Here’s a head-scratcher: What’s INOCA? And no, it’s not the name of the latest trending K-pop band!
INOCA stands for Ischemia with No Obstructive Coronary Arteries, a mouthful of a term for a heart condition that doesn’t get enough attention.
This complex name basically describes a situation where the heart isn’t getting the blood it needs, but the usual suspects – blocked coronary arteries – aren’t to blame.
The Invisible Culprit
Doctors are trained like Sherlock Holmes in the world of cardiology, sleuthing out blockages in our blood vessels that can cause heart disease.
But INOCA plays an unfair game of hide and seek. Its symptoms, including chest discomfort and breathlessness, can make life difficult but aren’t caused by the standard blockages doctors usually look for.
This makes INOCA the invisible culprit often missed in diagnosing heart problems.
Life with the Invisible Culprit
Living with INOCA is like trying to enjoy a party while carrying a heavy backpack.
It can affect almost every part of a person’s life, from mental health to social interactions and even romantic relationships. It’s like a nagging party pooper that doesn’t let you enjoy life fully.
The INOCA Survey: A Deep Dive into Hidden Misery
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai decided to dive into the world of INOCA, surveying over 1,500 members of the INOCA International patient support group.
They compared the participants’ lives before and after the sneaky INOCA symptoms started to show up.
They found some startling statistics. About 75% of people either had to cut their work hours or stop working entirely because of INOCA.
Almost half had to retire early, while over a third had to apply for disability. Quite a few had to switch jobs or roles, taking a pay cut in the process.
Imagine trying to do simple tasks like household chores or dressing up, and feeling like you’ve just run a marathon. That’s how INOCA can affect a person’s life, reducing their ability to do even the simplest tasks.
The Struggle for Diagnosis: Lost in the Medical Maze
Now, this might sound shocking, but nearly half of the patients surveyed had been living with INOCA symptoms for up to a decade before being diagnosed! More than half of them had visited doctors at least three times before their diagnosis.
Many were told that their heart wasn’t the problem, and instead, their symptoms were related to other issues like reflux. Some were even referred to a psychiatrist, and almost half of them were prescribed antidepressants!
It’s like wandering in a medical maze where you know something is wrong, but you just can’t find the right path to a diagnosis.
After being diagnosed with INOCA, most people had to visit at least three cardiologists for treatment. Less than a third of the respondents had undergone the proper testing needed to decide the best treatment.
INOCA: The Invisible, But Common Enemy
You might be wondering, how common is INOCA? Well, it’s more common than you think! At least 2 in every 5 patients with chest pain have nonobstructive coronary arteries.
This makes INOCA a silent but widespread issue that needs more attention and understanding.
Other Allies in the Battle for Heart Health
If you care about your heart health, don’t forget to check out other research about potential heart helpers.
For example, studies suggest that apple juice could give your heart health a boost, and yogurt may help lower the risk of heart disease.
You might also want to read about the links between Vitamin D deficiency and increased heart disease risk, or how Vitamin K2 could help in reducing heart disease risk.
This important study on INOCA was led by Martha Gulati and her team, and published in the International Journal of Cardiology.
It’s a key step in raising awareness about this often overlooked, but impactful heart condition.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and scientists find how COVID-19 damages the heart.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about Aspirin linked to higher risk of heart failure, and results showing this drug could reduce heart disease, fatty liver, obesity.
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