Cardiomyopathy - a disease that weakens the heart muscle and increases. There are three main types of cardiomyopathy - dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive - they all affect the heart muscle.

Symptoms

In the early stages of the disease cardiomyopathy often has no symptoms. However, in the later stages usually appear the following symptoms:

• Dyspnea resulting from physical activity or even at rest;
• Swelling of the feet;
• Bloating due to accumulation of fluid;
• The unusually strong and frequent fatigue;
• Irregular heartbeat;
• Dizziness, nausea and fainting.

No matter what type of cardiomyopathy in a patient without treatment the symptoms become more pronounced. In some people, the deterioration happens very quickly, in other condition gradually compounded over time.

If you have even one of these symptoms as soon as possible pass a medical examination.

Causes

In most cases, it is not known what caused the development of cardiomyopathy. But sometimes doctors can identify a number of factors that could contribute to its development. Possible causes of cardiomyopathy are:

• Chronic hypertension Hypertension - dangerous consequences ;
• Problems with the heart valve;
• Damage to heart tissue as a result of suffering a heart attack Heart disease and heart attacks: that every woman should know ;
• Chronic increase in heart rate;
• Metabolic disorders, such as thyroid dysfunction The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones   or diabetes;
• Deficiency of vitamins and minerals, e.g., thiamine (vitamin B1), selenium, calcium and magnesium;
• Pregnancy;
• Excessive alcohol consumption over many years;
• The use of cocaine or antidepressants, such as tricyclic antidepressants;
• The use of certain chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer Cancer Treatment - difficult, but necessary ;
• Some viral infections that can damage the heart and trigger cardiomyopathy become;
• The deposition of iron in the heart muscle (hemochromatosis).

Types and causes kardioimiopatii

• Dilated cardiomyopathy

This is the most common type of cardiomyopathy. This violation of the fundamental pumping chamber of the heart - the left ventricle - is expanding its function deteriorates, and it can no longer pump blood efficiently enough. Although the disease can occur in people of all ages, it is most susceptible to middle-aged men. It is believed that the development of dilated cardiomyopathy can affect heredity.

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

This type of cardiomyopathy is characterized by abnormal growth or thickening of the heart muscle, in particular, the main pumping chamber. As a result of these processes, the heart muscle becomes stiffer and decreases the size of the pumping chamber, disrupting the heart's ability to deliver blood to all tissues of the body. The most severe cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy observed in patients with early signs of the disease appeared in childhood. The majority of patients have the same disorder in the family history, and it is expected that its development involve some genetic mutations.

• Restrictive cardiomyopathy

Heart in people with this disorder becomes less elastic, and therefore can not expand enough to fill with blood between heartbeats. Restrictive most common in the elderly. This is a rare type of cardiomyopathy, the cause of which often remains unknown. In some cases it is more trigger heart disease.

Complications

Cardiomyopathy can cause the following complications:

• Heart failure - a disorder in which the heart can not pump enough blood to meet all the needs of the body. If untreated, this disorder can be life-threatening.
• The formation of blood clots. In the worst case, blood clots can block blood flow to various organs, including the brain and heart. To prevent this, patients with cardiomyopathy is sometimes prescribed receiving blood thinners.
• Heart murmurs. Cause an increase in heart muscle heart murmur is not always dangerous, but when they occur require medical supervision.
• Sudden cardiac arrest. All types of cardiomyopathy can cause heart rhythm disruptions. In some cases, the heart rate becomes too fast or too slow to normal heart function was possible. In both cases there is a risk of sudden cardiac arrest and death of the patient.

  High blood pressure (hypertension) may develop over time completely asymptomatic. Being uncontrolled, hypertension complicated by the risk of serious diseases, up to heart attack and stroke Stroke - a serious brain injury . Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood the heart that pumps and the amount of resistance to movement of blood in the vessels. Thus, the greater the amount of blood the heart pumps, and the more narrowed blood vessels, the higher blood pressure.

Typically developing hypertension with aging, and, ultimately, the disease suffers almost everyone. Fortunately, identify high blood pressure is not difficult. And once it became clear that hypertension occurs, it is necessary under the guidance of a doctor to monitor the disease.

Symptoms

Most people with hypertension do not notice any signs of sickness even when blood pressure becomes dangerously high.

