What Is Heart Disease
Heart disease refers to
conditions that involve the heart, its vessels, muscles, valves, or internal
electric pathways responsible for muscular contraction. Common heart disease
conditions include:
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Coronary artery disease
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Heart failure
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Cardiomyopathy
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Heart valve disease
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Arrhythmias
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What Is a Heart Attack?
When a coronary artery
becomes blocked (usually by a blood clot), an area of heart tissue loses its
blood supply. This reduction of blood can quickly damage and/or kill heart
tissue, so quick treatments in an emergency department and/or catheterization suite
are necessary to reduce the loss of heart tissue. Loss of heart tissue due to a
blockage can cause symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness,
and even death. Quick treatments have reduced the number of deaths from heart
attacks in recent years; however, about 610,000 people die from heart disease
in the US each year (1 in every 4 deaths) according to the CDC.
Heart Attack Symptoms
·
Chest pain (may spread
to the back, neck, arms and/or jaw)
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Dizziness
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Nausea, vomiting
·
Rapid or irregular
heartbeats
·
Shortness of breath
·
Some people may exhibit
anxiety, indigestion and/or heartburn (some women may
Heart Attack Symptoms in Women
Although
some women present with symptoms of chest pain, a large number of women will
not present with chest pain. Instead, women commonly have a different set of
heart attack symptoms.
Know These Heart Attack Symptoms
·
Arrhythmias
·
Cough
·
Heartburn
·
Loss of appetite
·
Malaise
Such
symptoms in women cause delays in diagnosis if the symptoms are not considered
as possible signs of heart disease. Delays in diagnosis can cause further
damage to heart tissue or even death.
Coronary Artery Disease Symptoms
Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when plaque, a sticky
substance, narrows or partially obstructs coronary arteries (like sticky
material stopping up a straw) and can result in reduced blood flow. This
reduced blood flow may cause chest pain (angina), a warning sign of potential
heart problems such as a heart attack. Plaque may also trap small blood clots,
completely blocking a coronary artery suddenly, resulting in a heart attaHow Plaque, Blood Clots can Cause Heart Attack
Plaque
can occur in coronary and other arteries (for example, carotid arteries). Some
plaque may be hard or firm on the outside, but soft and mushy or sticky on the
inside. If the hard shell-like area cracks open, blood components like
platelets and small blood clots form a large clot and effectively block blood
flow through the artery. The heart tissue downstream from the clot then suffers
from lack of blood and becomes damaged or dies.
ck.
Heart Attack Symptoms? Call 9-1-1
If you or an individual develop symptoms of a heart attack, do not
delay getting medical help. Call 911 or have someone call for you. Do not drive
yourself or others to a hospital as 911 emergency medical services (EMS)
personnel can begin basic treatment immediately. Delaying care can result in
increased heSudden Cardiac Arrest
A
heart attack can cause other abnormalities besides blocking blood flow. For
example, sudden cardiac death may occur when the heart’s electrical signals
become erratic (arrhythmias). When the heart tissue that is responsible for
regular electrical stimulus of heart muscle contractions is damaged, the heart
stops effectively pumping blood. Death usually occurs in a few minutes after
the heart stops pumping blood. Consequently, rapid coronary pulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) and a restoration of the organized electrical activity
(usually done by electric shock with a defibrillator) may restore effective
pumping of blood. This can be lifesaving for some individuals.
art damage or death.
Erratic Heart Beat (Arrhythmia)
Patients
who notice that their heartbeats are abnormally fast, slow, or irregular may be
experiencing irregular electrical impulses termed arrhythmias. They may also
have symptoms of weakness, shortness of breath, and anxiety. Arrhythmias can
alter, slow or even stop the heart’s ability to pump blood. Consequently,
individuals with arrhythmias should seek emergency medical care especially if
the arrhythmia is persistent or causes any symptoms related to heart attack
symptoms such as chest pain.
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy
is a condition indicated by abnormal heart muscle. Abnormal muscles make it
harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Main Types of Cardiomyopathy
·
Dilated (stretched and thinned muscle)
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Hypertrophic (thickened heart muscle)
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Restrictive (rare problem where the heart muscle does not stretch
normally so the chambers do not fill with blood properly)
Signs and Symptoms of Cardiomyopathy
·
Shortness of breath
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Fatigue
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Swelling of the feet, ankles and/or legs
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Coughing when lying down
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Dizziness
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Chest pain
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Irregular heartbeats
Heart Failure
Heart
failure (also termed congestive heart failure) means the pumping action of the
heart cannot meet the body’s demand for blood; it does not mean that the heart
fails to pump - it does mean a failure in an aspect of the heart’s ability to
complete an otherwise normal function. The symptoms and signs are almost
identical to those seen with cardiomyopathy.
Congenital Heart Defect
A
congenital heart defect is a defect in the development of the heart as an organ
that is usually first noticed at birth although some are not found until
adulthood. There are many types of congenital heart defects and a few need no
treatment, but others may need surgical repair. The American Heart Association
lists at least 18 distinct types of congenital heart defects - many of them
have additional anatomical variations.
