Cardiac fibrosis is a disease characterized by accelerated collagen production and proliferation of connective tissue due to inflammation. This pathology leads to the fact that the tissues become denser and scars form in them.
What are the reasons for its occurrence? What are the symptoms? How is fibrosis diagnosed, what methods to treat it? Read about in the article.
Causes
In general cases, these include chronic diseases and inflammatory processes. Less commonly, the disease occurs after radiation exposure, trauma, severe allergic reactions, infections, and weakened immunity.
However, if we talk about the causes of heart fibrosis (what it is - indicated above), it should be noted that in this case, the main provoking factor is myocardial infarction, as well as age-related changes in the body.
But here everything is ambiguous. If, for example, a person is diagnosed with aortic fibrosis, then it is likely that injuries, infectious diseases and allergies have led to this. When it turns out that the cusps of the mitral valve are affected, then, most likely, the prerequisites in this case are rheumatic processes. They adversely affect connective tissue.
Therefore, each case must be considered separately.
Forms of the disease
Focal fibrosis of the heart is a limited process. The initial stage of pathology, in other words. If treatment is not started on time, then it will go into the diffuse stage. It is characterized by a large amount of damaged tissue.
The last stage is cystic fibrosis. A separate serious disease that affects the metabolism, and also often leads to the appearance of cysts. They are also known to threaten human life and health.
Aortic valve leaflet fibrosis
A discussion of this pathology should begin. Fibrosis of the valves of the heart valves in this case affects the main artery of the human body - the aorta. It is she who carries out the movement of blood in a large circle of blood circulation.
When this pathology occurs, the wall thickness of one or more valves increases. They cease to be smooth, elastic and thin, which affects their functioning. The tissue grows, the number of capillaries inside it decreases. She begins to receive much less nutrients. As a result, some of the valve cells die. And fibrous tissue forms. The more it is, the more pronounced is the violation of the valve. He ceases to close tightly. A certain part of the blood leaving the ventricle seeps back into the atrium, due to which it stretches.
Also, with this pathology, the valve opening may narrow. This is fraught with the formation of stenosis.
Background and symptoms
Continuing to talk about such a pathology as fibrosis of the aortic valve of the heart, it is necessary to mention why it appears. The reasons most often are as follows:
- Myocardial infarction.
- Infectious diseases of the connective tissues.
- Heart defects.
- Disturbances in the work of the lungs.
- Excessive physical activity that is incompatible with the state of human health.
- Alcohol or nicotine addiction.
- The absence of a regime or its constant violation.
- Chronic stress
- Taking medication without medical supervision.
- Chronic calcium deficiency.
- Constantly elevated blood cholesterol.
- Genetic predisposition.
The following symptoms indicate the presence of heart valve fibrosis:
- Dyspnea, manifested even with minor physical exertion and even after eating.
- Reduced performance.
- Pallor and lethargy.
- Unreasonable weight loss.
- Severity or sensitive pain in the chest area.
- Heart palpitations.
- Swelling of the extremities.
- Dizziness, most often occurring in the morning.
- Noise in ears.
It is necessary to make a reservation that this disease in the early stages practically does not manifest itself. An uncritical condition may be accompanied by mild symptoms. As a rule, patients do not pay attention to this. But how then to detect pathology at an early stage? To do this, you need to undergo a general examination at least once a year.
Diagnostics
Based on the foregoing, we can understand what fibrosis of the heart is. This is a pathology that practically does not manifest itself in the early stages, and is subsequently accompanied by symptoms common to this disease, regardless of its type.
Therefore, diagnostic methods are used universal. At the first stage, each patient must pass general clinical tests of urine, blood, and also pass an ECG. However, with their help, it is possible to detect only an ischemic or inflammatory process in the myocardium. To make an accurate diagnosis, the following instrumental methods are necessary:
- Ultrasound of the heart. This is the most reliable way, due to which the degree of narrowing or valve insufficiency is revealed. It also allows you to evaluate the contractile function of the myocardium and the amount of blood that enters the aorta during systole.
- Roentgenography. Using this method, it is possible to detect myocardial hypertrophy as a reaction to congestion in the lungs, heart overload, as well as calcium deposits on the valves.
- MRI and KT. These methods are resorted to if there is a need for differential diagnosis. Or just before the operation.
Using the above diagnostic measures, it is possible to determine not only how strongly developed fibrosis of the heart. They help to detect inflammatory processes and viral infections in the body. This is important, because they complicate the course of fibrosis, and therefore they must be taken into account when prescribing therapy and treated.