And although some people in the early stages of developing hypertension may complain of headaches, dizziness Dizziness - if the ground is slipping from under his feet   or unusual nosebleeds, all these symptoms are still only when blood pressure indicators go into a serious - sometimes life-threatening - stage.

When to call a doctor

As long as no symptoms of hypertension, it is likely that there is no particular need to go to the doctor with view to measure blood pressure. Usually, in such cases, pressure control is performed as part of routine examinations by a doctor.

Since the age of twenty, you should consult your doctor at least once every two years in order to measure blood pressure. The doctor, in turn, may recommend more frequent monitoring in the event that you have already observed for hypertension, or initial stage of hypertension, or other diseases contributing to the development of cardiovascular disease. Children starting from the age of three blood pressure control should be carried out as part of their annual medical examination.

If you do not see a doctor, but are worried about your blood pressure, you can free of charge to measure it at the health center or other similar institution in his home town. You can also use the devices in pharmacies you can use to measure their level of free blood pressure, but these devices often have large error and produce an inaccurate result.

Causes

There are two types of hypertension.

Primary hypertension (essential)

In 90-95% of cases of high blood pressure in adults do not have any specific reasons. This type of hypertension, called essential or primary hypertension usually develops gradually with age.

Secondary hypertension

The remaining 5-10% of the cases result from hypertension related diseases. This type of hypertension, called secondary hypertension usually comes on suddenly and causes a higher blood pressure than in primary hypertension. Secondary hypertension may result from a variety of diseases as a result of taking certain drugs:

• kidney disease
• adrenal tumors
• congenital heart disease
• medications such as birth control pills, cold remedies, diuretics, painkillers available in the free market and to prescribe
• illicit drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines

Risk factors

High blood pressure has a number of risk factors. Some of them can not be controlled. Among them:

• Age. The risk of hypertension increases with age. Starting from the middle age, hypertension develops mainly in men. In women, the development of hypertension was observed after menopause.
• Race. Hypertension, often developing at an early age is more prevalent among Africans than among Europeans.
• Heredity. Families hypertension can carry hereditary.

Other risk factors for hypertension can be controlled:

• Being overweight or obese. The more you weigh, the more blood is necessary to supply oxygen and nutrients to body tissues. As soon as the volume of blood circulating in the blood vessels increases, and also increases the pressure on the vessel walls.
• Low physical activity. People leading a sedentary lifestyle increases the heart rate. The higher your heart rate, the more work is done on each heart contraction and the greater blood pressure on the arteries.
• Tobacco smoking. Not only direct tobacco smoking abruptly increases the amount of blood pressure, but also the chemical components contained in tobacco smoke can disturb the permeability of blood vessels. They contribute to the narrowing of the arteries, which in turn, increases blood pressure.
• The use of large amounts of salt (sodium). Excess sodium in the diet contributes to the accumulation of body fluids, resulting in increased blood pressure.
• Lack of potassium. Potassium normalizes the balance of sodium in the cells of your body. With a lack of potassium begins accumulation of sodium in the blood.
• Lack of vitamin D. Similarly, it is not clear, does vitamin D deficiency to increased blood pressure. Researchers believe that vitamin D has an impact on the production of the enzyme by the kidneys, which in turn acts on arterial blood pressure. However, many studies are needed to establish the role of vitamin D in the effect on blood pressure.
• Alcohol abuse. Over time, the spirits undermine the heart. The use of more than two or three shots at a time may cause a jump in blood pressure resulting from generation of hormones in the body, contributing to increase the blood flow and heart rate.
• Stressful situations. Strong stressful situations can lead to a brief, but significant, increase in blood pressure. If you try to relax by eating, smoking or drinking alcohol, it will only exacerbate the problems with blood pressure.
• Chronic diseases. Associated chronic diseases can also increase the risk of hypertension. These include: increased blood cholesterol levels, diabetes, kidney disease and apnea Stop breathing (apnea) during sleep - upper airway obstruction   in a dream Dreams: how to understand our dreams   (snores).
• Also, in some cases, can lead to hypertension pregnancy.

Despite the fact that hypertension mostly prevalent among adults, children, it can also take place. Some children hypertension may be due to kidney or heart. But mostly among children, hypertension is the result of a defective lifestyle - this unhealthy diet, and lack of mobility.