The connection between obesity and cardiovascular disease

According to a heart specialist, obese people have excess weight that puts a strain on their heart and blood vessels, increasing their risk of developing various conditions.

Obesity also causes high blood pressure, which contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease. Excess weight puts pressure on the arteries. This, in turn, leads to high blood pressure, which can damage the arteries and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

This condition increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, another significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In type 2 diabetes, the body becomes less efficient at using insulin, which can lead to high blood sugar levels. These further cause damage to the blood vessels and put you at risk of developing heart conditions, says a doctor from the best heart clinic.

In addition to high blood pressure and diabetes, obesity can also lead to high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a type of fat that is found in the blood and can build up in the arteries, leading to blockages that can cause heart attacks and strokes. Obesity can cause the body to produce more cholesterol and reduce the body’s ability to remove it, increasing the risk of heart disease.

As per a top cardiologist, it also causes sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing is interrupted during sleep. Sleep apnea can also cause the body to produce stress hormones, which can damage the arteries and increase the risk of heart disease.

Finally, obesity can also cause inflammation in the body, which can damage the arteries and leads to heart disease. Inflammation is the body’s response to injury or infection and can cause the arteries to become narrower, making it difficult for blood to flow.

Obesity is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It can increase the risk of developing conditions like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and inflammation. Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management, and adequate sleep can help reduce the risk of developing these conditions and improve overall cardiovascular health.

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Types of Echocardiogram

Below, a heart specialist in Newtown describes the different types of echocardiograms.

1. Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE): It is one of the most common procedures of echocardiogram and is performed by placing a transducer on the chest. The sound waves are transmitted through the chest wall, and the resulting images are displayed on a monitor. TTE is a painless procedure that takes around 30-45 minutes to complete.

2. Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE): This type of echocardiogram is performed by inserting a flexible tube with a transducer into the esophagus. This allows for a closer look at the heart’s structures and is particularly useful in diagnosing heart valve disorders and blood clots. TEE is performed under sedation and takes around 30-45 minutes to complete.

3. Stress Echocardiogram: This type of echocardiogram is performed while the patient is exercising. If the patient is unable to exercise, they are given medication that makes their heart beat faster, similar to when they exercise. As per the doctors of the best heart clinic in Newtown, it allows for a closer examination of the heart’s function under stress. The procedure can take up to an hour to complete.

4. Fetal Echocardiogram: This type of echocardiogram is performed on a developing fetus to detect any heart abnormalities. This procedure is performed by placing a transducer on the mother’s abdomen, and the images are displayed on a monitor. Fetal echocardiograms are typically performed during the second trimester and take around 30-45 minutes to complete.

Procedures of Echocardiogram

The top cardiologist in Newtown lists the different procedures of echocardiogram.

1. 2D Echocardiogram: This procedure captures two-dimensional images of the heart’s structures and functions. The images are displayed on a monitor, and the sonographer can examine the heart’s size, shape, and movement.

2. Doppler Echocardiogram: This procedure uses the Doppler effect to measure the speed and direction of blood flow through the heart’s chambers and valves. This allows the sonographer to detect any abnormalities in blood flow, such as blockages or leaks.

3. 3D Echocardiogram: This procedure captures three-dimensional images of the heart’s structures and function. This allows for a more detailed examination of the heart’s structures, particularly in complex cases.

Echocardiogram is an essential diagnostic tool in the management of various heart conditions. In case you have any concerns about your heart health, consult a cardiologist in Newtown, who may recommend an echocardiogram to help diagnose or monitor your condition.

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Why is a Color Doppler test done?

According to a cardiologist in Newtown, a Color Doppler test can diagnose heart diseases and conditions that decrease or block the flow of blood in the heart. This test is done for the following reasons.

1. To examine your heart function
2. To check for blockages in your blood flow
3. To monitor the flow of blood after surgery
4. To determine the narrowing of blood vessels
5. To inspect the blood flow of a pregnant woman and her foetus
6. To check for damage in the blood vessel and problems in the heart’s internal structure

When do you need a Color Doppler test?

A heart specialist in Newtown advises you to have a Color Doppler test if you-

1. Experience symptoms of reduced blood flow or heart diseases
2. Have injury in your blood vessels
3. Have an issue with the blood flow of your unborn baby
4. Need check-up for a blood flow disorder

What is the procedure for a Color Doppler Test?

During the Color Doppler Test, the technician will apply a gel on the area that is to be tested. A handheld device known as the transducer will be moved over that area. It will send sound waves to the body during the process. These waves will get recorded and converted into graphs and images with different colours on the monitor. Once the images get captured, the test will be done. This procedure usually lasts for thirty to sixty minutes.

Results of a Color Doppler Test

According to the doctors from the best heart clinic in Newtown, the results of a Color Doppler Test can give the following results.

1. Abnormal flow of blood
2. Clots and blockages in the arteries of your heart
3. Narrow blood vessels
4. Aneurysm (weakened area or ballooning of an area in your artery)

Check the above factors to determine whether or not you need to have a Color Doppler test. If needed, you can also get a consultation with the top cardiologist in Newtown to get this test done under proper guidance and supervision. Moreover, from the results of a Color Doppler test, your doctor can determine a suitable treatment plan for you.

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The procedure of an electrocardiogram

An electrocardiogram is a painless procedure. The test will be done in the following steps.

• Your doctor will ask you to change your dress, and the technician will attach ten electrodes with a gel to your legs, chest, and arms. These electrodes will be attached to wires, which in turn, are attached to an EKG machine.
• You will be asked to lie down during the procedure on the table and breathe normally.
• The machine will record the electrical activity of your heart, says a cardiologist, and the results will be displayed on a graph.
• Once the test gets completed, the technician will remove the electrodes from your body. The entire procedure lasts for ten minutes.

