Heart Disease refers to any disease that affects the heart. The heart is a major organ composed of mainly muscle and blood vessels that pumps blood all over the body. Because the heart is a vital organ heart disease is many times injurious to the overall health and well being of the affected person. Heart disease has been a well established cause of death in many western countries and is said to be the leading cause of death in the United States.

Coronary heart disease is the most widespread form of the disease and has been estimated to be responsible for up to 70% of deaths annually. Research that has been carried out on diseases of the heart have deduced that lowering bad cholesterol and decreasing blood pressure can significantly lessen the likelihood of developing heart disease. The types of heart disease include: ischaemic heart disease, coronary heart disease, valvular heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory heart disease and heart failure. For most or all types of heart disease medical intervention, emergency treatment and lifestyle changes are important.

Heart disease may be asymptomatic meaning an individual can be affected with any of these conditions and not know. It is therefore important for people over the age of 40 to visit a medical practitioner no less than once per year. Early diagnosis of any heart condition will generally improve the prognosis of the disease.

Ischaemic Heart Disease

Ischaemic Heart disease (IHD) or myocardial ischaemia is frequently induced by coronary artery disease and results in a noticeable reduction in the blood supply to the heart muscle. It may display symptoms such as angina pectoris (chest pain) and decreased ability to perform moderate exercise. Electrocardiogram, blood tests (cardiac markers), cardiac stress testing or coronary angiogram are often used to diagnose this condition. The treatment used will be based on the associated symptoms and general risk factors. The probability of developing IHD is increased with advanced age, smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, hypertension, a family history of the disease and is usually much more likely to affect men.

Signs and Symptoms

  • Angina Pectoris or Chest Pains (chest pain that is brought about from physical activity, cold weather conditions and emotional distress).
  • Severe Chest Pains (caused by acute coronary syndrome, unstable angina, heart attack or myocardial infarction.)
  • Heart Failure (symptoms may include shortness of breath or difficulty breathing and oedema; swelling of the legs.)

Treatment

The treatment used will be in relation to the severity of the disease. Antianginal drugs may be used to reduce the rate and intensity of angina attacks in instances of stable IHD. Acute coronary syndrome is treated with the essential form of emergency care which will include, thrombolysis (medication to breakdown clots), percutaneous coronary intervention (an angioplasty performed with or without stent intersection) and coronary angiography.

Treatment may address reducing certain risk factors that may contribute to the disease’s progression. Controlling blood pressure, eliminating smoking, lowering cholesterol levels with drugs (often statins), managing diabetes effectively and exercising are a few of the changes that may be recommended.

Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) refers to the condition which gradually narrows the artery and blood vessels that feed the heart with blood and oxygen. This results from a accumulation of plaque which is composed of calcium, fatty material and scar tissue in the vessels. Once this occurs the heart is not provided with enough blood to carry out normal functioning. An individual afflicted by this condition will likely experience symptoms of angina pectoris or chest pain. If the blood flow becomes occluded by plaque this may lead to myocardial infarction (heart attack) or in more serious cases cardiac arrest.

Risk Factors

  • Hypertension or High Blood Pressure
  • Menopause
  • Obesity or being significantly overweight
  • Diabetes
  • Smoking
  • Being 40 years or older.
  • A family history of the disease which may indicate genetic predisposition
  • High levels of bad cholesterol/ low levels of good cholesterol
  • High stress levels
  • Insufficient physical activity

Once diagnosed with this condition it is necessary to follow treatment guidelines and visit a doctor fairly regularly.

Valvular Heart Disease

Valvular heart disease is specific to any disease that affects one or more valves of the heart. Valvular heart disease may occur because of a congenital factor (being born with the condition) or it may be acquired over the course of a lifetime. Treatment will includes the use of medication if it is not overly severe or valve repair or replacement with an artificial valve. Diseases that are often related to this kind of disease are: Ebstein’s anomaly which affects the tricuspid valve, tertalogy of Fallot (a congenital defect) and heart valve dysplasia which is an error that manifests during the development of the heart valves in utero. Rheumatic fever may also cause valvular heart disease and occurs as a result of specific autoimmune conditions such as Libman-sack enocarditis and hypereosinophilic syndrome, bacterial infection and cancer (marantic endocarditis). Some medications specifically pergolide and cabergoline have been discovered to have a connection with the development of the disease.

Hypertensive Heart Disease

Hypertensive heat disease is any heart disease that that manifests as a result of hypertension or high blood pressure. It may often progress into the possible development of left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiac arrhythmias, coronary heart disease, hypertensive congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy

signs and symptoms

  • Fatigue or Extreme Tiredness
  • Oedema: swelling of the feet and ankles
  • Bloating
  • Inability to sleep on the back without elevating the head
  • Irregular pulse rate
  • Excessive and unidentified weigh gain
  • Shortness of breath or noticeable difficulty breathing
  • Frequent urination at night

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a disease that is characterized by mark deterioration of the myocardium (heart muscles) for multiple reasons. Persons who are afflicted with this condition are at an increased risk of arrhythmia (which may cause irregular heart beat and or more seriously cardiac arrest) or sudden cardiac death. Treatment will depend on the type of cardiomyopathy detected. It may include the administering of medication, ventricular assist device, implanting a pacemaker, using a defibrillator or ablation. The treatment is executed to alleviate the symptoms of the disease but a heart transplant may be critical when the overall degeneration of the heart prevents proper functioning.

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease refers to diseases that affect the heart or blood vessels (arteries or veins). It is often associated with atherosclerosis (arterial disease) though the term apparently suggests any disease affecting the cardiovascular system. This type of disease is becoming more prevalent and is considered to kill more people than cancer. Because many heart conditions may be asymptomatic it is important to practice preventive measures to reduce the overall risk of developing a heart related conditon. Doing some amount of physical activity or exercise, maintaining a nutritious diet and eliminating smoking can lower the risks of developing cardiovascular disease. The prognosis for this disease is usually decent if treatment and lifestyle modifications are applied.

Inflammatory heart disease

Inflammatory heart disease occurs when the heart and surrounding tissues become inflamed. Conditions related to this disease include: myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), Endocarditis (inflammation of the internal layers of the heart) and inflammatory cardiomegaly.

Heart Failure or Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure occurs when the the heart is unable to provide sufficient blood to fulfil the body’s needs. It may exhibit multiple symptoms including: decreased ability to carry out physical activities, shortness of breath, or swollen ankles. It may be treated with surgical intervention, maintaining some lifestyle changes and or with medication. It is a lethal disease that has a mortality rate.