Definition
Heart disease is a broad term used for a number of diseases, to describe touch your heart, and in some cases, the blood vessels. The various diseases that are born under the umbrella of heart disease include diseases of the blood vessels, such as coronary heart disease, heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias) and cardiac defects are you with (congenital heart defect).
The term “heart disease” is often synonymous involved with “cardiovascular disease” – a term that refers generally to conditions, the narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke connected. Other heart diseases, such as infections and conditions that your heart muscle, valves or rhythm against forms also affect views of heart disease.
Heart disease is No. 1 worldwide killer of men and women, including in the United States. For example, heart disease is responsible for 40 percent of all deaths in the United States, more than all cancers combined. Many forms of heart disease can be prevented or treated with a healthy lifestyle and diet and exercise.
Symptoms
Heart disease symptoms vary on what kind of heart disease you have ever.
The symptoms of heart disease in your blood vessels (cardiovascular disease)
Cardiovascular disease is caused by narrowed or blocked blood vessels stiffen that it received so your heart, brain or other parts of the body not making enough blood. Cardiovascular disease symptoms may include:
* Chest pain (angina pectoris)
* Shortness of breath
* Pain, numbness, weakness, or coldness in the legs or arms when the blood vessels may be reduced in those parts of the body
They could not be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, until your condition deteriorates to the point that you have a heart attack, chest pain (angina pectoris), stroke, heart failure or sudden cardiac death. It is important for cardiovascular symptoms to observe and discuss any concerns with your doctor. Cardiovascular disease can sometimes be found with regular visit to your doctor.
Heart disease symptoms caused by abnormal heart beats (arrhythmias)
A heart arrhythmia is an abnormal heartbeat. Her heart was beating so fast, too slow or irregular, if you have an arrhythmia. Arrhythmia symptoms may include:
* A flutter in the chest
* Rapid heart beat (tachycardia)
* A slow heartbeat (bradycardia)
* Chest pain
* Shortness of breath
* Dizziness
* Dizziness
* Fainting spells (syncope) or near fainting
Heart disease symptoms caused by heart defects
Serious congenital heart defect – a defect you were born – are usually during the first few hours of clear days, weeks and months of life. Heart Defects Symptoms may include:
* Pale gray or blue skin color (cyanosis)
* Swelling in the legs, belly or areas around the eyes
* Shortness of breath during feeding, leading to poor weight gain
Less serious congenital heart defects often only later in childhood or even adulthood diagnosed. Signs and symptoms of congenital heart defects, and are generally not immediately life-threatening include:
* Easily short of breath during exercise or activity
* Tiring easily during exercise or activity
* Built-up fluid in the heart or lungs
* Swelling of the hands, ankles or feet
Heart disease symptoms by thick heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) causes
Cardiomyopathy is the thickening and stiffening of the heart muscle. In the early stages of cardiomyopathy, you may have no symptoms. As the condition worsens, symptoms of cardiomyopathy include:
* Dyspnea on exertion or even at rest
* Swelling of the legs, ankles and feet
* Flatulence (expansion) of the abdomen with fluid
* Fatigue
* Irregular heart beats, feel that the rapid, pounding or fluttering
* Dizziness, lightheadedness and fainting
Heart disease symptoms caused by infections, heart
There are three types of infections, heart: pericarditis, which affects the tissue around the heart (pericardium), myocarditis, which affects the muscular middle layer of the walls of the heart (myocardium), and endocarditis, which separates the inner membrane, that the impact chambers and valves of the heart (the endocardium). Slightly different with each type of infection, heart infection symptoms may include:
* Fever
* Shortness of breath
* Weakness or tiredness
* Swelling in the legs or abdomen
* Changes in your heart rhythm
* Dry or persistent cough
* Skin rash or unusual places
Heart disease symptoms caused by heart valve disease
The heart has four valves – the aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid valve – the opening and closing direct blood flow through the heart. The valves can leak through a variety of conditions that have been challenged to narrowing (stenosis), (regurgitation or insufficiency) or improper closing (prolapse). Depending on which valve is not working properly, valvular heart disease symptoms in the rule:
* Fatigue
* Shortness of breath
* Irregular heart beat or heart murmur
* Swollen feet or ankles
Chest pain *
* Fainting (syncope)
When the doctor
Are you looking for emergency medical care if you have the symptoms heart disease:
* Chest pain
* Shortness of breath
* Fainting
Heart disease is easier to treat if it is detected early, so your doctor about any concerns you have to talk about your heart health. If you do not have heart disease, but are concerned about the development of heart disease, talk to your doctor about the steps you to reduce your heart disease risk. This is especially true if you have a family history of heart disease.
