Welcome to the first in the series Heart Smart Talk. In upcoming weeks, we will be looking at different aspects of heart disease as well as specific heart conditions. We welcome your questions and will try to address them in the series.

THE heart is an essential organ without which our bodies cannot function. Whereas our bodies can function while brain dead, or with one kidney or one lung, the body cannot function without the heart. It is therefore the most important organ in our body, and should be treated with the utmost care and respect.

The heart is a muscular pump and its main function is to pump blood around the body. The left side of the heart receives blood from the lungs that is now filled with oxygen, and then pumps it to all of the body’s organs.

Blood has essential nutrients and oxygen that are needed for all the body’s organs to function properly. When our organs have used up all the oxygen and nutrients in blood, the blood that has no oxygen is returned to the right side of the heart. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs, so that it can get oxygen and then the cycle repeats itself. The entire cycle takes a few seconds, pumping four to six litres of blood with each cycle.

HEART DISEASE

Heart disease occurs whenever any of the components of the heart is damaged and is unable to perform its proper function. Heart disease may be congenital or acquired.

Congenital heart disease includes defects that are a consequence of abnormal formation of the heart during the foetal stages. These diseases are therefore usually manifested early, either in newborn or childhood stages. Rarely do they become apparent for the first time in later life, like the second or third decade. These are usually managed by a paediatric cardiologist, who sees people with heart disease from birth to age 18, and sometimes beyond.

Acquired heart disease includes any condition that is a consequence of lifestyle, such as coronary heart disease, hypertensive heart disease. In the Jamaican population, hypertensive heart disease is one of the most common acquired heart diseases, stemming from poor control of hypertension. Hypertension often produces no symptoms, while silently causing heart damage, kidney damage, eye damage, hence its moniker the silent killer.

Find out about the symptoms to look for in next week’s installment.

Dr Claudine Lewis is an adult cardiologist and medical director atHeart Smart Centre. She is also a cardiologist at the Cornwall RegionalHospital and an associate lecturer with the University of the WestIndies. Questions may be sent to questions@heartsmartcentre.com