What is holiday heart syndrome?

Holiday heart syndrome is a term coined by a cardiologist, Philip Ettinger, M.D. to describe a cardiac condition associated mainly with excessive alcohol consumption coupled with overeating and possibly a lack of sleep. Despite the term, it does not not only occur on holidays although it is more common during the festive season, mainly Christmas and New Year’s. It is typically during these holidays that alcohol consumption increases excessively and often for prolonged periods as people indulge on consecutive days.

In holiday heart syndrome, there is dysfunction of the conduction system of the heart and irregular heart beat due to alcohol consumption in a person who does not have any history of heart disease. It is an acute condition that usually resolves spontaneously with abstaining from alcohol. However, most patients who develop holiday heart syndrome tend to have a history of heavy alcohol consumption on a regular basis. This does not mean that holiday heart syndrome cannot occur in people who usually consume alcohol in moderation but is less likely to be seen in these individuals.

continue reading Holiday Heart Syndrome (Arrhythmias with Alcohol Binge Drinking)

Definition

Superior vena cava syndrome is a condition where blood flow through one of the major veins to the right side of the heart is blocked. This vein is known as the superior vena cava (SVC). It carries low oxygen blood from the upper part of the body to the right atrium of the heart. The other major vein is the inferior vena cava (IVC) that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower part of the body. There are several reasons why the superior vena cava may become obstructed, either partially or completely. The blockage may arise within the vein itself or external compression on the vein can also cause a blockage. If not treated immediately, superior vena cava syndrome can be lead to serious complications such a cerebral edema (brain swelling). Therefore SVC syndrome is considered to be a medical emergency.

continue reading Superior Vena Cava Syndrome (SVC Blockage)

Myocardial Ischemia Definition

Myocardial ischemia is injury to the heart muscle as a result of diminished or interrupted blood supply to the heart wall. The condition needs to be differentiated from myocardial infarction (heart attack). In myocardial ischemia the heart muscle undergoes injury due to an insufficient oxygen supply but the tissue does not die. This tissue injury is largely reversible in most cases but over a long period of time it can permanently damage heart function. In a myocardial infarction there is sudden death of a portion of the heart muscle tissue which can lead to a heart failure in severe cases and death. Myocardial ischemia causes a typical cardiac chest pain known as angina pectoris.

continue reading Myocardial Ischemia (Low Oxygen Supply To Heart Muscle)

What is Raynaud Phenomenon?

Raynaud phenomenon is a condition where the small blood vessels at the peripheral parts of the body (finger, toes, ears and/or nose) drastically narrows with cold or stress. Although this response is normal, in Raynaud’s phenomenon it is severely exaggerated and there is drastic reduction in blood flow to the affected part. Sometimes the condition occurs on its own for reasons that are not clear and it is referred to as primary Raynaud phenomenon or Raynaud’s disease. At other times the sudden  narrowing of the blood vessels is related to some underlying disease and is then referred to as secondary Raynaud phenomenon.

continue reading Raynaud Phenomenon Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment

Cocaine and the Heart

Cocaine is a potent illicit stimulant produced from the leaves of the coca plant. It is widely used in the powder form which is inhaled or in the chunky form which is smoked (crack cocaine). Cocaine is often mixed with other substances to ‘cut’ the pure drug, thereby diluting it. Sometimes these fillers or bulking agents are inert substances while at other time it can be toxic compounds.

Cocaine may also be mixed with other drugs like amphetamines, heroin and morphine for a more potent narcotic effect. Cocaine induces a sense of euphoria due to stimulating a massive release of brain hormones (neurotransmitters) like dopamine which acts on the pleasure and reward center in the brain. It also has a host of other effects on almost every organ and system in the body.

The heart is in constant action throughout life. Sometimes it pumps harder during physical activity and at other times slower when a person is at rest or asleep. The wall of the heart is made up of three layers and the thickest section is smooth muscle known as the myocardium. It has an extensive blood supply through the coronary arteries to ensure an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients.

The heart has a natural pacemaker that initiates its own electrical impulses. These impulses propagate through the heart wall to ensure that the upper chambers receiving blood (atria) contract separately from the lower chambers (ventricles) that push blood out of the heart. Nerve impulses from the brain and different hormones can also speed up or slow down the heart rate in response to different conditions.

continue reading Cocaine-Induced Heart Problems