be used for keeping blood pressure levels under control. These include Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs) and Renin Inhibitors. However, do consult a doctor to get your dosage administered accurately. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!