Heart Disease

Overview   
Symptoms   
Treatment   
Products   
Resources

Heart disease affects millions of Americans. Almost 500,000 die every year from heart attacks that are the result of coronary heart disease, which is the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States.

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Coronary heart disease – and ultimately heart attacks – occurs when the coronary arteries become narrow and block the heart’s blood supply. The part of the heart that does not receive oxygen begins to die, and some of the heart muscle may be permanently damaged. A heart attack results when the blood supply is completely cut off. Immediate medical attention within the first hour saves lives and limits heart damage. But many heart disease patients can prevent heart attacks by simply monitoring the risk factors in their daily lives that contribute to their chronic heart conditions.

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Blood Pressure

The heart pumps blood from the lungs into the heart and then back out through the rest of the body. Oxygen is taken by the blood from the lungs to supply the muscles and tissues throughout the body. Blood pressure results from the force exerted by the blood as it is pushed through the body’s arteries against their resistance to this flow.

Blood pressure is measured by two numbers, the first number being the systolic and the second number the diastolic. The systolic blood pressure measures the maximum pressure in your arteries when the heart beats. The diastolic blood pressure measures the minimum pressure when the heart is relaxed in-between beats.

High blood pressure or hypertension – is one of the major causes of heart disease and stroke. Unfortunately, high blood pressure does not necessarily have any visible symptoms and is usually detected when a doctor or healthcare professional measures a person’s blood pressure. However, some people may experience headaches, dizziness, irregular or rapid heartbeat, nosebleeds, fatigue or blurred vision. Also, there are several factors that do increase a person’s chance of having high blood pressure. These factors include age, genetics (a family’s history of heart disease), smoking, weight and alcohol.

Heart Risk Factors

Risk factors are the conditions or behaviors that increase a person’s chance of developing heart disease. Some of these factors are controllable while others are uncontrollable. The controllable factors include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, weight, physical inactivity, diabetes and stress. The uncontrollable factors include a person’s sex, genes and age.

Coronary arteries become blocked when their inside walls thicken. Cholesterol and fat both contribute to this clogging of the arteries. Then high blood pressure and smoking double the chances of this occurring. Physical inactivity and obesity often cause high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which in turn increase the chances of developing heart disease. Diabetes causes high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity, and greatly increases a person’s risk of heart failure. Therefore people who are at risk need good eating habits, regular exercise, diabetes management and no smoking to control their possibility of developing heart disease.

Congestive Heart Failure

Almost 10 percent of our aging population suffers from congestive heart failure, with 400,000 new patients diagnosed every year. Heart failure is usually a long-term condition as the heart loses its ability to pump enough blood through the body. As the heart pumps less efficiently, it becomes enlarged, overworked from contracting more frequently and the heart muscles thicken and stiffen in their effort to pump more blood out after contracting. Sometimes a person’s heart does not fill properly with blood when it is relaxing (diastolic). Fluid builds up around their heart and often in their legs and feet. Other people have problems when their heart is too weak to push blood out into circulation (systolic). Blood backs up into the heart and causes fluid to leak into the lungs.

There are numerous symptoms of heart failure. Shortness of breath is caused by fluid retention in the lungs. Fatigue results as the heart’s pumping capacity decreases and muscles receive less oxygen. Fluid also accumulates in the lower extremities and causes swelling in the legs, ankles and feet. A constant cough or wheezing can also occur.

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmia occurs when the heart beats irregularly, skips a beat or changes its regular speed in beating. This condition results from heart disease, stress, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and medications. As people age, they are more likely to experience arrhythmias. The symptoms include a fluttering sensation in the chest, chest pains and dizziness. Uncontrolled arrhythmia can further increase a person’s risk of heart failure.

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Heart Disease Related Products

Heart Attack

Homecare Bedroom set-ups provide all of the products available that help to improve their daily quality of life. These include:

• Hospital Beds in semi-electric or full electric versions allow the patient to separately raise or lower the head and feet and are often outfitted with bedrails to prevent accidental falls.
• Bed Accessories include egg crate mattresses, low air loss and gel mattresses to help prevent and reduce bedsores for patients who spend a great amount of time in their beds.
• Over-Bed Tables are similar to those used in the hospital for eating and reading in bed. They are available in flat or tilting models which aid in reading.
• Bedside Commodes are stand-alone toilet seats with a removable pail for people who are unable to walk to the bathroom. They can also be easily converted to a raised toilet seat to be used directly over the toilet.
• Patient Lifts and Slings assist in transferring patients from their beds to a wheelchair, bedside commode or bedside chairs. They are available in manual and fully electric models and accommodate all weight capacities.
• Trapeze Bars hang over a patient’s bed and assist them in lifting themselves to a sitting position or to change positions in bed.
• Lift Chairs come in numerous styles, fabric grades and colors and assist patients with difficulty getting up from a chair but activating an electric chair that causes the chair to raise the patient to a standing position. All lift chairs also partially or fully recline with an elevated leg rest.
• Safety Polls and Rails offer stability when rising or sitting as well as from accidental falls in the bed or bathroom.