Congenital heart defects put those patients at higher risk to
develop arrhythmias, heart failure, heart valve infections, and other problems.
A cardiologist (often a pediatric cardiologist) needs to be consulted on how to
treat these defects. Recent advances have allowed surgeons to rHeart Disease Testing: EKG (Electrocardiogram)
The
heart's electrical activity can be seen with an EKG (also termed ECG or
electrocardiogram). EKGs are tests that provide important information to the
physician about the heart rhythm, damage to the heart, or a heart attack, and
may provide several other important pieces of information or clues to the
patient's condition. In addition, EKGs can be compared to past and future EKGs
to see changes in the heart’s electrical activity over time or after
treatments.
epair many of these defects so
that the patient can go on to develop normally.
Heart Disease Testing: Stress Test
A stress test measures the ability of a person's heart to respond to the body's demand for more blood during stress (exercise or work). A continual measurement of the heart's electrical activity (a continual EKG or rhythm strip) is recorded along with the heart rate and blood pressure as a person's stress (exercise) is gradually increased on a treadmill. The information helps to show how well the heart responds to the body's demands and may provide information to help diagnose and treat problems. It can also be used to see the effects of treatment on the heart. Heart
Disease Testing: Holter Monitor
Many
people have intermittent symptoms such as intermittent chest pain or occasional
feelings of their heart beating faster or irregularly. However, their EKG does
not show any changes. To detect these intermittent changes, a device called a
Holter monitor can be worn for several days to record the hearts’ electrical
function.
A Holter monitor is similar to a stress test, but it is worn for 1
or 2 days and provides a continual EKG-like recording of the heart's electrical
activity during those days. Most doctors will ask the patient to keep a logbook
of the time they do certain activities (for example, walking a mile starting at
7:20 Heart Disease Testing: Chest X-ray
Chest
x-rays can provide limited information about the heart’s condition. Chest
X-rays are used to provide the doctor with a view of both the heart and lungs
to help determine if any abnormalities are present. These two X-rays show a
relatively normal heart on the left. In the right X-ray, an enlarged heart
(mainly the left ventricle) is easily seen and suggests the heart's main
pumping chamber is not functioning normally. In addition, x-rays may show fluid
accumulation in the lungs, possibly from heart failure
AM and ending at 7:40 AM) and
list any symptoms (for example, "experienced shortness of breath or rapid
irregular heartbeats at 7:35 AM"). The Holter monitor's recordings can
then be examined based on when certain symptoms occurred.
Heart Disease Testing: Echocardiogram
An
echocardiogram is a real-time moving picture of a functioning heart made by
using sound waves (ultrasound) to generate images. Echocardiograms use the same
noninvasive technology used to examine the fetus during pregnancy. It can show
how well heart chambers and heart valves are functioning (for example,
effective or poor pumping action, blood flow through the valves), before and
after treatments, as well as other features.
Heart Disease Testing: Cardiac CT Scan
Specialized
cardiac computerized tomography (CT) scans or ‘cardiac CTs’ can provide
detailed 3-D images of the heart. The images can be manipulated to look for
calcium buildup (plaque) in coronary arteries or provide images of such
internal structures of the heart like valves or wall thickness. CTs can also be
used to examine normal heart anatomy or congenital defects. The information
from a CT can provide insight into several heart disease problems.
Heart Disease Testing: Cardiac Catheterization
Plaque in cardiac arteries can be
a severe problem, even life-threatening, in some patients. Diagnosing plaque
blockage of coronary arteries and treatment for blockages has improved the
lives of many patients with coronary artery disease. Cardiac catheterization is
a technique that may provide both diagnostic information and therapeutic
methodology in one procedure. The technique is invasive.
How Cardiac Catheterization Works
·
A thin tube is placed in a blood vessel in the leg or arm and
threaded into the heart and into the opening of a coronary artery.
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Dye is put into the tube and goes into the artery.
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A special X-ray machine images the dye, showing narrowing or
blockage of the artery.
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The same tube may be used with special tips to open the coronary
artery by angioplasty (small balloon is inflated) or used to place a wire mesh
(stent) that expands to hold the artery open.
Living With Heart Disease
Most
types of heart disease are chronic but slowly progressive like heart failure or
cardiomyopathy. They begin with minor symptoms that often slowly worsen and
require long-term medical treatment.
Symptoms That May Resist Treatment
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Ankle swelling
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Fatigue
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Fluid retention
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Shortness of breath
Lifestyle
changes may become necessary (for example, home oxygen, limited activity
Heart Disease Treatment:
Medicines
Advances in medicines
that can help reduce the symptoms and slow the damage of heart disease have
helped the majority of heart disease patients. Drugs are available to do the
following:
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Lower blood pressure
(anti-hypertensives)
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Lower heartbeat rates
(beta blockers)
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Lower cholesterol levels
to reduce plaque (diet, statins)
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Help stabilize abnormal
heart rhythms (ablation, cardiac pacers)
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Reduce or prevent
clotting in coronary arteries (blood thinners)
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Improve the pumping
ability of a person's heart with heart disease (inotropic agents)
Heart Disease Treatment: Angioplasty
Other
treatments for heart disease involve special techniques like angioplasty and
stent placement.