If you suspect heart disease based on new signs or symptoms you already have, I think you make an appointment to see your doctor.
Causes
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Illustration showing chambers and valves of the heart chambers and heart valves
Illustration shows the development of atherosclerosis development of atherosclerosis
To understand, heart disease, it helps to know how your heart works. Your heart is a pump. It is a muscular organ the size of your fist and is easily accessible from the middle of the chest on the left. Their heart is divided into the right and the left side. The Division protects oxygen-rich blood from mixing with oxygen-poor blood. Oxygen-poor blood “blue blood”, returns to the heart after circulating through your body.
The right side of the heart, along the right atrium and ventricle, collects and pumps blood into the lungs through the pulmonary artery. The lungs replace the blood with a new supply of oxygen, making it red. Oxygen-rich blood then passes into the left side of the heart, consisting of the left atrium and ventricle and is pumped through the aorta, the body is to supply tissues throughout the body with oxygen and nutrients.
Four valves within your heart keep your blood moving in the right way. The tricuspid valve, mitral valve, pulmonary and aortic work like gates to a fence. You only open one way, and only when pressed. Each valve opens and closes once per heartbeat – or about once per second while you are in peace.
A beating heart contraction and relaxation. The contraction is called systole, and relaxation is called diastole. During systole, you force your ventricles contract, blood vessels go into your lungs and body – like ketchup being forced out a spray bottle. The right ventricle contracts a little work before the left ventricle. Your ventricles then relax during diastole and are filled with blood from the upper chambers, the left and right atrium. The cycle then starts over again.
Your heart also has electrical wiring, they keeps playing. Electrical impulses begin high in the right atrium and travel through specialized channels to the chambers and delivers the signal to the pump. The conduction system keeps your heart beating in a coordinated and normal rhythm, which in turn keeps blood circulating. The continuous exchange of oxygen-rich blood with oxygen-poor blood is what keeps you alive.
The causes of heart disease vary depending on the type of heart disease.
Causes of cardiovascular diseases
While cardiovascular disease can refer to many different types of heart or blood vessel problems, the term often used to damage to the heart or blood vessels by atherosclerosis (ath-ur-o-skluh-RO-SIS), an accumulation of middle fatty plaques in arteries. This is a disease that affects your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients you from your heart to the rest of your body. Healthy arteries are flexible and strong.
Over time, however, too much pressure in the arteries, the walls thick and stiff – sometimes restricting blood flow to your organs and tissues. This process is called atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis is the most common form of the disease. Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, and it is caused by an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, obesity and smoking. These are important risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis and, in turn, cardiovascular disease.
Causes of cardiac arrhythmias
Common causes of heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias), or conditions that can lead to heart rhythm problems include:
* Heart defects are born with (congenital heart defect)
* Coronary heart disease
* High blood pressure
* Diabetes
* Smoking
* Excessive consumption of alcohol or caffeine
* Drug Abuse
* Stress
* Some over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, dietary supplements and herbal remedies
* Valvular
In a healthy person with a normal, healthy heart, it is unlikely for a fatal arrhythmias that develop without some outside trigger, like an electric shock or the use of illegal drugs. This is primarily because a healthy person’s heart free of any abnormal conditions that cause arrhythmia, such as an area of scar tissue.
However, in a heart that’s sick or deformed, the heart of the electrical impulses do not start properly, or travel through the heart, making frequent arrhythmias to develop.
Causes of heart defects
Heart disease to develop most, while still a baby in the womb. About a month after conception the heart begins to develop. It is at this point that heart disease can begin to form. Researchers are not sure what causes defects to begin, but they believe that some medical conditions, medications and genetics can play a role.
