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Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Korea. Among them, myocardial infarction is a major cause of sudden death that causes sudden, severe pain without any symptoms, and causes death in one third of patients before arriving at the hospital. Kim Gwang-hwi, a specialist in occupational and environmental medicine at the KMI Gwanghwamun Center, said, “In the case of an adult male, if symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath are accompanied by symptoms, they must first go to the hospital for treatment. It is high, so thorough management is important.”
Q What tests are used to diagnose cardiac abnormalities?
A “The basics are an electrocardiogram. The heart transmits electrical signals into the heart to pump blood, and an electrocardiogram is a graph of these electrical signals. As a result of the examination, the most common disease is an arrhythmia in which the heart rate and intensity are not constant. In addition, myocardial ischemia, in which the blood vessels connected to the heart are blocked or narrowed, preventing proper supply of nutrients and oxygen to the heart muscle, and furthermore, myocardial infarction, in which the heart muscle is damaged. If abnormalities are found, additional tests such as echocardiography and cardiovascular angiography are performed to confirm the diagnosis.”
Q Why is blood pressure testing important?
A “The blood pressure measured when the heart pumps blood is the systolic blood pressure, and the blood pressure measured when the heart is relaxing is the diastolic blood pressure. The normal value is 120/80 mmHg and the high blood pressure standard is 140/90 mmHg. Blood pressure is regulated by the elasticity of blood vessels, and when blood vessels thicken due to arteriosclerosis, the elasticity decreases and blood pressure rises. And if such a high blood pressure state continues, the heart has to work harder in the process of blood entering and leaving the heart, which inevitably leads to thickening and damage to the heart. If the myocardium thickens and the size of the heart continues for a long time, it can lead to heart failure, in which the heart does not function properly. In severe cases, it can even lead to kidney failure.”
Q What are the complications of hypertension?
A “Among the scenes that often appear in dramas, there is an actor holding the back of his neck and falling down. In this case, the probability of a cerebral hemorrhage is high. When blood pressure rises instantaneously, blood vessels in the brain burst. It is not a direct cause of high blood pressure, but rather a symptom of blood vessel damage caused by high blood pressure. Conversely, high blood pressure causes the blood vessels to gradually thicken and block the blood vessels, leading to a cerebral infarction in which the brain tissue cannot function properly.”
Q How to measure blood pressure?
A “There are three main types: 24-hour active blood pressure, home blood pressure, and office blood pressure. The most accurate method is to wear a 24-hour blood pressure measuring machine and measure blood pressure at regular intervals. In the case of blood pressure in the office, the patient is nervous in an unfamiliar environment, so blood pressure often rises higher than usual.”
※You can watch more detailed information about metabolic syndrome on the YouTube channel of the Korea Meteorological Administration.
Weekly Donga No. 1346 (p59~59)