Medical Diagnostic System

Medical Diagnostic System

We are very proud to present the quality software that will analyze the Heart Diseases and their cause and remedy.We mainly dealt in thorough research on the heart as well as DNA. Medical Diagnostic system for heart diseases is an expert system built using Java and its supporting tools. The purpose of the project development is mainly helping the people who want to gain knowledge aboutthe cause of Heart Attack and willing to know about the remedy of it without any doctor’sassistance upto an certain extent.

Project Overview

The human heart holds a special place among bodily organs, a romanticized symbol of love, courage and compassion. But its functions in the body are as practical as they are necessary. Located in the center of the chest (but tipped to the left), this pump sends blood circulating throughout our body, ensuring that oxygen and nutrients are brought to organs and tissues and that harmful wastes are carried away.

Your heart may be only slightly larger than your fist but it's one tough muscle. The average heart expands and contracts about 100,000 times each day, pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood throughout the body.

Pump it upthe heart is a muscular pump with four chambers. The two upper ones are called atria and the two thicker, lower ones are called ventricles. The left atrium and ventricle are separated from the right atrium and ventricle by a muscular wall known as the septum.

Your heart also has four valves, located at the exit of each chamber. When a chamber contracts, the valve at its exit opens so that blood can flow through. At the end of the contraction, the valve closes so that blood doesn't flow backwards.

Several large blood vessels connect to the heart:

• The aorta carries oxygenated blood to the entire body from the left ventricle.The main artery that receives blood from the left side of the heart and circulate it through the rest of the body. The blood in aorta is rich in oxygen and will appear bright red.

• The pulmonary artery leaves the right ventricle and branches to carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs. This artery carries blood from right side of the heart to the lungs for oxygenation. As the blood passes through small blood vessels in the lungs, it will take up oxygen.

• The pulmonary veins carry newly oxygenated blood back from the lungs to the left atrium.

• The superior vena cava carries used blood from the head and arms into the right atrium.

• The inferior vena cava brings used blood from the legs, pelvis and abdomen into the right atrium.

Heart Attack Symptoms and Warning Signs

A blockage in the heart's arteries may reduce or completely cut off the blood supply to a portion of the heart. This can cause a blood clot to form and totally stop blood flow in a coronary artery, resulting in a heart attack (also called an acute myocardial infarction or MI).

Irreversible injury to the heart muscle usually occurs if medical help is not received promptly. Unfortunately, it is common for people to dismiss heart attack symptoms.

The American Heart Association and other medical experts say the body likely will send one or more of these warning signals of a heart attack:

• Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes.
• Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms. The pain may be mild to intense. It may feel like pressure, tightness, burning, or heavy weight. It may be located in the chest, upper abdomen, neck, jaw, or inside the arms or shoulders.
• Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.
• Anxiety, nervousness and/or cold, sweaty skin.
• Paleness or pallor.
• Increased or irregular heart rate.
• Feeling of impending doom.

Not all of these signs occur in every attack. Sometimes they go away and return. If some occur, get help fast. IF YOU NOTICE ONE OR MORE OF THESE SIGNS IN YOURSELF OR OTHERS, DON'T WAIT. CALL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (9-1-1) RIGHT AWAY!

A doctor who has studied the results of several tests must make the actual diagnosis of a heart attack. The doctor may:

• Review the patient's complete medical history.
• Give a physical examination.
• Use an electrocardiogram (or EKG) to discover any abnormalities caused by damage to the heart.
• Use a blood test to detect abnormal levels of certain enzymes in the bloodstream.

What does heart-related chest pain feel like?

If you suffer chest pain, particularly while exercising, you will almost certainly wonder whether it might be heart-related - and well you should. Heart muscle pain - angina - is likely to be the first warning of blocked coronary arteries, the cause of most heart attacks.

While there are no infallible guidelines about whether a chest pain is heart-related, it generally takes a particular form. Heart discomfort is rarely a sharp, stabbing pain. Angina is a feeling of heaviness, pressure, tightness or aching in the chest, usually accompanied by shortness of breath. The pain generally goes away when you stop exerting yourself, and it frequently isn't especially severe, which is, perhaps, unfortunate.

Even a heart attack may not be unbearably painful at first, permitting its victim to delay seeking treatment for as much as four to six hours after its onset. By then, the heart may have suffered irreversible damage. It is not unknown for patients to drive themselves to emergency rooms with what proved to be very serious and even fatal heart attacks.

