Understand Your Risk for Arrhythmia

Expected changes in heart rate occur during physical activity, stress or excitement, and sleep.

The prevalence of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias tends to increase with age, even when there's no clear sign of coronary heart disease.

Acquired heart disease prone to arrhythmias

Acquired heart disease --- such as damage caused to the heart muscle by a heart attack --- is the most important factor making a person prone to arrhythmias. Scarring or abnormal tissue deposits can cause bradycardia by interfering with the work of the sinus node or overall AV conduction. Likewise, they can cause tachycardia (originating in either the atria or ventricles) by causing cells to fire abnormally or by creating islands of electrically inert tissue. (Impulses circulate in a reentrant fashion around these areas.)

Congenital conditions prone to arrhythmias

Certain congenital conditions from birth may make a person prone to arrhythmias. For example, an incompletely developed conduction system can cause chronic heart block and bradycardia. People born with extra conduction pathways, either near the AV node or bridging the atria and ventricles, are prone to reentrant supraventricular tachycardias.

Chemical agents may cause arrhythmias

Many chemical agents may cause arrhythmias, sometimes with serious consequences. Known factors include high or low blood and tissue concentrations of a variety of minerals, such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. These play a vital role in starting and conducting normal impulses in the heart. Addictive substances, especially alcohol, cigarettes and recreational drugs, can provoke arrhythmias, as can various cardiac medications. Even drugs used to treat an arrhythmia may cause another arrhythmia.

Risk factors for atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation can develop in people who have heart failure or have had a heart attack. It's also found in people with heart valve disease, an inflamed heart muscle or lining (endocarditis) or recent heart surgery. Atrial fibrillation is common in persons with hypertension (high blood pressure) or diabetes. Sometimes it's related to congenital heart defects. A problem with your lungs can also affect your heart. Other factors that affect risk of developing atrial fibrillation are: thyroid disorders, excessive alcohol consumption and cigarette or stimulant drug use (including caffeine).

Risk factors management for Arrhythmia

Just having an arrhythmia increases your risk of heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke (View an animation of arrhythmia).  Work with your healthcare team and follow their instructions to control other risk factors:

1.    Reduce high blood pressure

2.    Control cholesterol levels

3.    Lose excess weight

4.    Eat a heart-healthy diet

5.    Stop smoking and/ Avoid tobacco smoke

6.    Enjoy regular physical activity

7.    Alcohol - only use in moderation if at all, speak with your doctor about alcohol use.

Sepsis-A serious illness

Sepsis is a serious illness. It happens when your body has an overwhelming immune response to a bacterial infection. The chemicals released into the blood to fight the infection trigger widespread inflammation. This leads to blood clots and leaky blood vessels. They cause poor blood flow, which deprives your body's organs of nutrients and oxygen. In severe cases, one or more organs fail. In the worst cases, blood pressure drops and the heart weakens, leading to septic shock.

Anyone can get sepsis mainly

1.    People with weakened immune systems.

2.    Infants and children

3.    The elderly

4.    People with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, AIDS, cancer, and kidney or liver disease.

5.    People suffering from a severe burn or physical trauma.

Symptoms of Sepsis

Common symptoms of sepsis are fever, chills, rapid breathing and heart rate, rash, confusion, and disorientation. Doctors diagnose sepsis using a blood test to see if the number of white blood cells is abnormal. They also do lab tests that check for signs of infection.

Treatment of Sepsis

People with sepsis are usually treated in hospital intensive care units. Doctors try to treat the infection, sustain the vital organs, and prevent a drop in blood pressure. Many patients receive oxygen and intravenous (IV) fluids. Other types of treatment, such as respirators or kidney dialysis, may be necessary. Sometimes, surgery is needed to clear up an infection.

Lycopene and their activity

Lycopene is a naturally occurring chemical that gives fruits and vegetables a red color. It is one of a number of pigments called carotenoids. Lycopene is found in watermelons, pink grapefruits, apricots, and pink guavas. It is found in particularly high amounts in tomatoes and tomato products. In North America, 85% of dietary lycopene comes from tomato products such as tomato juice or paste. One cup (240 mL) of tomato juice provides about 23 mg of lycopene. Processing raw tomatoes using heat (in the making of tomato juice, tomato paste or ketchup, for example) actually changes the lycopene in the raw product into a form that is easier for the body to use. The lycopene in supplements is about as easy for the body to use as lycopene found in food.

People take lycopene for preventing heart disease, "hardening of the arteries" (atherosclerosis); and cancer of the prostate, breast, lung, bladder, ovaries, colon, and pancreas. Lycopene is also used for treating human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, which is a major cause of uterine cancer. Some people also use lycopene for cataracts and asthma.

