Diseases & Condition-Why Heart Muscle become Abnormal (Cardiomyopathy)

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a condition where the heart muscle is abnormal. The main types of cardiomyopathy include dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy makes it harder for your heart to pump and deliver blood to the rest of your body. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure.
Cardiomyopathy can be treated. The type of treatment you'll receive depends on which type of cardiomyopathy you have and how serious it is. Your treatment may include medications, surgically implanted devices or, in severe cases, a heart transplant.

Symptoms---->     

Read more

Diseases & Conditions-Sudden cardiac arrest

Sudden cardiac arrest is the sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness. Sudden cardiac arrest usually results from an electrical disturbance in your heart that disrupts its pumping action, stopping blood flow to the rest of your body.
Sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack, which occurs when blood flow to a portion of the heart is blocked. However, a heart attack can sometimes trigger an electrical disturbance that leads to sudden cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. If not treated immediately, it causes sudden cardiac death. With fast, appropriate medical care, survival is possible. Administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), treating with a defibrillator — or even just compressions to the chest — can improve the chances of survival until emergency personnel arrive.

Symptoms & Causes---->         

Read more

Heart Diseases & Condition-HEARTBURN

Heartburn

 

Heartburn is a burning pain in your chest, just behind your breastbone. The pain is often worse when lying down or bending over.
Occasional heartburn is common and no cause for alarm. Most people can manage the discomfort of heartburn on their own with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications.
Heartburn that is more frequent or interferes with your daily routine may be a symptom of a more serious condition that requires medical care.

Symptoms---->

Read more

Heart Diseases & Conditions-Heart Murmurs

Heart murmurs are sounds during your heartbeat cycle — such as whooshing or swishing — made by turbulent blood in or near your heart. These sounds can be heard with a stethoscope. A normal heartbeat makes two sounds like "lubb-dupp" (sometimes described as "lub-DUP"), which are the sounds of your heart valves closing.

Heart murmurs can be present at birth (congenital) or develop later in life. A heart murmur isn't a disease — but murmurs may indicate an underlying heart problem.

Often, heart murmurs are harmless (innocent) and don't need treatment. Some heart murmurs may require follow-up tests to be sure the murmur isn't caused by a serious underlying heart condition. Treatment, if needed, is directed at the cause of your heart murmur.

Symptoms (Heart Murmurs)

If you have a harmless heart murmur, more commonly known as an innocent heart murmur, you likely won't have any other signs or symptoms.

An abnormal heart murmur may cause no obvious other signs or symptoms, aside from the unusual sound your doctor hears when listening to your heart with a stethoscope. But if you have these signs or symptoms, they may indicate a heart problem:

• Skin that appears blue, especially on your fingertips and lips
• Swelling or sudden weight gain
• Shortness of breath
• Chronic cough
• Enlarged liver
• Enlarged neck veins
• Poor appetite and failure to grow normally (in infants)
• Heavy sweating with minimal or no exertion
• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Fainting

Causes (Heart Murmurs)

There are two types of heart murmurs: innocent murmurs and abnormal murmurs. A person with an innocent murmur has a normal heart. This type of heart murmur is common in newborns and children.

An abnormal heart murmur is more serious. In children, abnormal murmurs are usually caused by congenital heart disease. In adults, abnormal murmurs are most often due to acquired heart valve problems.

Innocent heart murmurs

An innocent murmur can occur when blood flows more rapidly than normal through the heart. Conditions that may cause rapid blood flow through your heart, resulting in an innocent heart murmur, include:

• Physical activity or exercise
• Pregnancy
• Fever
• Not having enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body tissues (anemia)
• An excessive amount of thyroid hormone in your body (hyperthyroidism)
• Phases of rapid growth, such as adolescence

Innocent heart murmurs may disappear over time, or they may last your entire life without ever causing further health problems.

Abnormal heart murmurs

The most common cause of abnormal murmurs in children is when babies are born with structural problems of the heart (congenital heart defects).

Common congenital defects that cause heart murmurs include:

• Holes in the heart or cardiac shunts. Known as septal defects, holes in the heart may or may not be serious, depending on the size of the hole and its location.
  Cardiac shunts occur when there's an abnormal blood flow between the heart chambers or blood vessels, which may lead to a heart murmur.
• Heart valve abnormalities. Congenital heart valve abnormalities are present at birth, but sometimes aren't discovered until much later in life. Examples include valves that don't allow enough blood through them (stenosis) or those that don't close properly and leak (regurgitation), such as mitral valve prolapse.