Angina is protest from the heart muscle that it isn't getting enough oxygen because of diminished blood supply. A heart attack is simply the most extreme state of oxygen deprivation, in which whole regions of heart muscle cells begin to die for lack of oxygen. If the blockage in the arteries serving the heart muscle can be cleared quickly enough - within the first few hours of the onset of the attack - the permanent damage can be held to a minimum.

That's why it is so vital to seek medical attention quickly if you feel the sort of pressing pain or heaviness described above. There is a 90 percent probability that pain of this type is angina. And even if it goes away, the artery blockages that caused it are still there and will grow progressively worse.

Ignoring this sort of pain because it is not unbearable or because it goes away is the worst thing you can do. It is the only warning you are likely to get of a potentially lethal condition. Heed it! Consult a cardiologist immediately.

You can have a heart attack without knowing it

These so-called "silent heart attacks," however, are only the most extreme case of a still more prevalent condition called "silent ischemia" - a chronic shortage of oxygen - and nutrient-bearing blood to a portion of the heart. Both conditions put their victims at significant risk.

The cause of ischemia, silent or otherwise, is almost always atherosclerosis - the progressive narrowing of the heart's arteries from accumulations of cholesterol plaque. In most instances, this reduction in blood supply generates a protest from the heart - the crushing pain called angina. But in perhaps 25 to 30 percent of heart attack victims, there were no previous symptoms of these gradually developing blockages.

The heart has a built-in reserve capacity, allowing it to suffer a certain amount of scarring and weakening from a heart attack and continue to meet the body's needs. But further ischemia or another heart attack, even mild to moderate one, may prove fatal because that reserve capacity is no longer there. Even those who survive another heart attack are at increased risk of becoming cardiac cripples, disabled by congestive heart failure or arrhythmias heartbeat irregularities.

There is no way of predicting absolutely who is a candidate for silent ischemia, but statistically, the greater the number of risk factors for coronary artery disease that you have, the more likely you are to be a candidate. Those risk factors include some you can't control - your age, sex and genetic predisposition to atherosclerosis - and those you can influence, like diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.

Major risk factors for coronary artery disease are:
1. Smoking
2. High cholesterol level
3. High blood pressure
4. Diabetes mellitus
5. Family history

Exercises increase the demand on circulatory system and condition it in the long run to work more efficiently. Walking, light jogging, swimming or cycling for 30 to 40 minutes at least three times per week is recommended.

Heart disease could be silent in the early stage. It may be worthwhile to undergo routine physical examination and stress test, especially if you are above 45.

Prudent and healthy lifestyles are important preventive measures. Regular exercise, keeping optimal body weight, good balanced diet and stress reduction are important.

Overview of Main Causes of Heart Attack

Congenital Heart Disease

An abnormality of cardiac structure and function that develops during gestation and is presentat birth.

Causes, incidence, and risk factorsCongenital heart disease (CHD) is a broad term that can describe a number of different abnormalities affecting the heart. Congenital heart disease is, by definition, present at birth although its effects may not be obvious immediately. In some cases, such as coarctation of the aorta, it may not present itself for many years and a few lesions such as a small Ventricular septal defect (VSD) may never cause any problems and are compatible with normal physical activity and a normal life span.
According to the American Heart Association, there are approximately 35,000 babies born each year with a congenital heart defect. Children born with congenital birth defects die more often in the first year of life than children with any other birth defect There has been significant improvement in the risk of dying from congenital heart surgery, from approximately 30% in the 1960’s and 1970’s to approximately 5% today.
Congenital heart disease is often divided into two types: those with cyanosis (blue discoloration caused by a relative lack of oxygen) and those without cyanosis. The following lists cover the most common (but not all) of the congenital heart lesions:
Cyanotic:
1. Tetralogy of Fallot
2. Transposition of the great vessels
3. Tricuspid atresia
4. Total anomalous venous return
5. Truncus arteriosus
6. Hypoplastic left heart
Non-cyanotic:

1. VSD
2. Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)

3. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
4. Aortic stenosis
5. Pulmonic stenosis
6. Coarctation of the aorta

These abnormalities may occur as single lesions or in combinations. VSD is the most commonly diagnosed congenital heart defect (about one third of all CHD) and is seen almost three times as often as ASD and PDA which are the next most common.

Drugs, chemicals, and infections during pregnancy may also produce congenital heart abnormalities. Fetal rubella, maternal alcohol use (fetal alcohol syndrome), and retinoic acid (for acne) are examples of infections, chemicals, and drugs that cause congenital heart disease.
Prevention

Prevention is the major priority and the preventative strategies need to start at an early age when lifestyle habits and healthy behaviors can be reinforced. The focus is on anti-smoking, a healthy diet and a physically active lifestyle. It is never too late to reduce the risk of CHD.