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that may help protect cells from damage. This is why there is a lot of research interest in lycopene’s role, if any, in preventing cancer.

Saline nasal washes

A natural technique used by the yogis to stay disease free and most importantly to use the breath well for their yogic practices without any blocks. It is all about nasal hygiene just like brushing teeth is about dental hygiene. The aim of Jal Neti is to purify and clean the nasal path right from the nostrils to the throat using water.

A saline nasal wash helps flush pollen, dust, and other debris from your nasal passages. It also helps remove excess mucus (snot) and adds moisture. Your nasal passages are open spaces behind your nose. Air passes through your nasal passages before entering your lungs. Nasal washes can help relieve nasal allergy symptoms and help prevent sinus infections (sinusitis).

How to use Saline Nasal Washes or Jalneti

You can buy a device such as a neti pot, squeeze bottle, or rubber nasal bulb at your drug store. 

You can also buy saline solution made specifically for nasal rinses. Or, you can make your own rinse by mixing:

1.    3 teaspoons (tsp) or 18 grams (g) canning or pickling salt (no iodine).

2.    1 tsp (5 g) baking soda.

3.    1 cup (240 milliliters) warm distilled, filtered, or boiled water.

To use the wash or Jalneti

1.    Fill the neti pot with half the saline solution.

2.    Keeping your head over a sink or in the shower, tilt your head sideways to the left. Breathe through your open mouth.

3.    Gently pour or squeeze the solution into your right nostril. The water should come out the left nostril.

4.    You can adjust the tilt of your head to keep the solution from going into your throat or into your ears.

5.    Repeat on the other side.

6.    Gently blow your nose to remove remaining water and mucus.

Precautions during nasal wash or Jalneti

1.    Be sure you only use distilled, boiled, or filtered water. While rare, some tap water may contain small germs that can cause infection.

2.    Always clean the neti pot or nasal bulb with distilled, boiled, or filtered water after every use and let it dry.

3.    Use the nasal wash before using other medicines, such as a nasal spray. This will help your nasal passages better absorb the medicine.

4.    It may take a few attempts to learn the technique of washing your nasal passages. You also may feel a slight burn at first, which should go away. If needed, use a little less salt in your saline solution.

5.    DO NOT use if your nasal passages are completely blocked.

Benefits of Nasal wash or Jalneti

1.    A daily practice helps maintain the nasal hygiene by removing the dirt and bacteria trapped along with the mucus in the nostrils.

2.    It pacifies the sensitive tissues inside the nose, which can assuage a bout of rhinitis or allergies.

3.    It is very effective in dealing with asthmatic conditions making breathing easy.

4.    It reduces tinnitus and middle ear infections.

5.    It helps abate sinusitis or migraine attack.

6.    It can alleviate upper respiratory complaints like sore throats, tonsils and dry coughs.

Physiological Acid Base Balance

Abnormalities of the pH of body are frequently encounter and are of major clinical importance. Acedemia and alkalemia refer respectively to an abnormal decrease or increase in the pH of the blood. Acidosis and alkalosis refer respectively to clinical state that can lead to either acedemia or alkalemia. 

However in each condition the extent to which there is an actual change in pH depends in part on the degree of compensation which varies in most clinical disturbances. It is most convenient to evaluate clinical disturbances of pH by reference to HCO₃^– – H₂CO₃ System.

Because it is in buffer system of extracellular fluid, this results from a number of factors:

1.   There is considerably more bicarbonate present in extracellular fluid than any other buffer component.

2.   There is a limitless supply of carbon dioxide.

3.   Physiological mechanisms operate to maintain the extracellular pH function by controlling fluid.

4.   The bicarbonate –carbonic acid buffer system operates in conjunction with haemoglobin.

Acids and Bicarbonate and carbonic acid Buffer System

Acids are constantly being produced during metabolism. Most metabolic reactions occur only within narrow pH range of 7.38-7.42. Therefore the body utilizes several buffer systems, two of them are bicarbonate and carbonic acid (HCO₃^– : H₂CO₃) present in plasma and kidney and monohydrogen phosphate/dihydrogen phosphate (HPO₄^2- : H₂PO4^-) found in cells and kidney

Bicarbonate and carbonic acid Buffer System in Body

RBC’s have hemoglobin buffer system which is most effective single buffer system for buffering the carbonic acid produced during metabolic process. For each millimole of oxygen that dissociates from hemoglobin (Hb) 0.7 millimole of H⁺ are removed.

Role of CO2 in Bicarbonate and carbonic acid Buffer System

Carbon dioxide, the acid anhydride of carbonic acid is continuously produced in the cells. It diffuses into the plasma and reacts with water to form carbonic acid. The increased carbonic acid is buffered by plasma proteins. Most CO₂ enters the erythrocytes where it either rapidly forms H₂CO₃by the action of carbonic anhydrase or combines with Hb.

