Heart disease

Editor-In-Chief: Prab R Tumpati, MD
Obesity, Sleep & Internal medicine
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Heart disease refers to a range of diseases affecting the heart. Different forms of heart diseases manifest through varying symptoms, causes, and treatment approaches.

Types of Heart Diseases

Heart disease encompasses several conditions:

Coronary heart disease: Occurs due to the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the arteries supplying the myocardium. Ischaemic heart disease: Characterized by reduced blood supply to the heart. Cardiovascular disease: Encompasses conditions affecting the heart and/or blood vessels. Notable diseases under this umbrella include diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Pulmonary heart disease: Involves failure of the heart's right side. Hereditary heart disease Hypertensive heart disease Inflammatory heart disease

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Coronary artery disease is a result of plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, primarily composed of cholesterol deposits. This buildup, also known as atherosclerosis, narrows the arteries over time.

This narrowing can reduce blood flow, leading to symptoms like angina, which is chest pain or discomfort. Angina is the most frequent manifestation of CAD. Progressed CAD can cause heart muscle weakening, potentially leading to heart failure or irregular heart rhythms, known as arrhythmias.

Heart Attack Signs and Symptoms

Notable symptoms of a heart attack include:

Jaw, neck, or back pain or discomfort. A sensation of weakness, light-headedness, or faintness. Chest pain. Arm or shoulder pain or discomfort. Breathing difficulties. Uncommon symptoms can involve unusual fatigue, nausea, or vomiting. Notably, these are more frequent in women.

Emergency Procedure: If these symptoms manifest, immediately call 9-1-1. Prompt emergency room visits can prevent or minimize heart muscle damage. CPR or defibrillation might be required in some instances, and early treatment increases survival chances.

Diagnosing CAD

For CAD risk assessment, health professionals might evaluate blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels. Risk factors include being overweight, inactive lifestyle, poor diet, and smoking. Family history also plays a pivotal role.

Tests for CAD

Standard tests for diagnosing CAD are:

Test

Function ECD or EKG (electrocardiogram) Assesses the electrical activity and rhythm of the heart. Echocardiogram Uses ultrasound to visualize the heart. Exercise stress test Evaluates heart rate during treadmill walking, gauging heart performance under strain. Chest X-ray Provides imagery of the chest's organs. Cardiac catheterization Investigates artery blockages using a thin tube inserted through an artery. Also measures heart blood pressure and evaluates chamber blood flow. Coronary angiogram Checks coronary artery blood flow and blockages using X-rays after dye injection via cardiac catheterization. } Heart Disease Facts With heart disease, arterial plaque buildup narrows arteries, impeding or blocking blood flow. Plaques can rupture, causing blood clots, further obstructing blood flow. Heart Disease in the United States Statistical insights: Heart disease accounts for about 610,000 deaths annually in the U.S., constituting 1 in every 4 deaths. Predominantly affecting both genders, heart disease led to over half of its 2009 casualties among men.1 Coronary heart disease (CHD) is predominant, causing over 370,000 deaths yearly. Approximately 735,000 Americans experience a heart attack annually, with 525,000 being their first and 210,000 being recurrent. Reducing Your Risk for CAD For those with CAD, the following risk reduction measures are advised: Lifestyle modifications, encompassing a healthier diet, enhanced physical activity, and abstaining from smoking. Medications for addressing CAD risk factors like high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, arrhythmias, and low blood flow. Surgeries to restore heart blood flow. See also Glossary of heart disease Health Topics > A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z View All Health Topics in one page! | Health Encyclopedia | Index of health articles Professions:Medicine | Nursing | Pharmacy | Healthcare science | Dentistry | Allied health professions | Healthcare Medicine - Specialties and subspecialties Surgery Cardiac surgery - Cardiothoracic surgery - Colorectal surgery - Ophthalmology - General surgery - Neurosurgery - Oral and maxillofacial surgery - Orthopedic surgery - Hand surgery - Otolaryngology - ENT - Pediatric surgery - Plastic surgery - Reproductive surgery - Surgical oncology - Transplant surgery - Trauma surgery - Urology - Andrology - Vascular surgery Medicine Internal medicine - Allergy / Immunology - Angiology - Cardiology - Endocrinology - Gastroenterology - Hepatology - Geriatrics - Hematology - Hospital medicine - Infectious disease - Nephrology - Oncology - Pulmonology - Rheumatology Obstetrics and gynaecology Gynaecology - Gynecologic oncology - Maternal–fetal medicine - Obstetrics - Reproductive endocrinology and infertility - Urogynecology Diagnostic Radiology - Interventional radiology - Nuclear medicine - Pathology - Anatomical - Clinical pathology - Clinical chemistry - Cytopathology - Medical microbiology - Transfusion medicine Other specialties Addiction medicine - Adolescent medicine - Anesthesiology - Dermatology - Disaster medicine - Diving medicine - Emergency medicine - Family medicine - General practice - Hospital medicine - Intensive care medicine - Medical genetics - Narcology - Neurology - Clinical neurophysiology - Occupational medicine - Ophthalmology - Oral medicine - Pain management - Palliative care - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) - Preventive medicine - Psychiatry -Addiction psychiatry - Radiation oncology - Reproductive medicine - Sexual medicine - Sleep medicine - Sports medicine - Transplantation medicine - Tropical medicine - Travel medicine - Venereology Medical education Medical school - USMLE - Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - Bachelor of Medical Sciences - Doctor of Medicine - Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine - Alternative medicine - Allied health - Dentistry - Podiatry - Pharmacy - Physiotherapy - Molecular oncology - Nanomedicine - Personalized medicine - Public health - Rural health - Therapy - Traditional medicine - Veterinary medicine - Physician - Chief physician - History of medicine Misc. topics Health topics A-Z - Rare diseases - Drugs - Diet - Medicine portal - First Aid - Glossary of medicine - Health insurance - Glossary of health topics - Drug classes - Medicines - Dentistry portal - Pharmacology and Medications-Medications portal - Pharmacology portal - Psychiatry portal