Mayanja died of heart failure
Nov 09, 2005
VETERAN politician Abubaker Kakyama Mayanja has died of heart failure after collapsing during the Iddi prayers. Like all victims of heart failure, he collapsed suddenly leaving everybody shocked.
By Herbert Mugarura
VETERAN politician Abubaker Kakyama Mayanja has died of heart failure after collapsing during the Iddi prayers. Like all victims of heart failure, he collapsed suddenly leaving everybody shocked.
What is this heart failure that takes people without warning? Can we avoid it?
Heart failure is usually a disease of the elderly. About 1% of people under 65 get it. It increases to about 7% among the 75-84 years and 15% in the 85 and above.
It is the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the body’s metabolic demands, that is, delivering oxygen to the body’s cells. It may be sudden but, in many people, signs will have shown that you are at risk.
Women tend to experience shortness of breath, unlike men whose primary symptom is chest pain.
A person with left side heart failure experiences difficulties in breathing, wheezing while asleep and may cough blood stained sputum. In right-sided heart failure the feet, legs and ankles may begin to swell (pitting oedema). The oedema may spread to the lungs, liver, and stomach.
It results in fluid overload to the kidneys, which necessitates passing urine more frequently at night. As heart failure progresses, the heart becomes weaker and symptoms begin with shortness of breath and swelling of neck veins. The patient finds it difficult to lie flat on the bed, and feels tired, weak and unable to perform physical activities. There is chest pain, indigestion and loss of appetite.
The noticeable weight gain is from excess fluid. The skin may be cold due to sweating, pulse is fast or irregular, the patient becomes restless, confused, and may experience loss of memory.
People around should immediately take the patient to a doctor.
It is important to keep the same doctor who should know your past medical history. Depending on the type of heart failure, the patient’s age, the severity of the underlying heart disease and other factors, treatment ranges from medication for coronary artery disease to surgical correction of heart defects. Unfortunately for Mayanja, heart transplant is limited by a shortage of donor hearts and is generally reserved for patients younger than 65.
A person whose heart is already weak, is on chemotherapy for cancer or who has congestive heart failure due to prior heart attacks (ischemic cardiomyopathy) must start treatment for possible high blood pressure, valvular diseases and other likely underlying diseases like diabetes, lung diseases, hyperthyroidism and chronic kidney diseases.
The patient needs to be evaluated for blockages in the arteries.
Lifestyle changes are recommended.
All behaviours associated with heart disease or heart attack such as smoking, overweight, meals containing high levels of fats and cholesterol, alcohol, smoking and lack of exercise have to be addressed.
Such ailments are many and may include severe anaemia (due to lose of blood or infections), abnormal heart beats (arrhythmia or dysrhythmia), sleeping sickness, beriberi, coronary heart disease, diphtheria, exfoliative dermatitis, rabies and severe reaction to drugs like aspirin.
People above 40 and those born with structural heart defects should, therefore, take regular check-ups to determine the condition of their heart and vessels as well as the risk-triggering diseases.
Practise healthy lifestyle, eat a low-fat and low salt diet, control blood pressure, maintain a normal body weight and a low cholesterol level, exercise regularly, and do not smoke, do not take unprescribed drugs and avoid alcohol.
The author is a medical doctor
mugarrajk@doctor.com
077444526
VETERAN politician Abubaker Kakyama Mayanja has died of heart failure after collapsing during the Iddi prayers. Like all victims of heart failure, he collapsed suddenly leaving everybody shocked.
What is this heart failure that takes people without warning? Can we avoid it?
Heart failure is usually a disease of the elderly. About 1% of people under 65 get it. It increases to about 7% among the 75-84 years and 15% in the 85 and above.
It is the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the body’s metabolic demands, that is, delivering oxygen to the body’s cells. It may be sudden but, in many people, signs will have shown that you are at risk.
Women tend to experience shortness of breath, unlike men whose primary symptom is chest pain.
A person with left side heart failure experiences difficulties in breathing, wheezing while asleep and may cough blood stained sputum. In right-sided heart failure the feet, legs and ankles may begin to swell (pitting oedema). The oedema may spread to the lungs, liver, and stomach.
It results in fluid overload to the kidneys, which necessitates passing urine more frequently at night. As heart failure progresses, the heart becomes weaker and symptoms begin with shortness of breath and swelling of neck veins. The patient finds it difficult to lie flat on the bed, and feels tired, weak and unable to perform physical activities. There is chest pain, indigestion and loss of appetite.
The noticeable weight gain is from excess fluid. The skin may be cold due to sweating, pulse is fast or irregular, the patient becomes restless, confused, and may experience loss of memory.
People around should immediately take the patient to a doctor.
It is important to keep the same doctor who should know your past medical history. Depending on the type of heart failure, the patient’s age, the severity of the underlying heart disease and other factors, treatment ranges from medication for coronary artery disease to surgical correction of heart defects. Unfortunately for Mayanja, heart transplant is limited by a shortage of donor hearts and is generally reserved for patients younger than 65.
A person whose heart is already weak, is on chemotherapy for cancer or who has congestive heart failure due to prior heart attacks (ischemic cardiomyopathy) must start treatment for possible high blood pressure, valvular diseases and other likely underlying diseases like diabetes, lung diseases, hyperthyroidism and chronic kidney diseases.
The patient needs to be evaluated for blockages in the arteries.
Lifestyle changes are recommended.
All behaviours associated with heart disease or heart attack such as smoking, overweight, meals containing high levels of fats and cholesterol, alcohol, smoking and lack of exercise have to be addressed.
Such ailments are many and may include severe anaemia (due to lose of blood or infections), abnormal heart beats (arrhythmia or dysrhythmia), sleeping sickness, beriberi, coronary heart disease, diphtheria, exfoliative dermatitis, rabies and severe reaction to drugs like aspirin.
People above 40 and those born with structural heart defects should, therefore, take regular check-ups to determine the condition of their heart and vessels as well as the risk-triggering diseases.
Practise healthy lifestyle, eat a low-fat and low salt diet, control blood pressure, maintain a normal body weight and a low cholesterol level, exercise regularly, and do not smoke, do not take unprescribed drugs and avoid alcohol.
The author is a medical doctor
mugarrajk@doctor.com
077444526