Treatment of heart disease in Germany

Cause of death number one in Germany

Taken in the broadest sense, the concept of heart disease includes all diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels. Their spectrum extends from high blood pressure to atherosclerosis, cardiac arrhythmia, heart disease and heart attacks. Elderly people are particularly prone to developing these diseases, but the number of "cardiovascular" patients under the age of 50 grows with time. In Germany, heart disease is the most common cause of death.

Lack of exercise, obesity and social and mental stress all contribute to the development of heart disease

The causes of cardiovascular disease are wide. In addition to genetic predisposition and natural aging, the main causes can also be diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking. However, being overweight and under stress also seems to play a role. Many risk factors can, however, be countered. It is necessary to observe a low-fat diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, to drink alcohol, not to smoke, to devote enough time to physical exercises and to balance work and personal life.

A wide range of treatment options, ranging from healthy lifestyle changes to surgical intervention

The variety of cardiovascular diseases is reflected in a wide range of procedures for them. In addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and taking medicines, there are various surgical options for treating certain forms of cardiovascular disease. For example, there is a bypass procedure in which a new vessel is attached between the beginning and the end of the narrowed coronary vessels.

Treatment and care

The treatment of heart disease varies in the range from low-tech to high-tech.

CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation - CPR is one of the links in the "survival chain" Heart Diagnostics and

Diagnosis and treatment of heart disease

As soon as heart disease is diagnosed, medical care becomes necessary to immediately stabilize the condition, control the symptoms for a long time, and to provide treatment if possible.

Operations

Angioplasty and stents

Angioplasty is a non-surgical procedure that can be used to relieve blocked heart arteries. Another option that can be done during angioplasty is the installation of the stent.

Shunting

Shunting is commonly used to treat heart diseases when coronary arteries are blocked . The surgeon provides the blood flow with a new way to the heart.

Treatment of heart valve diseases

Treatment of heart valve diseases involves surgery. It can be performed in a traditional approach or using minimally invasive ball valvuloplasty.

Cardioversion

For many people with heart disease, medications alone will not convert arrhythmia into a normal heart rhythm. For these people, a procedure called cardioversion is meant.

Ablation

Ablation is used to treat cardiac arrhythmia. The type of arrhythmia and the presence of other heart diseases will determine which way ablation will be performed, whether surgical or non-surgical.

Pacemakers

A pacemaker is a small device that sends electrical impulses to the heart muscle to maintain a suitable heart rate and rhythm. The pacemaker can also be used to treat syncope, persistent heart failure and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Left ventricular assist device

The auxiliary device for the left ventricle is a kind of mechanical heart. It is placed inside the human breast, where it helps the heart to pump oxygen-enriched blood throughout the body.

Heart transplantation

Heart transplant is to replace a sick human heart with a healthy donor's heart . The donor is a deceased person whose family agreed to donate the organs of their loved one.