What conditions and disorders are related to the heart chambers

A couple of weeks ago we did an article about how your heart works and one of the important parts of your heart’s structure is the 4 chambers. This week we will talk about what types of heart problems are related to your heart chambers.

All components of your heart work together to move blood throughout your body. Sometimes, the teamwork gets disrupted, and problems may develop. Congenital heart disease begins before birth, while other problem arises throughout our lives. As we age, we see an increase in disruptions, especially if we have an unhealthy lifestyle. Your heart chambers are important to your heart structure and many disorders involve them.

Arrhythmias

An irregular or abnormal heartbeat is arrhythmia and is caused by an issue with heart’s electrical system. There are many different types of arrhythmias, there are two that are related to your heart chambers.

Supraventricular arrhythmias

These arrythmias begin in your atria (left and right atrium). Supra means above, your atria are above your ventricles, so this condition happens in the top part of your heart.

The most common type is atrial fibrillation or Afib. This is a serious condition and should be closely monitored by your healthcare team. With this condition your atria will contract irregularly or quiver and will not be able to move blood to your ventricles. This can be a symptom free condition, but if you do have symptoms they are easily explained away. You might notice strange feelings in your chest, skipped beats or hard banging. You may feel nauseous, weak, and lightheaded and may have trouble breathing. Without proper treatment your risk of a heart-related death is doubled. Afib patients are 5X more likely to have a stroke.

Ventricular arrhythmias

These begin in your ventricles and can be harmless. For example, if you are stressed you may feel premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) or have had a lot of caffeine. Other ventricular arrhythmias can be serious. The most serious is ventricular fibrillation (Vfib) and can lead to sudden cardiac death. When your heart does not receive enough blood, Vfib can happen. Improper blood flow may be the results of several causes. A heart attack, cardiomyopathy or drug toxicity can all cause a disruption in blood flow. Vfib is a life-threatening emergency and 911 needs to be called right away. If someone is not responding, give CPR until help arrives.

Heart valve disease

Damage or disease can cause valves to not work properly. Although some are born with valve issues, the most common occur in older adults. There are several valve diseases that can affect your heart chambers.

Aortic stenosis

Your aortic valve is most often affected by disease although any of your valves can become diseased. 61% of all valve disease deaths are caused by aortic valve disease. Aortic stenosis is usually the reason. Stenosis means something is getting narrow, with aortic stenosis your aortic valve opening narrows. Blood cannot easily flow to our aorta from your left ventricle. The narrowing may also impact the pressure in your left atrium. More than 20% of Americans over age 65 are affected although narrowing can begin after age 60. Symptoms will not show up until age 70 or 80. Shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid fluttering heartbeat, fatigue, dizziness and swollen ankles or feet are symptoms you may experience.

Tricuspid regurgitation

Blood flows from your right atrium to your right ventricle through your tricuspid valve. If that valve does not close tightly some blood can flow in the wrong direction. Tricuspid regurgitation is when some of the blood is flowing from your ventricle back up into your atrium. The usual reason for this to occur is an enlarged right ventricle from conditions like COPD or other heart problems. If you have mild regurgitation, you may not have symptoms. More serious regurgitation may lead to heart failure symptoms like active pulsing in the neck veins, fatigue, and foot and ankle swelling.

Endocarditis

A serious infection called endocarditis is when bacteria enter your bloodstream and moves to your heart. The inside lining of your heart chambers and valves gets inflamed. Symptoms include fever, chills, and sweating, especially at night. Fatigue, weakness and muscle and joint pain may also occur. See medical attention right away before the infection gets worse. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics, left untreated endocarditis can cause permanent heart damage or death.

Single ventricle defects

Your ventricle may be smaller or underdeveloped. Below are examples of this rare congenital disorder.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS): The left side of your heart is underdeveloped.
Pulmonary atresia: Your pulmonary valve is abnormally developed or blocked.
Tricuspid atresia: Your tricuspid valve is not properly formed. So, blood flow is blocked from your right atrium to your right ventricle. This makes your right ventricle small and underdeveloped.

How do I know if my heart chambers are healthy?

Many conditions with your heart may not have symptoms or the symptoms are easy to miss. You might not notice anything is wrong with your heart until the problem has progressed. Heart disease can sneak up on you, that is why it is called the “silent killer.” It is important to go for your annual physical and talk with your healthcare team about any symptoms you may have notices and your family history. If your grandparents, parents and most importantly siblings have had heart problems, there is a greater chance you might develop issues too.

To check your heart health, your provider will first listen to your heartbeat with a stethoscope. They may find a murmur or valve problems. If you have a family history of heart disease your doctor my order an electrocardiogram (EKG) and may want to also get an echocardiogram (echo) to check for problems like valve disease and your heart’s function.

What treatments can make my heart chambers healthier?

Sometimes all that is required is some simple lifestyle changes. Reducing your caffeine intake may lessen your arrhythmia symptoms. In some cases, medication may be prescribed. Medications may be needed to control our heart rate or manager underlying thyroid disease. In the case of heart failure, you might need to take diuretics to help flush extra fluid from our body. Surgery may be required in some instances like valve disease.

Talk with your healthcare team, they will know what is best for your specific situation.

What lifestyle changes can I make to keep my heart chambers healthy?

We talk about leading a heart healthy lifestyle frequently because that is the simplest way to reduce your risk of heart disease. Following a heart healthy diet to control risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Add regular aerobic exercise to your weekly routine to help strengthen your heart. Quitting smoking can make a dramatic difference in your risk factor.

You can start small and work your way into a heart healthy lifestyle. Small changes make a significant difference over time. Make sure to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise plan.

That is why it is so important to visit your provider regularly and discuss any new symptoms that come up. Many heart issues are easy to treat if caught early. Remember risk factors for high blood pressure and high cholesterol can start in your 20s or 30s, it is never too soon to start thing about a heart healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Bobish

Dr. Bobish and her team focus on preventative care and are here to support you. Alpine Cardiology provides patients with education as well as compassionate care and treatment. We are committed to keeping you healthy and heart smart! Request an appointment at 989-448-7002