Patients with atrial fibrillation are at higher risk of experiencing heart attacks compared to the ones not affected by the condition. There are medications that are administered for regulating the heartbeat and normalizing the heart rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation. Magnesium supplements are also often recommended as a secondary treatment option for this heart disorder. However, there are very few evidences supporting this prowess of magnesium supplements. So, anyone wishing to use magnesium supplements for managing atrial fibrillation must consult his doctor. Magnesium can be also obtained from several food sources. Examples of some food items rich in this mineral include brown rice, yogurt, lentils, spinach, potatoes, nuts and soybeans.

Magnesium is an extremely essential mineral of human body. It plays vital roles in bodily functions like immunity system development, blood pressure regulation and metabolism of protein. It has been found that magnesium deficiency leads to abnormal increase in our heart rhythm; this puts us at higher risk of having heart attacks. If the deficiency of the mineral can be compensated, the heart rate can be brought back to normal; therefore, having magnesium supplements helps in preventing or curing atrial fibrillation.

We have mentioned before that there’s lack of clinical researches evaluating effects of oral intake of magnesium supplements by atrial fibrillation patients. However, a medical study conducted in the year 2006 has revealed that magnesium’s intravenous administration can help in preventing atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing cardiac surgeries.

Cayenne: This spice is used for adding peppery flavors to foods. The spice is known for its ability of eliminating the bad cholesterol deposits from our arteries. Cayenne is a rich source of a group of water-soluble compounds, which are together referred to as polyphenols. The polyphenols helps in reducing the lipid levels in human blood, which in turn improved blood circulations. This makes cayenne an effective remedy for individuals suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

Ginkgo biloba: This herb is used for treating circulatory diseases since the ancient times. In a recently conducted medical study it has been proved that ginkgo biloba works by stimulating our brain for releasing chemicals that help in dilating or expanding blood vessels of legs, which improves the overall blood circulation of our body. Ginkgo biloba is also known for inhibiting the platelets from getting clumped together; as a result the herb effectively prevents unwanted blood clot formation.

Hawthorn: It is a widely used herb for treating circulatory disturbances and arteriosclerosis. Apart from improving blood circulation, hawthorn is also known for its ability of reducing high blood pressure, wound healing, eliminating fatigue and preventing congestive heart failures. The active ingredient responsible for these medicinal effects of hawthorn is an antioxidant called quercetin. The twigs and leaves of the hawthorn plants carry this antioxidant in highest concentration.

Motherwort: People suffer from strokes and heart attacks when blood clots congest out internal blood vessels. The herb motherwort contains phytochemicals that decrease blood pressure and promote muscle relaxation. These two effects of the herb relieve the strain from our heart and allow it to work more efficiently. Motherwort’s blood thinning properties make it a perfect natural substitute of blood thinner medications.

Angina pectoris patients should consume meals consisting of whole grains, low fat dairy products, vegetables and fruits. According to medical experts and nutritionists, these patients are benefited immensely through consumption of flaxseed oil or flaxseeds, fishes, garlic and onion. However, food types like food items with high sugar content, fried foods, alcohol and commonly known food allergens are known to aggravate the signs of angina pectoris making the condition of the patients even worse.

The oil of flaxseeds has been used since the ancient times for treating several cardiovascular ailments like angina. This oil can also reduce blood pressure levels in patients with hypertension. According to some high levels of blood cholesterol, which is a contributing factor for several heart disorders can also be reduced effectively with flaxseed oil. An angina pectoris patient can take this oil in form of supplements or can have flaxseeds directly with meal.

Rest: In spite of receiving proper treatment for rheumatic fever many develops rheumatic heart disease; this happens when an individual is not responsive towards the antibiotics prescribed to him as remedy for rheumatic fever. In such cases, the patient must be in complete bed rest; this will reduce the workload of the valves and muscles of the heart.

Medications: Other than recommending bed rest, the doctor will prescribe medication for reducing the inflammation occurring in the patient’s heart muscles. Inflammation related to rheumatic fever is mostly caused by Streptococcus bacteria; as a result doctors will prescribe antibiotics for killing Streptococcus bacteria. A child diagnosed to be suffering from rheumatic fever is treated with antibiotics like penicillin; the treatment continues for several years in order to prevent recurrence of the infection, which can cause further damage to the child’s heart. The child might also need to take large dosages of aspirin for decreasing the inflammation taking place in his body.