Other causes of abnormal heart murmurs include infections and conditions that damage the structures of the heart and are more common in older children or adults. For example:

• Valve calcification. This hardening or thickening of valves, as in mitral stenosis or aortic valve stenosis, can occur as you age. Valves may become narrowed (stenotic), making it harder for blood to flow through your heart, resulting in murmurs.
• Endocarditis. This infection of the inner lining of your heart and valves typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and lodge in your heart.
  Left untreated, endocarditis can damage or destroy your heart valves. This condition usually occurs in people who already have heart valve abnormalities.
• Rheumatic fever. Although now rare in the United States, rheumatic fever is a serious condition that can occur when you don't receive prompt or complete treatment for a strep throat infection. It can permanently affect the heart valves and interfere with normal blood flow through your heart.

Treatments and drugs (Heart Murmurs)

An innocent heart murmur generally doesn't require treatment because the heart is normal. If innocent murmurs are the result of an illness, such as fever or hyperthyroidism, the murmurs will go away once that condition is treated.

If you or your child has an abnormal heart murmur, treatment may not be necessary. Your doctor may want to monitor the condition over time. If treatment is necessary, it depends on what heart problem is causing the murmur and may include medications or surgery.

Medications

The medication your doctor prescribes depends on the specific heart problem you have. Some medications your doctor might give you include:

• Medications that prevent blood clots (anticoagulants).Your doctor may prescribe anticoagulants, such as aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) or clopidogrel (Plavix). An anticoagulant prevents blood clots from forming in your heart and causing a heart attack or stroke.
• Water pills (diuretics). Diuretics remove excess fluid from your body, which can help treat other conditions that might worsen a heart murmur, such as high blood pressure.
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. ACE inhibitors lower your blood pressure. High blood pressure can worsen underlying conditions that cause heart murmurs.
• Statins. Statins help lower your cholesterol. Having high cholesterol seems to worsen some heart valve problems, including some heart murmurs.
• Beta blockers. These drugs lower your heart rate and blood pressure. They're used for some types of heart valve problems.

Surgery

Many valve conditions can't be treated with medications alone. Depending on your heart condition, your doctor may recommend one of these options to treat a damaged or leaky valve:

Valve repair

To repair a valve, your doctor may recommend one of the following procedures:

• Balloon valvuloplasty. This procedure is performed to relieve a narrowed valve. During a balloon valvuloplasty, a small catheter containing an expandable balloon is threaded into your heart, placed into the valve and then expanded to help widen the narrowed valve.
• Annuloplasty. In this procedure, your surgeon tightens the tissue around the valve by implanting an artificial ring. This allows the leaflets to come together and close the abnormal opening through the valve.
• Repair of structural support. In this procedure, your surgeon replaces or shortens the cords that support the valves (chordae tendineae and papillary muscles) to repair the structural support. When the cords and muscles are the right length, the valve leaflet edges meet and eliminate the leak.
• Valve leaflet repair. In valve leaflet repair, your surgeon surgically separates, cuts or pleats a valve flap (leaflet).

Valve replacement

In many cases, the valve has to be replaced. Options include:

• Open-heart surgery. This is the primary surgical treatment for severe valve stenosis. Your surgeon removes the narrowed valve and replaces it with a mechanical valve or a tissue valve.
  Mechanical valves, made from metal, are durable, but carry the risk of blood clots forming. If you receive a mechanical valve, you'll need to take an anticoagulant medication, such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), for life to prevent blood clots.
  Tissue valves — which may come from a pig, cow or human deceased donor — often eventually need replacement. Another type of tissue valve replacement that uses your own pulmonary valve (autograft) is sometimes possible.
• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). A less invasive approach, TAVR involves replacing the aortic valve with a prosthetic valve via an artery in your leg or in a small incision in your chest.
  In some cases, a valve can be inserted via a catheter into a tissue replacement valve that needs to be replaced (valve-in-valve procedure).
  TAVR is usually reserved for individuals with severe aortic valve stenosis who are at increased risk of complications from aortic valve surgery.

