Index
- The different cardiovascular emergencies
- The main causes of cardiovascular diseases
- The ICU to care for patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases
- Dietary measures for the prevention of cardiovascular disease
The different cardiovascular emergencies
Heart disease is still a major threat to patients. Most often, they occur in an emergency situation and require rapid intervention. Treatment is specific. The earlier it is started, the greater the chances of recovery and the fewer after-effects. Chest pain is often a sign of the disease and should not be neglected. The first reaction would be to call the ambulance by dialling 15. Cardiovascular pathologies are always harmful because they are incurable. For this reason, cardiovascular emergencies should never be neglected.
The most common emergency situations in cardiovascular pathologies Cardiovascular pathologies of any kind always constitute cardiovascular emergencies when they occur. Being informed about these diseases will help us to better understand them. Below are some heart pathologies, however, the list is not exhaustive.
- Cardio circulatory collapse or ACR : It consists of the unexpected and sudden stoppage of the circulation of respiration and blood in an individual. The patient is unconscious, falls and stops Ventricular fibrillation is the cause of this disease. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation must then be performed. Cardiac massage may be sufficient, but sometimes a defibrillator is needed. The aim is to stop this heart rhythm disorder and to restart the heart.
- Chest pain : Chest pain manifests itself as a feeling of weight or tightness. It can also be a specific point of pain. Sometimes the sensation is mild and only refers to a small discomfort. These pains may be due to a myocardial infarction, with sudden and intense In the case of angina pectoris, the pain is located behind the sternum when the sufferer makes an effort. These are signs of vascular emergencies.
- Une dyspnée : It is a sensation of respiratory discomfort. It can be acute or chronic. It may relate to a panic attack, acute heart failure, pulmonary embolism or hyperventilation.
- Lipothymias and syncopations: Lipothymia is a more moderate syncope.It is defined by, among other things, respiratory oppression, dizziness, extreme fatigue or visual Syncope consists of a loss of consciousness which may be complete or brief with a progressive or sudden fall.
The main causes of cardiovascular diseases
There are many risk factors favouring cardiovascular emergencies. They are mainly due to bad habits and a poor lifestyle. The identification of these factors is always worrying and they are related to lifestyle. The main factors are :
- Absence or lack of physical activity
- Tobacco
- Excess alcohol
- An unbalanced diet
- Family history
- Stress
- A sedentary lifestyle
- The menopause
Other so-called intermediary factors can intervene, taking into account working and living conditions and access to care:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Obesity
- Overweight
Acting on these different factors helps to avoid cardiovascular emergencies.
The ICU to care for patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases
The ICU or Cardiology Intensive Care Unit is a structure that takes care of cardiovascular emergencies.
Severe and acute pathologies are treated here, namely :
- Pulmonary embolisms
- Heart rhythm disorders
- Myocardial infarction
- Cardiac and cardio-respiratory insufficiency
- The state of cardiogenic shock
The ICUs operate 24 hours a day. They have a multidisciplinary team, including a specialist cardiologist available at any time of the day. The nursing staff who work there have received training in intensive care, among other things. The NICUs are equipped with an interventional cardiology room, a cardiac stimulation unit and a technical platform. The latter allows the various non-invasive explorations that are essential for a thorough examination to be carried out, including
- A trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE)
- Trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE)
- A stress ultrasound
- A vascular ultrasound
- Rhythmic Holter ultrasound
- A test of effort
Invasive explorations must be carried out in a specific room. These include the placement of implantable Holter or Reveal and electro-physiological exploration, cardiovascular emergencies.
Dietary measures for the prevention of cardiovascular disease
As part of the prevention of cardiovascular disease, patients are advised to take care of their diet. Thus, are bad for health :
- Pastries, industrial biscuits
- Very fatty red meats
- Frying that is too greasy
- Soft drinks
- Dairy products with a high fat content
- Alcoholic drinks
- Salt
- Cold meats
- Ice cream
These are heart-damaging foods that should be avoided or even banned for the sake of heart health. The Mediterranean diet remains the most effective way to prevent heart disease and avoid cardiovascular emergencies.