Fibrosis of the aortic root
This is one of the most common types of this pathology. There are some features that distinguish it from other heart fibrosis.
Pathological aortic root is the reason why the patient's respiratory function is impaired. Blood is simply not enriched with oxygen. Therefore, for many, the skin becomes pale, shortness of breath appears, and the lips turn blue.
Due to the fact that the pumping function of the heart is reduced, blood vessels are overloaded . This is fraught with overflow of organs with venous blood. As a result, blood pressure rises in arterioles and venules, and pathological changes occur.
Over time, heaviness begins to be felt on the right side of the body, swelling appears, contractile function of the myocardium weakens, and heart failure progresses. However, all types of pathologies are fraught with such consequences - be it fibrosis of the interventricular septum of the heart or the aortic root. To avoid them, it is necessary to treat the disease. Otherwise, the heart will lose compensatory opportunities.
Cardiac fibrosis of the heart - what is it?
This is also necessary to tell. Cervical fibrosis is a pathology of the interventricular septum, and is quite common. This destructive condition is diagnosed in children under the age of three years.
It manifests itself in the formation of a message between the left and right ventricles of the heart even at the stage of fetal development. This leads to hemodynamic acute disorders. According to statistics, this anomaly occurs in 17-42% of cases as an independent isolated disease.
It manifests itself with all of the above symptoms - fatigue, shortness of breath, atrial fibrillation. But besides this, children also have a lag in physical development.
A very serious pathology is fibrosis of MJP of the heart. What kind of disease is already clear. But it should also be noted that it is often accompanied by pathologies of extracardiac localization. It can be Down syndrome, all kinds of kidney dysfunctions, etc.
The factors that provoke the formation of this pathology, which can have a particularly strong effect in the first 8 weeks, include:
- Viral lesions.
- Pathogenic bacterial microflora.
- Parotitis.
- Pathology of the endocrine system.
- Drug and alcohol intoxication.
- Radiation ionizing radiation.
- An acute shortage of trace elements and vitamins in the diet of a pregnant woman.
- Pronounced toxicosis.
- The risk of spontaneous abortion.
- Taking hormonal drugs.
Also, fibrosis of the heart of this species may have a genetic etiology of occurrence. In such cases, the mutation is combined with abnormalities in the development of the limbs and musculoskeletal system.
Deviations in fibrosis of the breast
Hemodynamic intracardiac disorders begin to manifest themselves 3-5 days after the baby is born.
Diagnosis at such an early age is very difficult. There are no extraneous noises in the heart, since blood pressure is proportional in both ventricular regions.
This effect has a name - neonatal pulmonary hypertension. Over time, the pressure begins to drop. Then the gradient necessary for the diagnosis is created. And blood begins to circulate from the area of high pressure to the low zone (from left to right).
Due to its injection through the pathological channel, which occurs under pressure, hypertrophy of the walls of the ventricular cavity occurs. Then the main artery, which connects the heart to the lungs, expands.
Pressure is growing rapidly, there is a reflex spasm of the lung tissue. Due to the blood discharge of a liquid depleted in oxygen, hypoxia occurs in all muscle tissues and organs. The result is oxygen starvation.
Diagnosis of fibrosis of the breast
You can not tell about her. Suspicion of fibrosis of the septum of the heart can be identified during the examination of the baby by a cardiologist. If a specialist detects even the slightest symptoms when listening to a muscle organ, he prescribes additional diagnostics with instrumental tools.
Thanks to this, it will be possible to avoid complications in the future. Today, the diagnosis of any dysfunction or pathology is carried out comprehensively, using ultrasound and x-ray equipment. Two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography, angiocardiography, etc. can be prescribed.
High-quality diagnostics will help to form an objective and holistic clinical picture, as well as clarify all the hidden nuances of the pathological process.
Since the fibrosis of the septum of the heart in infants is detected at an early stage, it is often possible to refrain from surgery. But dynamic monitoring of the child’s condition is necessary. In rare cases, a defective shunt closes spontaneously, this happens between 1 and 4 years.
In other situations, conservative therapy or surgical correction is indicated.
Pathology of the heart folds
Another common type of disease. Fibrosis of the heart valves (more precisely, the mitral valve) is a pathology that occurs as a result of rheumatic processes or infections. What is it characterized by? Sealed sash of the mitral valve. As a result of fibrosis, it loses its elasticity. Often scars form on the valves.