Doctors used to recommend that most people with abnormal heart murmurs take antibiotics before visiting the dentist or having surgery due to possible complications from a bacterial infection that affects the lining of your heart (infective endocarditis).

Doctors no longer recommend antibiotics before procedures, except for people at highest risk of complications of infective endocarditis, such as those who have an artificial heart valve or people with certain congenital heart defects.

Prevention (Heart Murmurs)

While there's not much you can do to prevent a heart murmur, it is reassuring to know that heart murmurs are not a disease and are often harmless. For children, many murmurs go away on their own as children grow. For adults, murmurs may disappear as the underlying condition causing them improves.

                                                                                                         

Read more

How to make Tasty Crab Kebab-Taste of Home

Tasty Crab Kebab-Taste of Home

Ingredients: (Crab Kebab)

• 1 cup shelled crab meat
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1″ ginger grated
• 1 garlic bead, minced
• 2 shallots, chopped
• curry leaves few
• salt to taste
• 1 pinch of turmeric
• dash of garam masala
• 2 turns from a peppermill
• few cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cumin seeds
• 2 tsp rice flour
• 1 egg white
• oil for frying

Procedure:

1. The preparation is very simple if you opt to buy already shelled crab meat. Just mix all the above mentioned ingredients together (except oil).
2. Divide them into equal parts and shape them up into tiny-kebabs or in a desired fashion.
3. Heat oil in a griddle, and shallow fry them until reddish brown and crisp.
4. Serve warm as an appetizers or as a finger food for your cocktail party.

Read more

What to Make Tasty Hamburgers With Oven Chips

• Serves4
• Hands-On Time15 min
• Total Time40 min

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Per Serving

• Calories597 calories
• Calories301 calories from fat
• Fat34 g
• Sat Fat8 g
• Cholesterol75 mg
• Sodium766 mg
• Protein28 g
• Carbohydrate44 g
• Sugar4 g
• Fiber3 g
• Iron5 mg
• Calcium98 mg
• 
  

INGREDIENTS

1. 1pound new potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick
2. 2tablespoons olive oil
3. kosher salt and pepper
4. 1pound ground beef
5. 4hamburger buns
6. 1/4cup mayonnaise
7. 1pickle, sliced
8. 1small head butter lettuce
9. 1beefsteak tomato, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. In a bowl, toss the potatoes and oil. Spread on a baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt.
3. Meanwhile, heat a grill or grill pan to medium.
4. Shape the beef into four 1-inch-thick patties. Season with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium.
5. Transfer the patties to buns and top with the mayonnaise, pickle, lettuce, and tomato. Serve with the chips.

Read more

Tasty Meat Loaf

How to Cook Meat Loaf

Mom’s classic gets a makeover with shredded Italian cheese and a barbecue sauce glaze.

• Serves4
• Hands-On Time10 min
• Total Time50 min

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Per Serving

• Calories630 calories
• Calories55 calories from fat
• Fat38 g
• Sat Fat15 g
• Cholesterol241 mg
• Sodium1,300 mg
• Protein45 g
• Carbohydrate25 g
• Sugar1 g
• Fiber1 g
• 
  

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 1/2pounds ground beef
2. 12-ounce envelope onion soup mix
3. 1cup shredded Italian cheese blend
4. 1cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
5. 2eggs
6. 1 1/2cups saltines (about 4 ounces), finely ground
7. 1/3cup water
8. 1/2cup barbeque sauce (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, combine the beef, soup mix, cheese, parsley (if using), eggs, and saltines. Add the water and combine.

Transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish and form it into a 9-inch loaf. Bake until cooked through, about 40 minutes.

If using barbecue sauce, remove the meat loaf from oven after 25 minutes and pour the sauce over the top. Return to oven for about 15 minutes more.

Read more

Easy Drop Biscuits

How to Make Quick & Easy Drop Biscuits

These smooth, buttery biscuits make a no-fuss side dish.

