Symptoms of Heart conditions
Symptoms of Heart conditions
The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources
for Heart conditions includes the 12
symptoms listed below:
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Heart conditions Symptoms: Book Excerpts
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for Heart conditions includes:
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Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms
Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list
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or drug side effect causes of that symptom.
Medical Books Online about Heart conditions
Medical Books Excerpts
Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Heart conditions
are available from published medical books
for more detailed information about Heart conditions.
Medical Books Excerpts
- MURMURS
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Murmurs
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Murmurs
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Murmurs
- "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Murmurs
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Murmurs
- "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- MURMURS
- "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
- [ read ]
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
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Symptoms of Heart conditions: Online Medical Books
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE!
Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about the symptoms of Heart conditions.
Cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation:
Signs and Symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Loss of consciousness, absent pulse, apnea, anuria, cool extremities
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Cardiac arrhythmias:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Signs and symptoms of cardiac arrhythmias include palpitations, fainting, light-headedness, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, changes in pulse patterns, paleness, and the temporary absence of breathing. However, the patient with a cardiac arrhythmia may be asymptomatic until the development of sudden cardiac arrest.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Cardiac tamponade:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Cardiac tamponade classically produces increased venous pressure with jugular vein distention, reduced arterial blood pressure, muffled heart sounds on auscultation, and pulsus paradoxus (an abnormal inspiratory drop in systemic blood pressure greater than 15 mm Hg). These classic symptoms represent failure of physiologic compensatory mechanisms to override the effects of rapidly rising pericardial pressure, which limits diastolic filling of the ventricles and reduces stroke volume to a critically low level. Generally, ventricular end-systolic volume may drop because of inadequate preload. The increasing pericardial pressure is transmitted equally across the heart cavities, producing a matching rise in intracardiac pressure, especially atrial and end-diastolic ventricular pressures. Cardiac tamponade may also cause dyspnea, diaphoresis, pallor or cyanosis, anxiety, tachycardia, narrow pulse pressure, restlessness, and hepatomegaly, but the lung fields will be clear. The patient typically sits upright and leans forward.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Heart failure:
Signs and Symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Left-sided: dyspnea, orthopnea, crackles, wheezing, hypoxia, respiratory acidosis, cough, cyanosis, palpitations, arrhythmias, elevated blood pressure, pulsus alternans; right-sided: dependent peripheral edema, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, jugular vein distention, ascites, weight gain, arrhythmias, hepatojugular reflux, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, fatigue, dizziness, syncope, weakness
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
In 95% of patients, rheumatic fever characteristically follows a streptococcal infection that appeared a few days to 6 weeks earlier. A temperature of at least 100.4° F (38° C) occurs, and most patients complain of migratory joint pain or polyarthritis. Swelling, redness, and signs of effusion usually accompany such pain, which most commonly affects the knees, ankles, elbows, or hips. In 5% of patients (generally those with carditis), rheumatic fever causes skin lesions such as erythema marginatum, a nonpruritic, macular, transient rash that gives rise to red lesions with blanched centers. Rheumatic fever may also produce firm, movable, nontender, subcutaneous nodules about 3 mm to 2 cm in diameter, usually near tendons or bony prominences of joints (especially the elbows, knuckles, wrists, and knees) and less often on the scalp and backs of the hands. These nodules persist for a few days to several weeks and, like erythema marginatum, often accompany carditis.
Later, rheumatic fever may cause transient chorea, which develops up to 6 months after the original streptococcal infection. Mild chorea may produce hyperirritability, a deterioration in handwriting, or an inability to concentrate. Severe chorea (Sydenham’s chorea) causes purposeless, nonrepetitive, involuntary muscle spasms; poor muscle coordination; and weakness. Chorea always resolves without residual neurologic damage.