Causes of cardiomyopathy
The exact cause of cardiomyopathy, a thickening or enlargement of the heart muscle is unknown. There are three types of cardiomyopathy:
* Dilated cardiomyopathy. This is the most common form of cardiomyopathy. In this disorder, so your heart main chamber – the left ventricle – enlarged (dilated), its pumping capacity will be less severe and the blood does not flow as easily through the heart.
* The hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This species includes abnormal growth or thickening of the heart muscle you, especially in the muscle of your heart’s main chamber. When thickening occurs, tends to stiffen the heart and shrink the size of the pump chamber can provide interfering with your heart’s ability to blood to your body.
* Restrictive cardiomyopathy. The heart muscle in patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy becomes rigid and less elastic, which means the heart can not expand properly and fill with blood between heartbeats. It is the least common type of cardiomyopathy and may occur without known cause.
Causes of heart infection
Heart infections such as pericarditis, endocarditis and myocarditis, occur when an irritant, such as bacteria, viruses or chemicals, your heart muscle gets. The most common causes of heart infections include:
* Bacteria. Endocarditis can be caused by a number of bacteria entering your bloodstream. The bacteria can enter your bloodstream through everyday activities like eating or brushing teeth, especially if you have poor oral health. Myocarditis can also be a tick-borne bacteria that are responsible for causing Lyme disease.
* Viruses. Heart infections can be caused by viruses, including some that influenza causes (Coxsackie B and adenoviruses), called a rash Fifth disease (human parvovirus B19), gastro-intestinal infections (echo virus), mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr virus) and measles (rubella). Viruses with sexually transmitted infections can also travel to the heart muscle and cause an infection.
* Parasites. Among the parasites that are heart-infection Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma can, and some that are transmitted by insects and can lead to a condition called Chagas disease.
* Drugs that cause an allergic or toxic reactions. These include antibiotics such as penicillin and sulfonamide drugs, and some banned substances such as cocaine. The needles used to administer medications or illegal drugs can also viruses or bacteria that cause infections can transmit heart.
* Other diseases. These include lupus, and connective tissue disorders, inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis), and rare inflammatory diseases such as Wegener’s granulomatosis.
Causes of heart valve diseases diseases
There are many causes of diseases of the heart valves. Four valves within your heart keep blood flowing in the right direction. You can with heart valve disease, or the valves may be born damaged, infections (infectious endocarditis), connective tissue disease through such conditions as rheumatic fever, and certain medications or radiation therapy for cancer.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for heart disease are:
* Your age. Simply increasing the risk of damaged older thickened and narrowed arteries and the heart muscle is weakened or which contribute to heart disease.
* Your sex. Men are generally at greater risk for heart disease. But increases the risk of a woman after the menopause.
* Family history. A family history of heart disease increases the risk of coronary heart disease, particularly if one parent has developed at an early age (55 years ago for a male relative, like your brother or father and 65 for female relatives, like your mother or sister).
* Smoking. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, and carbon monoxide can damage its lining, so that they more susceptible to atherosclerosis. Heart attacks are more common in smokers than in nonsmokers.
* Poor nutrition. A diet high in fat, salt and cholesterol can contribute to the development of heart disease.
* High blood pressure. Uncontrolled hypertension can result in hardening and thickening of the arteries, narrowing of the vessels through which blood can flow.
* High cholesterol levels in the blood. High concentrations of cholesterol in your blood may increase the risk of the formation of plaques and atherosclerosis. Plaques can be characterized by a high degree of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) “bad” cholesterol, or low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) caused a “good” cholesterol known known.
* Diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease. Both conditions have similar risk factors as obesity and hypertension.
* Obesity. Overweight typically worsens other risk factors.
* Physical inactivity. Lack of exercise is also with many forms of heart disease and some of their other risk factors, such as well-connected.
* High stress. Unrelieved stress in your life can damage the arteries and worsen other risk factors for heart disease.
* Poor hygiene. Do not regularly wash your hands and other habits to prevent, viral or bacterial infections can make the risk of heart infections, especially if you already have an underlying heart disease. The researchers also believe poor dental health can contribute to heart disease. Germs on teeth and gums can travel from your mouth and heart, possibly worsening coronary artery disease.
Complications
One of the most common complications of heart disease is heart failure.
