HISTORIC! Infant Gets Heart Transplant

Medic-ALL (02:13:2015)  MEDICAL:

A 6-day-old premature baby born in Arizona, United States of America has become the youngest infant to receive a heart transplant. The baby Olivier Crawford had the operation at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Arizona after he was born 7 weeks prior to scheduled date with a life-threatening heart condition and amidst fears by the doctors hat he may not survive birth. 

Historic! 6-day-Old gets Heart Transplant in U.S hospital

Doctors had first noticed something was amiss during Caylyn Otto’s 20 week prenatal exam. She was subsequently put in the care of pediatric cardiologist Dr. Christopher Lindblade at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, who was shocked at the size of the fetus’ heart.

The left ventricle was huge for a 24-week-old,” Lindblade told The Arizona Republic. “It was massive.”

The formal diagnosis was dilated cardiomyopathy ( a condition associated with dilated heart chambers and impaired contractility).Doctors told Otto and the baby's father  that their child may be born stillborn, and if he made it through delivery he would likely need a heart transplant.

The mother, Otto was told that her son would have the best chance of survival if he made it to a 36-week delivery, but she went into labor after 33 weeks of gestation.

Within hours of birth, the baby was screened to ascertain he was healthy enough to have a heart transplant procedure and then was placed on the transplant list on January 9th, 2 days after which a viable heart became available. The operation lasted 10 hours and the baby is presently in recovery.

Though his lungs are too weak for him to be taken home and doctors aren’t sure how long it will be until he is released, his body hasn’t rejected the heart, the report said.

The new parents held a baby shower for him, and brought his infant car seat to his hospital room.

The Doctors at Phoenix Children’s Hospital believe Oliver is one of the youngest patients to ever receive a heart transplant.

The entire medical community does perceive Olivier's case,  something truly miraculous.

Ref: FoxNewsHealth

Heart Failure: A Matter of The Heart

Medic-ALL (07:11:2014) by Kayode Kuku MB;BS

Each day of our lives almost 2,000 gallons of oxygen-rich blood is supplied to every living cell in our body to ensure their nourishment and continued living. This is made possible by a strategically located "pump of an organ" in the body called the Heart. The heart is truly an amazing organ, beating almost a 100,000 times every 24 hours, to deliver almost 65 million gallons in a lifetime.

The Heart provides the power needed for life. When it fails to pump blood at a rate sufficient to meet the body's requirements, the result is "heart failure". Heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped working, it simply means that the heart is pumping less effective than normal. Hence, with heart failure, blood flows through the heart and body at a slower rate, there is an increase in pressure in the heart, the heart muscles stretch and/or thicken in order to accommodate more blood and the heart attempts to pump faster and blood vessels become narrow in order to meet up with the body's unmet demands. The heart muscles eventually weaken and are unable to pump as strongly.

Before the 1900s, very few people suffered from and even fewer died from heart failure. In the last decennia however, heart failure has become a huge burden all over the world, particularly in the Western world affecting millions and been the leading cause of hospitalization in persons over 65 years of age.

While the age of technology and importation of certain western "habits" have made life easier for millions all over the world, they have also made us prone to heart disease. Almost a lifetime ago, most people made their living through some sort of manual labor, walking was a major means of transportation and most daily tasks were done by hand. Statues were climbed (no elevators), carpets were swept and beat , laundry was scrubbed and butter was churned. Fresh foods consisting of mainly of fruits and vegetables, and home made delicacies were consumed. With the arrival of automation most manual labors were replaced or assisted by machinery. 

Modern conveniences made physical inactivity unneccessary and lifestyle "inconveniences" brought about changes in diet; Fried foods, like potato chips, hamburgers, and French fries became staples in many diets. The combination of a sedentary lifestyle and a seemingly "rich" diet led to an increase in clogged blood vessels, heart attacks and strokes, the heart failure and other heart diseases became a common occurrence. The rate of heart disease in fact increased sharply between 1940 and 1967, in what the World Health Organization described as the world's most serious epidemic. 

The field of Cardiology has grown tremendously over the years to meet the demands of heart failure. Various techniques and tools have also evolved to meet the increased need. Though, many causes of heart diseases are not always reversible, the signs and symptoms frequently can be treated with well established pharmacologic, dietary and therapeutic modalities.

The use of medications have proven consistently to not only improve the symptoms of heart failure, but also to reduce hospitalization and mortality. In addition, lifestyle and dietary modifications such as monitoring daily weight, reducing salt and fatty food intake, increasing functional activity , reducing alcohol intake, quitting smoking, regular medical check-ups and follow-ups.

Ref: WebMD

The Broken Heart Syndrome

A broken heart can feel very real for those experiencing the loss of a loved one or significant other. But for some, the emotional stress does quite literally break their heart – at least temporarily – causing symptoms that can mimic a heart attack.

What is broken heart syndrome?
Broken heart syndrome is a temporary heart condition usually caused by a stressful or emotional situation. People tend to experience a sudden chest pain or think they are having a heart attack.

Broken heart syndrome is one of the many names for takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a rare and temporary condition where part of a person’s heart suddenly becomes weakened or 'stunned' - forcing the rest of the heart to work harder.

When this happens, the heart’s left ventricle changes shape, developing a narrow neck and round bottom.

The shape created by this bulging out earned the syndrome the name 'takotsubo', meaning octopus, in Japan where the condition was first reported.

The condition is also referred to as acute stress cardiomyopathy and apical ballooning syndrome.

What causes it?

There are various theories as to what causes the condition. About three quarters of those diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy have experienced severe emotional or physical stress prior to becoming unwell, such as bereavement.

British Heart Foundation (BHF) says evidence suggests the sudden, excessive release of hormones – usually adrenaline - during these stressful periods causes the ‘stunning’ of part of the heart muscle.

Interestingly, research conducted by Imperial College London in 2012 found the condition may actually protect the heart from very high levels of adrenaline.

Professor Sian Harding, from the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) at Imperial College London, who led the study, explained: “In patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, adrenaline works in a different way and shuts down the heart instead. This seems to protect the heart from being overstimulated.”

What are the symptoms?

People experiencing takotsubo cardiomyopathy will often have chest pains and breathlessness similar to those seen in a heart attack, according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The Post is via The INDEPENDENT U.K

Continue Reading Here