Usually, valve leaks caused by rheumatic fever are mild and get healed without any serious medical intervention. However, if medical tests reveal that the leaks occurring in the patient’s heart valves are big enough to result in extra strain on his heart, the doctor will most likely prescribe medications for supporting the heart. Medications prescribed for decreasing strain on the ventricles include vasodilators. Vasodilators help in treating individuals experiencing aortic valve damages due to rheumatic fever. The vasodilators can benefit an individual with mitral valve damages only if he has experienced a heart failure due to the condition. People developing aortic regurgitation due to rheumatic fever are treated with ACE inhibitors and diuretics; these medications offer support to our cardiac functions.

Surgeries: Mitral valve damage occurring due to rheumatic fever can be treated most effectively using the technique of valve repair. It is a low risk surgical procedure and helps in preserving the functions of our heart more efficiently compared to a valve replacement surgery.

Hawthorn: This herb can improve our heart functions in many ways. The medicinal use of this herb was common during the ancient Roman and Greek civilizations. The herb again became popular for its medicinal benefits during the 17th century. Although during the previous eras the herb was used to kill several maladies, currently hawthorn is only known for being used as a remedy for heart diseases. Heart blockage occurs due to cholesterol deposits in the walls of our arteries; hawthorn works by eliminating the cholesterol and opening up the blocked arteries. This improves blood circulation and increase pumping force of our heart. According to a study conducted to find out the effects of hawthorn on human heart, patients having congestive heart disorders experience lesser episodes of breathing difficulties after consuming an infusion prepared using hawthorn. To prepare a hawthorn infusion add 2 teaspoon of dried hawthorn into a cupful of boiling hot water. Allow the herb to brew for twenty minutes. Consuming two cups of hawthorn infusion every day is enough for opening up the existing heart blockages and preventing further blockage.

Cayenne pepper: This herb is also known for its ability of removing heart blockages and improving overall heart health. Cayenne pepper is instrumental in removing LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol from our body. The herb works by cleansing the arteries and reducing the chances of heart attacks. However, a person consuming cayenne pepper might experience a few mild side effects; for instance a burning sensation and irritation in their digestive tract. If you are experiencing this side effect, you should reduce the dosage of the herb you have been taking. Removing seeds of cayenne peppers before consuming them can also help you to avoid side effects. Another way of getting rid of the burning sensation is by having a banana. Supplements prepared from this herb are available in majority of the health food stores.

Expenses: Not everyone can undergo heart transplants. The procedure is extremely expensive mainly due to the complex steps involved in it, the medications that are needed to be taken all through the remaining life and the time the patient will require to stay at the hospital. Other than these, patients undergoing a heart transplant must get several blood tests, heart biopsies and other physician examinations done whenever needed.

Time spent: A patient undergoing heart transplant need to stay at the hospital for an extended period of time. There are some instances when the patients are discharged from the hospital within a week or two of the surgery. However, most patients having the transplant have complications; the more will be the complications the longer will be the stay at the hospital after the heart transplantation surgery.

Chances of developing infection: Patients having heart transplant need to take certain immunosuppressant medications for ensuring that his immune system does not reject the donor’s heart assuming it as a foreign body. This increases the patient’s risk of developing infections. These patients are extremely susceptible towards getting life-threatening infections from viruses like herpes virus and cytomegalovirus.

Rejection: The heart of the donor will never be accepted by the body of the patient like his natural body part. The body of the patient will try to reject the transplanted organ using different methods. Rejection might occur even if the patient takes all the medications properly as instructed by the doctor.

The attainment of target or perfect cholesterol level is ideal for a healthy lifestyle. This can be simply achieved by following a strict diet and exercise regime every day.

If you are a fit individual, without any chronic disorder, you should undergo cholesterol tests once in every 5 years. For people suffering from chronic conditions or for those who have already been suffering from increased levels of blood cholesterol, the frequency of cholesterol tests will be suggested by the doctor. The pathologist will take out a certain amount of blood from the vein and test it for finding the percentage of triglycerides, LDL and HDL present in blood. Before being tested for blood cholesterol levels, one must not consume any solid food for a minimum of 9 to 12 hours; this ensures that the test results obtained are accurate.