* Heart failure. Heart failure occurs when your heart does not pump enough blood to meet your body needs. Over time, the heart can no longer keep up with the normal demands placed on them. The chambers can be stiff and not fill properly between beats. Nor can weaken the heart muscle and the heart chambers stretch (dilation) to the point that the heart can not efficiently pump blood through your body. Heart failure can result from many forms of heart disease, including heart disease, cardiovascular disease, heart valve diseases, heart infections or cardiomyopathy.
Other complications of heart disease include:
* Heart attack. Coronary heart disease can cause a heart attack. Heart attacks usually occur when a blood clot blocks the blood flow through a coronary artery – a blood vessel that feeds blood, part of the heart muscle. Interrupted blood flow to the heart can damage or destruction of part of the heart muscle.
* Stroke. Cardiovascular disease may lead to ischemic stroke, which, if the narrowed arteries to your brain or not enough blood gets blocked and your brain happens. A stroke is a medical emergency – brain tissue begins to die within minutes of a stroke.
* Aneurysm. Cardiovascular disease can also cause aneurysms, a serious complication that can occur anywhere in your body. An aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of the artery. If an aneurysm bursts, you can face life-threatening internal bleeding. Although this is possible is usually a sudden, catastrophic event, a leak is. If a blood clot in an aneurysm displaced, it can block an artery elsewhere.
* Peripheral arterial occlusive disease. The same atherosclerosis that can lead to coronary heart disease, may also lead to peripheral arterial occlusive disease. If you develop peripheral arterial disease (PAD), get to keep the extremities – usually the legs were not enough – blood flow with demand. This leads to symptoms, especially leg pain when walking (claudication).
* Sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest is the sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness. Sudden cardiac arrest usually results from an electrical disturbance in your heart that disrupts its pumping action, causing blood to stop flowing to the rest of your body. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs almost always in the context of other underlying heart disease, especially coronary heart disease. Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. If not treated immediately, it is fatal in sudden cardiac death.
Preparing for your appointment
Some types of heart disease, is able to find a date – for example, if a child is born with serious heart defects, it will soon be recognized after birth. In other cases, your heart disease are diagnosed in an emergency situation, such as a heart attack.
If you think you may have heart disease or are concerned about your risk for heart disease because of a strong family history, make an appointment with your doctor. If heart disease is detected early, your treatment can easily and effectively. Finally, it can sometimes be related to a heart specialist (cardiologist).
Because appointments can be brief, and because it often cover much ground, it is a good idea to be prepared for your appointment. Here is some information to help you, ready for your appointment, and what they expect from your doctor.
What can you do
* Pay attention to pre-appointment restrictions. In the time that you make the appointment, to be sure to ask whether there is anything you need in advance, not, as you restrict your diet. For a cholesterol test, for example, you can quickly have for a certain period in advance.
* You can write down all the symptoms you experience, including any that seem unrelated to coronary heart disease.
* Write down key personal information, including a family history of heart disease, stroke, explains, high blood pressure or diabetes, and any major changes or life so far.
* Make a list of all medications and any vitamins or supplements that you take.
* A family member or friend to take, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to fill up all the information you during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you can, something that you missed, or remember your password.
* Are ready to discuss your diet and exercise habits. If you are not a diet or exercise routine, be ready with your doctor about any challenges you might be talking in the face “First Steps.
* Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions to help you make the most of your time together. List Your questions are most important to least important in case time runs out. For heart disease, some basic questions are ask your doctor:
* What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
* What are other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
* What kinds of tests do I need?
* What is the best approach?
* What foods should I eat or avoid?
* What is a reasonable level of physical activity?
* How often should I be tested for heart disease? For example, knows how often I need a cholesterol test?
* What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you do?
* I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
* Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
* I want a specialist? What will it cost and will my insurance cover seeing a specialist? (You may need to ask your insurance directly for information about coverage.)
* Is there an alternative to the generic drug you prescribe are to me?
* Are there any brochures or other printed materials that I can take home with me? Which websites do you recommend visiting?
* In addition to the questions asked have you prepared your doctor, do not hesitate to questions during your appointment at any time that you do not ask to know something.
What do you expect from your doctor
Your doctor will probably ask a series of questions. Willing to be, they answer might be going to the time on all the items you want to spend more time reserve. Your doctor may ask:
* When did you first experience symptoms?