The most destructive effect of rheumatic fever is carditis, which develops in up to 50% of patients and may affect the endocardium, myocardium, pericardium, or the heart valves. Pericarditis causes a pericardial friction rub and, occasionally, pain and effusion. Myocarditis produces characteristic lesions called Aschoff bodies (in the acute stages) and cellular swelling and fragmentation of interstitial collagen, leading to formation of a progressively fibrotic nodule and interstitial scars. Endocarditis causes valve leaflet swelling, erosion along the lines of leaflet closure, and blood, platelet, and fibrin deposits, which form beadlike vegetations. Endocarditis affects the mitral valve most often in females; the aortic, most often in males. In both females and males, endocarditis affects the tricuspid valves occasionally and the pulmonic only rarely.
Severe rheumatic carditis may cause heart failure with dyspnea; right upper quadrant pain; tachycardia; tachypnea; a hacking, nonproductive cough; edema; and significant mitral and aortic murmurs. The most common of such murmurs include:
❑ a systolic murmur of mitral insufficiency (high-pitched, blowing, holosystolic, loudest at apex, possibly radiating to the anterior axillary line)
❑ a midsystolic murmur due to stiffening and swelling of the mitral leaflet
❑ occasionally, a diastolic murmur of aortic insufficiency (low-pitched, rumbling, almost inaudible). Valvular disease may eventually result in chronic valvular stenosis and insufficiency, including mitral stenosis and insufficiency, and aortic insufficiency. In children, mitral insufficiency remains the major sequela of rheumatic heart disease.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Cardiac tamponade:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
Cardiac tamponade typically produces increased venous pressure with neck vein distention, reduced arterial blood pressure, muffled heart sounds on auscultation, and paradoxical pulse (an abnormal inspiratory drop in systemic blood pressure greater than 15 mm Hg). These classic signs represent failure of physiologic compensatory mechanisms to override the effects of rapidly rising pericardial pressure, which limits diastolic filling of the ventricles and reduces stroke volume to a critically low level.
Generally, ventricular end-systolic volume may drop because of inadequate preload. The increasing pericardial pressure is transmitted equally across the heart cavities, producing a matching rise in intracardiac pressure, especially atrial and end-diastolic ventricular pressures.
Cardiac tamponade may also cause dyspnea, diaphoresis, pallor or cyanosis, anxiety, tachycardia, narrow pulse pressure, restlessness, and hepatomegaly, even though the lung fields are clear. The patient typically sits upright and leans forward.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Heart failure:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
Heart failure is usually classified by the site of failure (left-sided, right-sided, or both). It may also be classified as systolic or diastolic. These classifications represent different clinical aspects of heart failure, not distinct diseases.
Left-sided heart failure primarily produces pulmonary signs and symptoms; right-sided heart failure primarily produces systemic signs and symptoms. However, heart failure often affects both sides of the heart.
Left-sided heart failure
Clinical signs of left-sided heart failure include dyspnea, orthopnea, crackles, possibly wheezing, hypoxia, respiratory acidosis, cough, cyanosis or pallor, palpitations, arrhythmias, elevated blood pressure, and pulsus alternans. Symptoms are due to decreased left ventricular output, which results in fluid accumulation in the lungs.
Right-sided heart failure
Clinical signs of right-sided heart failure include dependent peripheral edema, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, jugular vein distention, ascites, slow weight gain, arrhythmias, hepatojugular reflex, abdominal distention, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, and syncope. Right-sided heart failure is often caused by disorders that increase vascular resistance (such as pulmonary embolism or stenosis, or hypertension).
Systolic failure
Systolic failure occurs when the heart’s ability to contract effectively decreases. This causes a decrease in the cardiac output and the ejection fraction. Clinical signs of systolic dysfunction include an S3 gallop, normal or low blood pressure, and an ejection fraction of less than 40%.
Diastolic failure
Diastolic failure occurs when the heart has a problem relaxing. The heart can’t properly fill with blood because the muscle has become stiff and noncompliant. Clinical signs of diastolic failure include an S4, elevated blood pressure, and a normal or near normal ejection fraction.