The tendency to lower the pH of the erythrocytes due to increased concentration of H₂CO₃ is compensated by Hb.

CO₂+H₂O-------------------------àH₂CO₃

The bicarbonate anion then diffuses out of erythrocytes and chloride anion diffuses in. This has been named as chloride shift. Te bicarbonate in plasma, along with the plasma carbonic acid now acts as efficient buffer system.

H₂CO₃+K⁺+ HbO₂^--------------àK⁺+HCO₃^-+HHb+O₂

Ratio of Bicarbonate and carbonic acid Buffer System

The normal HCO₃^-/ H₂CO₃ ratio is 27/1.35 meq/lt (20:1) corresponding to pH 7.4. In lungs there is reversal of the above process due to the large amount of O₂ present. Oxygen combines with the protonated deoxyhemoglobin releasing proton. 

These combine with HCO₃^- forming H₂CO₃ which then dissociates to CO₂ and water. The carbon dioxide is exhaled by the lungs. Thus by regulating breathing it is possible for the body to exert a partial control on the HCO₃^-/H₂CO₃ ratio.

K⁺+HCO₃^-+HHb+O₂--------------àK⁺+HbO₂^-+H₂CO₃

The phosphate buffer system in the body

The phosphate buffer system is also effective in maintaining physiological pH. At pH 7.4 the HPO₄^-2/H₂PO₄^- ratio is approximately 4:1. In kidney, the pH of urine can drop to 4.5-4.8 corresponding to HPO₄^-2/H2PO₄^- ratio of 1:99- 1:100. 

The acid is excreted from kidney as follows:

1.   Sodium salt of mineral or organic acids are removed from the plasma by glomerular filtration.

2.   Sodium is preferentially removed from the renal filtrate or tubular fluid in the tubular cells. The process known as sodium hydrogen exchange.

3.   The sodium bicarbonate returns to plasma (eventually being removed in the lungs as CO₂) and protons enter tubular fluid, forming acids of the anions that originally were sodium salts.

Fluid and Electrolyte Balance in Body

The main fluid in the body is water. Total body water is 60% of body weight. The water is distributed in three main compartments separated from each other by cell membranes. The intracellular compartment is the area within the cell. The extracellular compartment consists of the interstitial area (between and around cells) and the inside of the blood vessels (plasma).

Compartments of Body and Distribution of Water by Weight

Plasma 5%

Interstitial 15%

Intracellular 40%

Total 60 % Water

Solids - 40% fat, protein, carbohydrates,minerals.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes are the chemicals dissolved in the body fluid. The distribution has important consequences for the ultimate balance of fluids. Sodium chloride is found mostly in extracellular fluid, while potassium and phosphate are the main ions in the intracellular fluid.

Artificial Sweeteners may raise Diabetes risk?

A small Australian study suggests that consuming high amounts of artificial sweeteners might affect how the body responds to sugar -- and might raise a person's risk of diabetes."This study supports the concept that artificial sweeteners could reduce the body's control of blood sugar levels." 

Malaria Vaccine

Scientist studying malaria mosquito interaction has discovered a new mosquito protein for the development of a vaccine that is expected to stop the spread of the disease in areas where it is considered endemic. Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes, and it infects millions of people in Africa, Asia and South America every year, causing a global health crisis. Local populations, US military personnel stationed in these areas and travelers to these malaria-prone areas are at risk of becoming infected.

Pemphigus foliaceus

Pemphigus foliaceus is part of the pemphigus group of autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body's immune system attacks healthy tissue. In pemphigus foliaceus, the immune system damages skin cells called keratinocytes.

Pemphigus foliaceus causes

Pemphigus foliaceus causes blisters, cuts, and crusty spots on the skin. The sores can be painful and unattractive, but Pemphigus foliaceus is a fairly benign medical condition that does not typically cause other health problems.

A chronic, recurring disorder, Pemphigus foliaceus cannot be cured by medical treatment. However, some people go into spontaneous remission, meaning they do not have symptoms for long. Pemphigus foliaceus symptoms can also be managed by treatment.

Calcium level in arteries may predict Heart diseases

People with no calcium buildup in their arteries seem to have a significantly lower risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study finds.

Calcium collects in the arteries after plaque builds up and hardens over time, the study authors explained. For the study, researchers looked at nearly 6,200 people, aged 45 to 84, and found that those whose arteries were free of calcium deposits had a less than 3 percent chance of heart attack or stroke over the next decade. That's well below the 7.5 percent heart risk level used as a guideline to begin treatment with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, the researchers noted.