* Have your symptoms been continuous, or occasional services?
* How strong are your symptoms?
* What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
* What, if anything, seems to worsen your symptoms?
What can you do in the meantime
There is never too early to change to healthy lifestyle, how to make smoking, eat healthy foods and more and more physically active. These are primary lines of defense against heart disease and its complications, including heart attack and stroke.
Tests and diagnosis
The tests you need your heart disease diagnosed depend on what condition your doctor thinks you might have. No matter what kind of heart disease you have, your doctor will probably lead a physical examination and ask your personal and family medical history before any other tests. Diagnostic tests for heart disease may include:
* Blood tests. You may have to decrease your blood and tested for substances that show in your blood, that you might be heart disease. Your doctor may check your levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, blood cells or other blood tests show that it could damage your heart.
* Chest X-ray. An image is created through the line X-rays on his chest and positioning a large piece of photographic film or a digital recording plate against your back. The X-ray machine produces a small burst of radiation that passes through your body and draw a picture on the film or digital plate. A chest X-ray shows a picture of your heart, lungs and blood vessels. He can tell if your heart is enlarged, a sign of some forms of heart disease.
* Electrocardiogram (ECG). In this non-invasive tests, a technician probes on your chest space, recording the electrical impulses that make your heart beat faster. An ECG records these electrical signals and can help your doctor detect irregularities in your heart rhythm and structure. You may have an EKG while at rest, you or during exercise (exercise ECG).
* Holter monitoring. A Holter monitor is a portable device that you wear to a continuous ECG recording, usually for 24-72 hours. Holter monitoring is used for occasional irregular heartbeat irregularities, which are in a regular audit to identify ECG found.
*
Echocardiogram. These non-invasive investigation, which includes an ultrasound scan of the chest shows detailed images of your heart’s structure and function. Ultrasound waves are transmitted, and their echoes with a device called a transducer that recorded place outside of the body. A computer uses the information to create moving images from the converter on a video monitor.
In some cases where the images of a regular echocardiogram are unclear, your doctor may recommend transesophageal ultrasound. During this test, you swallow a tube with a small sensor, about the size of the index finger that is held in the neck. The transducer is to transfer images from your heart to a computer monitor.
* Cardiac catheterization. In this test, a short tube (sheath) in a vein or artery in the leg (groin inserted) or arm. A hollow, flexible and longer tube (guide catheter) is then inserted into the vagina. With the help of X-ray images on a monitor, your doctor threads the guide catheter through the artery until it is reached your heart. The pressure in your heart chambers can be measured, and dye can be injected. The dye on an X-ray, which helps your doctor, you see the blood flow can be seen through the heart to check the blood vessels and valves for abnormalities.
* Heart biopsy. Sometimes, a heart biopsy will be performed as part of cardiac catheterization, especially if your doctor suspects you have inflammation of the heart muscle and not in a position to confirm that, with other tests. In a heart biopsy is a tiny sample of your heart tissue is removed through the catheter and is sent to a laboratory for testing.
* Cardiac computed tomography (CT). This test is often used to check for heart failure or heart rhythm disturbances. In a cardiac CT scan, you lie on a table in a donut-shaped machine. An X-ray tube inside the machine rotates around your body, and collects images of the heart and chest. Some may advertise walk-in clinics heart scans for calcium deposits in the arteries that show, look to the risk of a heart attack can. However, these scans are not recommended for most people because the information they provide is often not useful.
* Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In cardiac MRI, you lie on a table in a long tube machine, which generates a magnetic field. The magnetic field aligns atomic particles in certain your cells. When radio waves are broadcast on these aligned particles, they produce signals that are different depending on the type of tissue it. Images of your heart are created from these signals that your doctor will help determine the cause of your heart disease look.
Treatment and medication
Heart disease treatments vary. You may need lifestyle changes, medication, surgery or other medical procedures as part of your treatment.
Treatments for cardiovascular diseases
The goal in the treatment of diseases of the arteries (cardiovascular disease) is often the case that narrows your arteries open cause symptoms. Depending on how serious the blockages in the arteries, treatment may include:
* Changes in lifestyle.