A sudden and intense chest pain may, or may not be a sign of heart attack. If such pain does not indicate heart attacks, it is the symptom of angina. Angina is a condition occurring due to stress, fear or exertion. Pain related to angina begins from the chest’s left side and gradually spreads into the neck, left shoulder, throat and jaw. Generally, pain caused by angina subsides if the patient gets proper rest; doctors might also prescribe nitroglycerine for controlling angina. Angina although is not a sign of heart attack, but it increases ones risk of getting a heart attack significantly.

Usually, during the early stage of a heart attack, the affected individual experiences a mild pain accompanied by discomfort. Most of us tend to ignore these signs. Some individuals, on the other hand, experience a feeling of dizziness. Gradually, the pain starts becoming intense and the patient experiences tightness in his chest. Heart attack might also be indicated by signs like sweating, breathing difficulties, lightheadedness and nausea. Some experience heart attacks that are not indicated by any direct symptom like chest pain. Such people might experience secondary symptoms like lightheadedness, sweating, heartburn and nausea.

Individuals experiencing any one or more of the above discussed symptoms should be attended by a doctor immediately. The doctor is the best person for examining the patient’s condition by conducting diagnostic tests like ECG and EKG.

MMP3: MMP3 is a gene that might act as the marker for cardiac disorders. This gene codes for matrix metalloprotease stromelysin proteins; these are proteins classified as matrix metalloproteases. The primary function of this protein type is cleaving the existing proteins. Besides that it is also known for accomplishing several functions in our body; examples include remodeling and maintenance of cardiovascular tissues. In a 2004 study, the researchers indicated that certain varieties of the marker MMP3 possess association with reduced risk of cardiac disorders; some other variants of the gene, on the other hand, are responsible for occurrence of heart diseases. If a genetic screening of the different variants of the MMP3 gene is performed, it can be predicted whether an individual will be the victim of heart disorders in future.

APOE: This gene codes for apolipoprotein E and is regarded as another genetic marker of heart disorders. Apolipoprotein E forms lipoproteins of extremely low density by combining with the lipids present in our bloodstream. These lipoproteins work for regulating the cholesterol levels in bloodstream and an increase in the levels of cholesterol is one of major contributing factors of cardiac disorders. According to experts, APOE can be of 3 varieties, e4, e3 and 32. Patients having the APOE variant called e4 are the ones at maximum risk of suffering from atherosclerosis, a common trigger of heart diseases. Genetic screening might be performed to find out the variant of APOE existing in an individual’s body; this test will allow in knowing how much an individual is at risk of having cardiac disorders.

Interleukin 1: It is a member of the protein family called cytokines; its primary function is regulating inflammation. A study carried out recently has revealed that certain forms of the gene interleukin 1 can be responsible for increasing one’s risk of suffering from heart diseases. The findings from the study suggest that a particular interleukin 1 gene can increase our risk of having heart disease by as much as 4 times.

Oatmeal helps in reducing cholesterol levels:

Oatmeal is rich in soluble dietary fibers. Regular intake of oatmeal helps in reducing the levels of bad cholesterol i.e. LDL in human body. The food also helps in maintaining normal levels of good cholesterol or HDL. Healthy cholesterol levels means healthy heart; when the cholesterol levels of an individual is within the normal range he is less likely to suffer from a stroke or heart attack. It is advisable to take 25-35g oatmeal every day for keeping the heart healthy.

Oatmeal promotes weight loss:

The fiber content in oat meal is high and its fat content is low; this makes oatmeal stay in our digestive tract for longer making you feel full for an extended period of time. Here, oatmeal is acting as a healthy appetite suppressing agent and helps people to lose body weight.  Excess body weight is a risk factor for heart disorders; as oatmeal helps in losing weight it also cuts down one’s risk of having heat disorders by a significant margin.

Oatmeal reduces blood sugar levels:

Diabetes leads to several health complications including heart disorders. Oatmeal can reduce blood sugar levels and help in preventing the complications related to diabetes. Beta-glucans, an agent found in oatmeal works by increasing viscosity of our small intestine and stomach. This makes the process of digestion slower, which in turn reduces the rate of increase in blood sugar levels after having a meal. Slow digestion also increase the time required by our bloodstream for absorbing the carbohydrates. This helps in preventing dramatic rise in blood sugar levels.