With this pathology, the valve loses its ability to open the hole located between the ventricle and the atrium, and then close it.
If you do not start treating this condition in time, diffuse myocardial fibrosis or coronary blood supply insufficiency may occur.
Symptoms are the same as in the case of pathologies of other types. What about the diagnosis? In this case, a more effective method than an ultrasound scan performed for cardiac fibrosis is two-dimensional echocardiography.
This procedure allows you to study the mitral valve in the projection of the transverse and longitudinal sections. A two-dimensional image makes it possible to evaluate the changes that have occurred in the valve structure, to detect regurgitation, and also to calculate the pressure in the pulmonary artery.
Also, with fibrosis of the heart valves, radiography is mandatory. The resulting image shows the congestive roots of the lungs and pleural lines along the costal and interlobar pleura.
Treatment
Every person who cares about the topic in question is interested in whether fibrosis originating from the left ventricle of the heart can be cured.
In the event that the pathology is not formed clearly enough to lead to regurgitation or stenosis, therapy is not required. It is only necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, observe the regimen, avoid stressful situations, and also regularly observed by a cardiologist and conduct an echocardioscopy.
However, in the presence of arterial hypertension, myocardial ischemia, atrial fibrillation, etc., it will be necessary to select therapy according to the nature of the disease.
In the event that cardiac fibrosis is already accompanied by all of the above symptoms, or even failure has occurred, you will need to take glycosides and diuretics. As a rule, "Digoxin" (dosed at 0.25 mg) is prescribed in half a tablet twice a day. The course lasts 5 days. Of the diuretics prescribed "Indapamide", which should be taken at 2.5 or 1.5 mg in the morning.
If the pathology is strongly expressed, then the treatment of heart fibrosis is not complete without Veroshpiron (50 or 25 mg), Furosemide (20-80 mg) and Diuvere (5 or 10 mg). All of these drugs should be taken in the morning.
Surgical intervention
It is necessary if the patient is diagnosed with significant fibrosis of the heart. Because pathology of this level leads to stenosis of the valve ring of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th degree.
As a rule, in these cases, patients are referred for a valve replacement surgery or surgical dissection of adhesions, which is also called commissurotomy.
Such procedures are carried out differently in our time. They can operate on an open heart using a heart-lung machine. Or apply intravascular access, through the peripheral large arteries, which include the femoral, inguinal, etc.
As a rule, they use modern mechanical prostheses made of synthetic materials. Slightly less used are biological ones made of wild boar valves.
In the event that a valve leaflet insufficiency is formed in a patient with heart fibrosis, surgical plastic surgery is performed with suturing on the leaflets that do not close. Or perform prosthetics.
Forecast and consequences
It is necessary to tell about this in the end. Unfortunately, it rarely happens that with fibrosis of the heart there are no consequences. They arise sooner or later. How high the likelihood of their occurrence depends on the reason why it was originally formed.
So, the formation of heart defects is much more common than failure or stenosis. Atherosclerosis of the aortic walls with calcium deposits leads to non-rheumatic defect. So it’s impossible to accurately predict what the consequences will be.
And complications, in turn, determine the prognosis. If fibrosis is not accompanied by regurgitation or stenosis, then it will be favorable. But in the presence of hemodynamically significant defects, the human condition will not be the best.
If an operation is indicated, the forecast will depend on the timeliness of its implementation. In the case of a successful surgical intervention, a person's life expectancy is increased, and its quality is significantly improved.
Patient Memo
Every person faced with fibrosis of any kind, form and stage must understand: in order to maintain the quality of life, and also to avoid deterioration, he will have to adjust his lifestyle and habits.
You will need to abandon alcohol and nicotine, completely exclude coffee, strong tea, cocoa and energy from your diet. They need to be replaced with decoctions of herbs that positively affect immunity.
You will also have to carefully monitor your health. Infection must not be allowed into the body! They negatively affect the condition of the body, and also weaken the immune defense.
For the same reason, in spring and winter it will be necessary to take additional mineral and vitamin complexes. This is necessary in order to increase the body's resistance to harmful bacteria and viruses. What complexes will need to be drunk, the doctor will tell the patient after the examination.
And finally, a person needs to avoid overstrain, stress and physical overload. And if he gets an infectious or viral disease, he will urgently need to see a therapist. It is important to clarify the presence of fibrosis - a specialist must take this fact into account when prescribing treatment.