Cardiac Sciences

Inflammation and Its Effects on Heart Disease

admin Sep 20, 2024

Introduction

Inflammation is a normal response of your body to any injuries or invaders, like germs and bacteria. It’s typical for your body to react to injuries and pathogens. Inflammation makes you feel better and promotes healing. However, inflammation that develops in the absence of an injury or intruder can damage body parts and lead to various chronic illnesses. When your body suffers an injury or an infection, inflammation is a normal part of the healing process.

There are two main types of inflammation. The first is acute inflammation, which is a short-term inflammation, such as when you get a cut, and the skin swells up, turns red, and hurts. This type of inflammation usually goes away in a few hours. If inflammation stays for longer periods/days and becomes chronic, it leads to further tissue injury and chronic disease. This condition is called chronic inflammation. Inflammation can affect or harm any part of your body, such as the heart, kidney, spine, and lungs.

Inflammation and its effect on the heart

Inflammation is your body’s response to an illness, injury, or something that does not belong in your body. It is a normal and important healing process. However, inflammation can harm you if it occurs in healthy tissue and goes on for too long. So, how does inflammation take place?

When an invader, like a pathogen, tries to enter the body, the immune system sends out its first responders, which are cytokines (the substance that stimulates more inflammatory cells). These cells trap germs or invaders and start healing injured tissue. During this process, you may feel pain, swelling, or discolouration. These are the signs your body is healing itself.

Inflammation and heart disease

Heart or cardiac inflammation is a response of the heart towards injuries or infections. Cardiac inflammation can strike anyone at any time. Some people express symptoms, while some don’t. Individual factors and causes can also affect the degree of inflammation in different people.

Inflammatory heart diseases comprise three categories:

Endocarditis: It is an inflammatory heart disease, which is a life-threatening inflammation of the inner layer of the endocardium. It is caused by a pathogenic infection.
Myocarditis: It is an inflammatory heart disease where inflammation of the middle layer of the heart muscle (myocardium) occurs. This inflammation weakens the heart muscle, making it more difficult to pump blood. Types of myocarditis include lymphocytic myocarditis, giant cell myocarditis, fulminant myocarditis, and eosinophilic myocarditis.
Pericarditis: It is an inflammatory heart disease that affects the sac around the outer layer of the heart.

Causes, signs, and symptoms

The most common symptoms of cardiac inflammation include:

Chest pain
Fever
Shortness of breath
Pain in the belly (endocarditis)
Presence of blood in urine
Night sweats
Swelling in legs (myocarditis)
Heart palpitations
Extreme fatigue
Fast heartbeat (pericarditis)
Chest pain, which gets better when you sit up and lean forward

Causes

Infections, usually caused by viruses or bacteria
Autoimmune disease, like rheumatoid arthritis
Environmental factors
Drugs and medications

Complications of inflammation in heart disease

Heart failures
Blood clots
Abnormal heart rhythms
Fainting
Infections
Lung problems

Diagnosis

Diagnostic tests that are performed by health professionals to look for the cause and condition of the inflammation include:

Cardiac computed tomography (CT scan)
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Echocardiogram (ECG)
Cardiac MRI
Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

Cardiac inflammation treatment

Inflammation in the heart can be treated by medications that help you fight infections and keep the immune system active. These medications for cardiac inflammations might vary depending on which part of your heart is infected. Some of the medications prescribed by doctors to treat cardiac inflammations include:

Antibiotics (cefepime, vancomycin, gentamycin, rifampin)
Corticosteroids (prednisone, dexamethasone)
Antifungal drugs (flucytosine, amphotericin B, caspofungin)
Anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin, colchicine, ibuprofen)
Cardiac arrest medications (beta blockers, diuretics)
Anti-coagulant or blood thinners (apixaban, warfarin, heparin)

Preventive measures

Avoid taking recreational drugs
Prevent infections on any part of your body
Avoid drinking alcohol
Eat balanced diet
Regular and mild exercises
Consulting doctors

Conclusion

In conclusion, inflammation plays a crucial role in heart health, as chronic inflammation can severely impair cardiac function. However, through timely caution, one can prevent inflammation.

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