Dr APM Sohrabuzzaman
The world is shocked by Covid-19 crisis. No matter the age, whether newborn child orelderly, it is affecting everyone. Researchers are yet to find a specific vaccine for this highly contagious disease, while the death count is rising each day. The SARS-CoV-2 is more lethal for thepeople who are suffering from heart diseases asthe virus attacks the respiratory system and severely damagesthe lungs.
It leads to shortness of breath and hinders oxygen consumption. As a result,the pressure to the heart increases, and the risk of losing life exponentially rises.
Heart is like a pump that supplies oxygenated blood to the entire body through electrical impulses. Through the veins, the carbon dioxide-containing deoxygenated blood enters the heart from different corners of the body, and oxygenated blood goes to whole body through the artery. Typically, rhythmic or normal heartbeat is rarely felt. But whenever the blood circulation is interrupted,irregularity can be sensed. Irregular heartbeat or arrhythmias causes discomfort such aspalpitation, and shortness of breath.
In normal circumstances, a person’s heartbeats 60-100 times in a minute. However, two types of heartbeats can be observed in the case of arrhythmia -slower pulsethanusualis called bradycardia, anda faster heartbeat than the sinus rhythm is called tachycardia.Most of the time, these arrhythmias do not pose a threat. The only symptoms are palpitation, vertigo and chest discomfort. However, some arrhythmias can cause major disruptions in blood circulation and may lead to stroke, syncope and even death if not treated properly in time. Since the SARS-CoV-2 has a severe impact on the respiratory system, everyone needs to be aware of this during this Covid-19 pandemic.
Those who are suffering from different heart disease are advised to be
more careful in the wake of the corona pandemicas they are more prone
to getting infected with coronavirus than others. They should never avoid
their regular medication, physical activity
and most importantly should not miss their appointments with doctors
The most commonly observed arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, which is usually more common in older people. Thistype of arrhythmia usually lasts for a short period.The dangerous kind of arrhythmiais ventricular fibrillation. Due to this, the ventricles of the heart cannot be properly compressed.As a result, blood circulation from the heart to the brain is interrupted, causing unconsciousnessfollowed by death.
In the case of bradycardia, pacemakers can help the heartfrom beating too slow and prevent the symptoms and problemsthat come with it. Apacemaker consists of 2 parts –pulse generator made from metal-containing electronic circuitry and a long-lasting battery and one or two insulated wires
called leads. The pulse generator works as a microcomputer to generate and control the timing of the pacing impulses. The pacing leads carry the electrical impulses generated by the pulse generator to the heart. The mere 25gm smart device can sense the heart’s natural electrical activity and only deliver pacing impulse in case your heart slows down.
There are variants in pacemakers – single chamber, dual chamber, rate-responsive and so on. Not everyone has the same types of problems, and treatment and therapy vary accordingly. Pacemakers have made a lot of advancement today and have several features that ensure patients' safety.
Cardiovascular diseases takes the precious lives of many people every year across the world. In order to create better awareness regarding various heart diseases and how to prevent those, World Health Organization (WHO), along with the World Heart Foundation (WHF), initiated the celebration of “World Heart Day” in 1999.
The day is marked on September 29 every year. Various events including educational workshops, public talks, free health check-ups and sporting events are held
globally on this day to help support the concern.
Those who are suffering from different heart disease are advised to be more careful in the wake of the corona pandemicas they are more prone to getting infectedwith coronavirus than others.They should never avoid their regular medication, physical activity and most importantly should not miss their appointments with doctors. They should avail the available treatments and therapies to live a happy life.
Dr A P M Sohrabuzzaman is Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Labaid Cardiac Hospital .