Types of electrocardiogram

Below, a top cardiologist in Newtown discusses the different types of the electrocardiogram.

·         Holter monitor

According to the best cardiologists from the best heart clinic in Newtown, a holter monitor records the heart’s activity for twenty-four to forty-eight hours or two weeks. Keeping a diary will help you to keep track of your symptoms and enable your doctor to identify the causes behind them.

·         Event recorder

You might not always experience the symptoms of your heart disease. Hence, your doctor might suggest you keep an event recorder. It is like a holter monitor, but it records the electrical activity of your heart just when you experience your symptoms. Some event recorders get automatically activated when they detect an arrhythmia. Other event recorders might require you to push a button when you have symptoms. You can directly send the information to your cardiologist over the phone.

·         Stress test

Some symptoms of heart disease only reveal themselves while you exercise. During a stress test, you will have a continuous EKG. This test is usually done on a stationary bicycle or a treadmill.

·         Loop recorder

A loop recorder is a device that the doctor implants in your body, under the skin of the chest, through minor surgery. It functions in a way that allows for constant remote monitoring of the electrical signals of the heart. It checks for irregularities that can cause palpitations or fainting.

We have discussed the types and procedures of an electrocardiogram. You can reach out to a cardiologist to know which procedure will be the most suitable for you.

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Heart disease continues to top the chart as the most common reason for death. If you range somewhere above 60 and suffer from heart disease, the oncoming colder temperatures pose a threat. The best cardiologist in Newtown explains why colder temperatures may be bad for your heart.

Cold weather stresses your body

Our bodies make physiological adjustments in cold weather to preserve the core temperature. The changes include –

• Increase in heart rate
• Increase in blood pressure
• Contraction of blood vessels

Your body retains heat in cold temperatures by constricting the blood vessels near the surface of the skin. Because of it, blood flow gets reduced to these vessels resulting in more pressure in the rest of the system. At this time, the heart has to work harder than usual to get oxygenated blood around the body.

These changes increase the chances of blood clots forming, causing heart attacks and strokes. Other factors like hormonal variations and an increase in the number and stickiness of platelets also facilitate blood clots.

These changes can cause significant stress to the body. These changes are expected and necessary for our survival. However, if you suffer from heart disease, these changes pose a threat to your heart, says a top cardiologist in Newtown.

What should you do?

• Cut your time out in the cold – Avoid spending time out in the cold if you suffer from heart disease. If you need to step out for some reason, make sure to warm up yourself and wear warm layered clothes before going out.
• Avoid physically demanding works – Physically challenging activities like running or lifting heavy weights should be avoided.
• Avoid overheating – For someone with heart disease, overheating can make your blood vessels dilate, leading to low blood pressure. This sudden pressure drop can stimulate heart attack. If you start to sweat while out in the cold, go indoors and cool off.
• Get vaccinated – Get a flu shot, as flu can be dangerous for someone with heart disease.

When to see a doctor?

If you identify following risk factors in reference to yourself then you should be careful about your symptoms. The risk factors are

• Experience frequent chest pain
• Diabetic
• High blood pressure
• Have shortness of breath, palpitations or dizziness
• You are or were a smoker
• Have a family history of heart disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• Peripheral arterial disease

If you have any queries regarding your heart disease, consult the best heart specialist in Newtown.

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When you visit a doctor with symptoms like – chest pain, fatigue, trouble breathing or irregular heartbeats – he/she may suggest an ‘electrocardiogram’, also known as ECG or EKG. So what is it?

A Cardiologist doctor in Kolkata explains that an electrocardiogram is a simple 10-minute test that monitors, measures and produces a graphical representation of your heartbeat.  It helps your doctor determine the reason behind your symptoms and what type of treatment might be necessary.

If you are in your 50s or if you have a family history of heart disease, your doctor may also suggest an EKG to look for early signs of heart disease.

Electrocardiogram Procedure

EKG is a quick and simple test which does not demand much from the patient. Here are the steps explained by a heart specialist doctor in Kolkata –

• Upon your visit to a clinic, the first thing that you need to do is to change into a gown
• A technician may shave some areas of your chest, arms and legs
• 12 to 15 soft electrodes will then be attached to your chest, arms, and legs with a gel. Each electrode is about the size of 25 mm and is attached to the EKG machine with electrical leads (wires)
• Lie still on a table while the EKG machine records and prepares a graph representation of your heart’s electrical activity. Breath normally and do not talk during the test.
• After the procedure completes, the electrodes are removed and discarded. The entire procedure takes about 10 minutes

Types of EKG

You may experience some heart problems which is not persistent. It may come and go. Heart specialist in Kolkata says that, in these cases, you may need longer or more specialized monitoring like –

Stress Test

Some heart problems may only appear at the time of exercise. In order to simulate such a circumstance, your doctor may suggest a stress test. Stress test means an EKG while you’re exercising. This test is done while you exercise on a treadmill or stationary bicycle.

Holter Monitor

A Holter monitor records your heart’s activity over the course of 24 to 48 hours. You will need to maintain a diary of your activity to help your doctor identify the cause of your symptoms. A pocket, battery-operated monitor records data from the electrodes attached to your chest.

Event recorder

Symptoms that are occasional may require an event recorder. It records your heart’s electrical activity just when symptoms occur. There are automatic event recorders that activate when they detect symptoms. Some of them require you to push a button upon feeling the symptoms. The recorded information can then be directly sent to your doctor over a phone line.

EKG in 10 minutes

Need an EKG? Consider a visit to The Newtown Clinic. We provide you with precise results of your heart activity in 10-minutes, with dedicated technology for cardiology. Our experienced heart specialist doctors will supervise every test and monitor your health conditions. We provide the results on the same day and if necessary, can also deliver the reports to your home.

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