Heart disease is a general term for a wide variety of diseases and conditions that affect the function of the heart.
What is going on in the body?
The main job of the heart is to pump blood to the rest of the body. The primary concern with most heart conditions is how much they affect the heart's ability to pump blood. When people use the term heart disease, they are often referring to atherosclerosis, or blocked arteries. Blocked heart arteries cause coronary artery disease, or CAD. In turn, coronary artery disease can lead to:
Chest pain in the form of stable angina or unstable angina
Congestive heart failure, in which the heart fails to pump enough blood to supply body tissues
Heart attacks
Irregular heartbeats or arrhythmias
But heart disease can also refer to many other conditions. This is important for people to remember when they see or hear the term heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death.
What are the causes and risks of the disease?
There are many causes of heart disease. Atherosclerosis, or Blocking of the arteries, is partly or fully responsible for many diseases that affect the heart, including: Congestive heart failure, a condition in which a weakened heart is unable to pump enough blood throughout the body.
Heart attacks, also called myocardial infarctions. Irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia Stable angina or unstable angina, conditions in which chest pain occurs when the heart doesn't receive enough oxygen.
Factors that increase a person's risk of developing atherosclerosis include:
Diabetes
Excess weight and obesity
Family history of atherosclerosis or coronary artery disease
High blood pressure
High cholesterol levels
Increasing age
Lack of exercise
Smoking
High blood pressure can cause heart disease even when arteries are not blocked. The increased blood pressure can cause heart enlargement, called hypertrophy, and congestive heart failure. It also increases the risk of clogged arteries, which can further damage the heart.
Congenital heart disease, which means heart disease that is present at birth, can result in a heart that has an abnormal structure or function i.e. artrial septal defect and or ventricular septal defect. Heart valve conditions, such as pulmonary stenosis may be present at birth.
Other causes of heart disease include:
Autoimmune disorders, in which the body is attacked by its own immune system
Heart valve infections, known as endocarditis, which can damage the valves and cause conditions such as aortic regurgitation or mitral stenosis
Infections of the heart muscle, known as myocarditis
Infection of the lining around the heart, a condition called bacterial pericarditis
Kidney failure, which can cause pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining around the heart. Kidney failure may also cause an abnormal collection of fluid around the heart, called pericardial effusion.
Toxins, such as alcohol and some chemotherapy medicines used to treat cancer. Both of these can cause a condition called cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle.
What are the signs and symptoms of the disease?
Symptoms depend on the cause, severity, and type of heart disease. Common signs and symptoms in heart disease include:
Chest pain or abdominal distress
Cough.
Cyanosis or a bluish discoloration of the skin
Enlarged veins in the neck
Fainting or passing out
Loss of appetite and weight loss
Palpitations or an unusual awareness of the heartbeat
Shortness of breath
Swelling in the legs
Weakness and fatigue
How is the disease diagnosed?
Heart disease is often suspected after a medical history is taken and a physical exam is performed. Further tests may be done to determine the type, severity, and cause of the heart condition. These may include:
Chest X-ray
Echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to view the beating heart
Electrocardiogram, or EKG, which shows the electrical activity of the heart
Stress EKG tests, in which the person either walks on a treadmill or receives a medicine while the effects on the heart are examined with an EKG or imaging test.
Blood and urine tests
CT Angio, a special study in which a contrast agent is injected through the vein and CT is done at the time when the contrast agent passes through the coronary arteries.
Coronary Angiography is a minimally invasive procedure to access coronary circulation and blood filled chambers of the heart using cardiac catheter and a special X-ray done with a contrast agent to look at the heart and its blood supply.
What can be done to prevent the disease?
Prevention of heart disease is related to its cause. Heart disease caused by atherosclerosis can be prevented by not smoking and by controlling high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol. Avoidance of alcohol could prevent cases due to this cause. Maintaining a healthy body weight, including physical activity in everyday life, and eating a diet designed to minimize heart disease can help decrease heart disease risk.
What are the long-term effects of the disease?
Long-term effects depend on the type, severity, and cause of heart disease. Heart attacks and congestive heart failure are common causes of death. Heart infections may go away completely after treatment and have no long-term effects.
What are the risks to others?
Heart disease is not contagious. Some inherited causes of heart disease can be passed on to one's children. If the underlying cause is an infection, the infection may be contagious.