Congestive Heart Failure

• Oxygen benefits respiratory patients with severe lung impairment. This therapy relieves low blood oxygen levels (hypoxia) and improves mental functioning. Oxygen can be supplied as:
  • Liquid Oxygen
  • Gas Cylinders
  • Portable Oxygen Systems
• Concentrators take room air and remove most of the other gases present to supply the respiratory patient with 90 to 95 percent pure oxygen. The concentrators can be set to deliver a specific oxygen flow ranging from 1 to 6 LPM (liters per minute).
• Ventilators maintain normal respiratory functions for patients who are unable to continue breathing on their own.

All Heart Diseases

Mobility products help the patient with ambulation and/or mobility either within or outside of the home. These include:

• Canes are used by people who are independent enough to use a one-handed walking aid. They have fairly good balance and just need the added stability and support that a cane provides. Canes are used in the hand that is on the opposite side of the body that is weaker or injured.  They are available in numerous sizes, handles and styles. Aside from the traditional “umbrella” handle, ergonomic and orthopedic grip handles are now available. Wood canes are sized by cutting with a saw. Aluminum canes are adjusted by using a spring button.
• Quad Canes have a base with four points of contact on the floor to provide extra stability and support for people when walking. They are available with a small or large base and their size is selected according to the amount of support needed by the person.
• Forearm Crutches are used by people who have long-term or permanent mobility problems. The cuffs on the top of the crutches wrap around the forearms while the orthopedic handles are gripped below. The height is adjustable at the base with a spring button, and they are available in adult and child sizes.
• Walkers help people remain mobile by providing stability and support while walking. They transfer most of the weight and work from the user’s legs and feet to their arms and hands. Walkers are available in rigid and folding models, plus a variety of accessories are available such as wheels, baskets, pouches, backpacks, glide brakes, seats, trays and glass holders.
• Rollators are walkers with wheels and brakes to eliminate having to lift the walker to walk. They feature small or large wheels for indoor and outdoor use, respectively. Brakes offer extra security when going down inclines. The walkers fold for transport and many have seats so users can sit and rest when they get tired.
• Manual Wheelchairs are no longer “one size fits all” and are available in a variety of styles and sizes. The standard basic wheelchair folds easily for transport, has locking wheels, detachable foot rests that swing-away for transferring, footplates, elevating leg rests and arm rests that are either permanent full length or removable desk length. Optional features include reclining backs, adjustable seat length, hemi or low seat frames, articulating footrests, solid tires and anti-tipping devices.
• Transport or Companion Wheelchairs are popular with caregivers because they have four small wheels for convenience when transporting the chair in a car or other form of transportation. They are available in very lightweight models and are designed to be pushed by the caregiver.
• Lightweight Wheelchairs are also popular with end-users as they weigh so much less than standard chairs and are easier to self-propel. They are preferred for outdoor usage and wheelchair sports.
• Power Wheelchairs are motorized wheelchairs that are controlled by either a joy stick or a puff mechanism. These are primarily used by quadriplegics or people with medical conditions who are extremely weak and cannot push themselves in a manual wheelchair.
• Scooters or Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMV’s) provide motorized transportation for individuals who either need or prefer power mobility. Scooters can be used indoors and outdoors and are available in both front-wheel and rear-wheel drive models. They also come in lightweight models that break down into smaller parts for easier transport.

Aids for Daily Living (ADL’s) help patients remain independent by facilitating their daily tasks in eating, dressing, bathing and toileting. These include:

• Reachers, Dressing Aids, Velcro Buttons, and Zipper Pullers
• Door Openers, Lamp Switches and Key Turners
• Pill Dispensers, Pill Cutters and Crushers, and Eye Droppers
• Long Handled Combs, Brushes and Bathing Tools
• Silverware, Plates, and Kitchen Aids to help open jar, containers and boxes.

Bath Safety Products help to maintain stability and compensate for loss of strength when toileting and bathing. These include:

• Bedpans and Urinals are available for patients who are unable to get up from bed to use a bedside commode or the bathroom.
• Elevated Toilet Seats enable patients who have difficultly in standing to remain independent in the bathroom.
• Bedside Commodes are stand-alone toilet seats with a removable pail for people who are unable to walk to the bathroom. They can also be easily converted to a raised toilet seat to be used directly over the toilet.
• Bath Chairs, Transfer Benches and Handheld Showers make getting into and out of the bathtub easier, safer and more convenient.
• Grab Bars provide stability when standing after sitting on the toilet or when entering and exiting the bath or shower.
• Personal Care items includes sitz baths, lubricant jelly and gloves.
• Accessories include washcloths, shampoo sets, air fresheners, powders and ointments.

Nutritionals are liquid supplements that help people maintain their necessary daily intake of nutrients when they are unable to eat regular foods. Products are available that are especially formulated for weigh gain, diabetics, children, cancer, stroke patients (thickened beverages) and for wound care. Other products help add calories, fiber, and protein to the diet.

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Heart Disease Resources

American Heart Association (AHA)
800 634-1242
www.americanheart.org

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
301 435-0535
www.nhlbi.nih.gov


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