Complications
Complications of heart failure typically include pulmonary edema, venostasis with a predisposition to thromboembolism (associated primarily with prolonged bed rest), cerebral insufficiency, and renal insufficiency with severe electrolyte imbalance. (See Pulmonary edema: How to intervene.)
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
In 95% of patients, rheumatic fever characteristically follows a streptococcal infection that appeared a few days to 6 weeks earlier. A temperature of at least 100.4° F (38° C) occurs.
Joint pain
Most patients complain of migratory joint pain or polyarthritis. Swelling, redness, and signs of effusion usually accompany such pain, which most commonly affects the knees, ankles, elbows, or hips.
Skin lesions and nodules
In 5% of patients (generally those with carditis), rheumatic fever causes skin lesions, such as erythema marginatum. This nonpruritic, macular, transient rash gives rise to red lesions with blanched centers.
Rheumatic fever may also produce firm, movable, nontender, subcutaneous nodules ⅛" to ¾" (0.5 to 2 cm) in diameter, usually near tendons or bony prominences of joints (especially the elbows, knuckles, wrists, and knees) and less commonly on the scalp and backs of the hands. These nodules persist for a few days to several weeks and, like erythema marginatum, often accompany carditis.
Chorea
Later, rheumatic fever may cause transient chorea, which develops up to 6 months after the original streptococcal infection.
Mild chorea may produce hyperirritability, a deterioration in handwriting, or an inability to concentrate. Severe chorea causes purposeless, nonrepetitive, involuntary muscle spasms; poor muscle coordination; and weakness. Chorea always resolves without residual neurologic damage.
Carditis
The most destructive effect of rheumatic fever is carditis, which develops in up to 50% of patients. It may affect the endocardium, myocardium, pericardium, or the heart valves.
Pericarditis causes a pericardial friction rub and, occasionally, pain and effusion. Myocarditis produces characteristic lesions called Aschoff bodies (in the acute stages) and cellular swelling and fragmentation of interstitial collagen, leading to formation of a progressively fibrotic nodule and interstitial scars.
Endocarditis causes valve leaflet swelling, erosion along the lines of leaflet closure, and blood, platelet, and fibrin deposits, which form beadlike vegetations. Endocarditis usually affects the mitral valve in females and the aortic valve in males. In both sexes, endocarditis affects the tricuspid valves occasionally and the pulmonic valve only rarely.
Severe rheumatic carditis may cause heart failure with dyspnea, right-upper-quadrant pain, tachycardia, tachypnea, significant mitral and aortic murmurs, and a hacking, nonproductive cough.
The most common murmurs include:
❑ a systolic murmur of mitral insufficiency (high-pitched, blowing, holo-systolic, loudest at apex, possibly radiating to the anterior axillary line)
❑ a midsystolic murmur caused by stiffening and swelling of the mitral leaflet
❑ occasionally, a diastolic murmur of aortic insufficiency. Valvular disease may eventually result in chronic valvular stenosis and insufficiency, including mitral stenosis and insufficiency and aortic insufficiency. In children, mitral insufficiency remains the major after-effect of rheumatic heart disease.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
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Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
About signs and symptoms of Heart conditions:
The symptom information on this page
attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Heart conditions.
This signs and symptoms information for Heart conditions has been gathered from various sources,
may not be fully accurate,
and may not be the full list of Heart conditions signs or Heart conditions symptoms.
Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Heart conditions may vary on an individual basis for each patient.
Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they
are indeed Heart conditions symptoms.
Heart disease is the number one killer of American women, but it can be prevented. One way is to control your cholesterol levels. Find out how.
Your risk of developing heart disease, stroke or diabetes is greatly increased if you suffer from a combination of health problems, known as...
Everyone knows that a good night's sleep makes you feel better the next day. But did you know that how long you sleep might be a factor in heart...
The statistics for heart disease in women are staggering. Yet many don't know they are at risk, nor do they know the signs and symptoms of...
See full list of 28 related videos
» Next page: Diagnostic Tests for Heart conditions
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