• Makes6 biscuits
• Hands-On Time10 min
• Total Time30 min

Nutrition Information: (per serving)

• Calories315 calories
• Fat17 g
• Sat Fat10 g
• Cholesterol44 mg
• Sodium614 mg
• Protein6 g
• Carbohydrate35 g
• Sugar2 g
• Fiber1 g
• Iron2 mg
• Calcium106 mg

INGREDIENTS

1. 2cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2. 1/2cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3. 1tablespoon baking powder
4. 1teaspoon kosher salt
5. 1cup whole milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400° F. In a food processor, combine the flour, butter, baking powder, and salt; pulse until pea-size clumps form. Add the milk and pulse just until moistened.
2. Drop 6 large mounds of the dough (about ½ cup each) onto a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

Read more

How to Make Tasty Miso Mac and Cheese

How to Make Tasty Miso Mac and Cheese

Miso paste has all the excellent qualities of cheese; it's savory, rich, and packed with umami flavor. 

Serves 6 (or 4 hungry people)

 Ingredients:

• 8 ounces dried pasta (I like elbows or cavatappi)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk, warmed slightly
• 2 1/4 cups shredded cheese (I like a mix of cheddar, Pecorino, and Gruyère), divided
• 1/4 cup sweet white miso paste, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Add your pasta and cook until a minute or two (do not cook it all the way to al dente!). Drain (don't rinse) and set aside.
3. In a large pan, heat the butter until it melts. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly to break up any clumps, for a minute or two.
4. Whisk in the warm milk and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of the cheese, salt, pepper, and miso paste. (N.B.: Start with just two tablespoons of the miso paste, and taste. Add more as you like but it's important to taste and decide what you like!)
6. Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat.
7. Pour the pasta into a greased baking dish (big enough to hold your pasta—a 9- by 13-inch dish works, or a 2-quart or 3-quart dish) and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the panko.
8. Bake the pasta for about 25 minutes. The pasta should be bubbling and the breadcrumbs should be browned.
9. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and serve the tasty ......

 

 

Read more

How to Make Yummy Hostess Cupcakes at Home

Hostess Cupcakes

The Hostess Cupcake is second perhaps only to the Twinkie, and is best known for its oddly alluring plastic-like chocolate frosting with white squiggles, which spreads across the top like a bedspread, hiding the chocolate crumb cake and creamy center beneath. The frosting is often eaten as its own rightful snack, peeled away, considered, nibbled on, perhaps put back, maybe set to rest on a desk while you make your way into the cake. Or, if you do as one kid at my third grade lunch table preferred, you can dip it into your milk with the dim hope that somehow it will transform into chocolate milk.

How to Make Hostess Cup Cakes At Home

Makes 18 cupcakes

For the cupcakes and filling:

2 sticks salted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar2 large eggs1 cup natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey's Baking Cocoa
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk1 cup marshmallow fluff1/3 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

For the frosting and decoration:

1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup bittersweet chocolate morsels1 1/2 tablespoons salted butter, softened1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 6- and 12-muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Make the cupcake batter: In the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer, cream the 2 sticks of butter and the granulated sugar together at medium speed just until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix just until combined. In a measuring cup, stir 1/2 the cup of hot water and the cocoa together until smooth. Add the cocoa mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed for an additional 10 seconds.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With teh mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in batches alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and beating after each addition until the ingredients are just blended.
4. Fill each prepared muffin cup half full with chocolate batter. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Make the filling: Using a clean bowl and a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the marshmallow fluff, the 1/3 cup butter, and the 1/3 cup of powdered sugar together until combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Using the handle of a small fork or spoon, make a hole in the top center of each cake. Gently rotate the utensil in each hole to create a small cavity at each opening. Transfer the filling to a piping bag and pipe in just enough marshmallow mixture to fill each hole. As with the Twinkie, you want a firm grasp on your cupcake as you infuse it with the filling, so as not to allow it to explode; once you feel it growing in size, stop infusing. Use a wet fingertip or the back of a spoon to tamp down any marshmallow peaks, ensuring that the filling is even with the top of the cupcake.
6. Make the frosting: In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until bubbles form at the edges. Add the chocolate morsels and remove the pan from the heat, stirring until the chocolate melts. Add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter and continue to stir until smooth. Let cool for three minutes. Transfer the chocolate to a large deep glass bowl. Dip the top of each cupcake into the chocolate to coat, letting the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Let the cupcakes rest on a wire rack set over newspapers until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
7. Make the frosting decoration: In a small bowl, beat the 1/4 cup butter and the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar together until smooth, about two minutes. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and decorate the top of each cupcake with a curlicue pattern. Serve immediately. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Read more

How do American Like to Drive Huge Cars

Read more