Avoid the use of alcohol and other drugs during pregnancy. Physicians should be made aware that a woman is pregnant before prescribing for any medications for her. The immune status for rubella should evaluated early in the pregnancy. If the mother is not immune she must avoid any possible exposure to rubella and should be immunized immediately following delivery.

There may be some hereditary factors that play a role in congenital heart disease It is rare for more than one child in a family to have a congenital heart defect, but it has occurred. Experts believe that some prescription and over the counter medications, street drugs, and alcohol during pregnancy increase the risk of heart defects.There is however, no definitive cause that can be identified to date for most congenital heart defects. Congenital heart disease continues to be investigated and researched.

Aortic Aneurysm

Mild forms of a thoracic aortic aneurysm, especially in those who cannot tolerate major surgery for health reasons, are treated with heart and blood pressure medications. These individuals are watched closely and sent for surgery only if needed.

Surgery is the treatment of choice if the aneurysm is bigger than 5 to 6 centimeters, or roughly 2 inches wide. Surgery involves replacing the abnormal part of the aorta with an artificial graft. In some cases, one of the heart valves may also need to be repaired or replaced. The decision to perform surgery partly depends on the underlying cause of the condition. The risks and benefits of surgery should be discussed with the surgeon. Treatment is tailored to the needs of each person.

If the aneurysm ruptures, most people die within a few minutes. Those who survive are generally taken quickly to surgery to prevent death.

What are the side effects of the treatments?

All medications have possible side effects including allergic reactions. Specific side effects depend on the medications used.

Surgery is associated with a risk of bleeding, infections, and death. Paralysis, life-threatening blood clots, and allergic reactions to anesthesia are also possible.

What happens after treatment for the disease?

A person with a thoracic aortic aneurysm that is being treated only with medications needs regular office visits to follow the condition. Any new or worsening symptoms should be reported to the healthcare provider immediately.

If surgery is done, a period of recovery is required. The surgery is a major operation associated with many risks, but it is done to prevent death. After recovery, the person will be closely observed for leakage from the artificial graft.

How is the disease monitored?

After surgery, a person will need to see the healthcare provider for regular visits. Someone who is treated only with medications will often have repeated special x-ray tests to watch for an increase in aneurysm size.

Angina

Controlling existing “risk factors” should attack the underlying coronary artery disease that causes angina. These include high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, high blood cholesterol levels, and excess weight. If the doctor has prescribed a drug to lower blood pressure, it should be taken as directed. Advice is available on how to eat to control weight, blood cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. A physician can also help patients to stop smoking. Taking these steps reduces the likelihood that coronary artery disease will lead to a heart attack.

Most people with angina learn to adjust their lives to minimize episodes of angina, by taking sensible precautions and using medications if necessary.

Usually the first line of defense involves changing one's living habits to avoid bringing on attacks of angina. Controlling physical activity, adopting good eating habits, moderating alcohol consumption, and not smoking are some of the precautions that can help patients live more comfortably and with less angina. For example, if angina comes on with strenuous exercise, exercise a little less strenuously, but do exercise. If angina occurs after heavy meals, avoid large meals and rich foods that leave one feeling stuffed. Controlling weight, reducing the amount of fat in the diet, and avoiding emotional upsets may also help.

Drugs often control angina. The most commonly prescribed drug for angina is nitroglycerin, which relieves pain by widening blood vessels. This allows more blood to flow to the heart muscle and also decreases the workload of the heart. Nitroglycerin is taken when discomfort occurs or is expected. Doctors frequently prescribe other drugs, to be taken regularly, that reduce the heart's workload. Beta-blockers slow the heart rate and lessen the force of the heart muscle contraction. Calcium channel blockers are also effective in reducing the frequency and severity of angina attacks.

What if medication fails to control angina?

Doctors may recommend surgery or angioplasty if drugs fail to ease angina or if the risk of heart attack is high. Coronary artery bypass surgery is an operation in which a blood vessel is grafted onto the blocked artery to bypass the blocked or diseased section so that blood can get to the heart muscle. An artery from inside the chest (an "internal mammary" graft) or long vein from the leg (a "saphenous vein" graft) may be used.

Balloon angioplasty involves inserting a catheter with a tiny balloon at the end into a forearm or groin artery. The balloon is inflated briefly to open the vessel in places where the artery is narrowed. Other catheter techniques are also being developed for opening narrowed coronary arteries, including laser and mechanical devices applied by means of catheters.