An embolus is a fragment of clotted blood or a piece of fatty deposit (plaque) that gets carried along in the bloodstream. It may be very small, but because the arteries branch into smaller and smaller blood vessels as they deliver blood to the tissues, the embolus eventually gets stuck and creates a blockage called an embolism. An embolus may develop in the heart after a heart attack or from another heart disorder. In rare cases, an embolus may present in the form of a tiny foreign object that enters an artery through a wound or as a gas bubble that forms in the tissues. The severity of an arterial embolism depends on its size and location, as well as the supplying organs. Embolisms most often affect the brain and the legs.
What is a mitral valve prolapse?
Mitral valve prolapse is a deformity of the mitral valve that sometimes causes the mitral to produce a sound called a heart murmur, which a doctor can hear through a stethoscope. This condition affects a higher percentage of women than men and its cause is unknown. The etiology is possibly attributed to an inherited weakness in the valve’s connective tissue, which causes it to bulge. Also, the deformity could result from rheumatic fever or cardiomyopathy (a degenerative disease of the heart muscle). Although most people who have mitral prolapse demonstrate no symptoms, some of the common symptoms include chest pains, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
What is pulmonary hypertension?
Pulmonary hypertension refers to elevated blood pressure in the lungs. This disorder can result from any disease that obstructs the flow of blood or oxygen through the lungs. Whatever the cause, the result is usually an increase in pressure within the pulmonary arteries, which leads to the thickening of the arteries over time. Poor circulation causes the right side of the heart to enlarge and the subsequent increase in workload eventually leads to heart failure. Studies have shown women to be 5 times more likely than men to develop pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension often presents with no symptoms until the condition has progressed to advanced stages, with the most common being swollen ankles and a bluish tinge on your skin.
Comments