Angioplasty Step by Step
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A thin catheter or tube (stent) is placed in a coronary artery and
is threaded through an obstruction like a clot.
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A balloon is inflated and pushes aside the obstruction.
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The balloon is then deflated leaving the artery unblocked, thus
allowing good blood flow.
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Often, after angioplasty, an expandable mesh tube is then inserted
and expanded, reinforcing the artery to keep it from collapsing.
Heart Disease Treatment: Bypass Surgery
Some
patient's coronary arteries are not good candidates for angioplasty and/or
stents. Such patients may benefit from another treatment technique termed
bypass surgery. Bypass surgery occurs when a surgeon removes a blood vessel
from one part of the body (chest, legs, or arms) and uses it to connect one
open part of a coronary artery to another open part, thus bypassing the area
that has blocked blood flow. Often the surgeon may need to bypass more than one
artery.
The decision to try and stent a coronary artery versus doing
bypass surgery is usually recommended to the patient by their cardiologist and
a heart surgeon. ByWho Is at Risk for Heart Disease?
Health
conditions, lifestyle, age, and family history may increase your risk for heart
disease. Although men, even at a younger age, have a higher risk for heart
disease than women, heart disease is still the number one killer of both sexes
(about 611,000 total deaths/year). People with a family history of heart
disease, who smoke, and who are obese have a higher risk of developing heart
disease. About half of all Americans (47%) have at least one of three key risk
factor for heart disease including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or
smoking.
pass surgery is usually done if
coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked in multiple places.
Who Is at Risk for Heart Disease?
Health
conditions, lifestyle, age, and family history may increase your risk for heart
disease. Although men, even at a younger age, have a higher risk for heart
disease than women, heart disease is still the number one killer of both sexes
(about 611,000 total deaths/year). People with a family history of heart
disease, who smoke, and who are obese have a higher risk of developing heart
disease. About half of all Americans (47%) have at least one of three key risk
factor for heart disease including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or
smoking.
Controllable Heart Disease Risks
Often,
risk factors for heart disease can be managed or reduced through simple
methods. Common risk factors for heart disease include the following:
Heart Diseases Risks You Can Control
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Diabetes
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Elevated cholesterol
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High blood pressure
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Lack of physical activity
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Stop smoking
These
risk factors can be reduced simply by making healthy lifestyle choices and
taking medications. Your primary care doctor can help you with your choices and
medications.
Smoking Increases Heart Disease Risk
Many
researchers suggest one of the best things a person can do to decrease the risk
of heart disease is to stop smoking cigarettes. Smoking increases a person's
risk for heart disease from 2 to about 4 times greater than nonsmokers. Smoking
can damage the heart muscle, its blood vessels, can raise blood pressure,
increase carbon monoxide levels, and reduce oxygen available to heart tissue
People who do not smoke but are exposed to second-hand smoke are
at greater risk for heart disease than those not exposed to second-hand smoke.
Although over 135,000 people die each year from heart disease related to
smoking, it is never too late to quit smoking because once you quit, your riskLife After a Heart Attack
Don’t
give up activities if you have a heart attack. If a person suffers a heart
attack, it is still possible to develop a healthy lifestyle. Many doctors
recommend that their patients participate in a cardiac rehab program and learn
how to avoid cigarettes, develop a healthy diet, and become more active. All of
these changes may help a person’s heart recover and function better and to
reduce the chance of additional heart problems.
of heart disease begins to drop almost
immediately.
Preventing Heart Disease
Heart disease prevention
and risk reduction is possible by living a healthy lifestyle. Basic components
of a heart-healthy lifestyle include:
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Never smoke or stop
smoking cigarettes (and using other tobacco products)
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Eat a nutritious diet
(many vegetables and fruits, less fats, sugars, and meats)
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Get at least 30 minutes
of exercise almost every day
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Avoid alcohol or consume
no more than 1 drink per day for women and no more than 2 drinks per day for
men
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If needed, achieve
medical control of diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol
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Encourage friends and
family to help you. Maybe they could benefit from your good example
Heart Disease and Diet
A
major key to preventing, recovering from, and slowing heart disease is a
heart-healthy diet. Most heart doctors recommend the following foods.
Heart-Healthy Foods
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Fruits
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Legumes
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Vegetables
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Whole grains
Foods That May Help Reduce Cholesterol Levels
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Nuts
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Plant oils
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Seeds
Eating
fish about twice a week is a good source of protein without the fats found in
red meat. Some researchers have suggested that a more vegetarian-like diet may
actually reverse some aspects of coronary artery disease like plaque size.
While
heart disease is treatable by many methods, prevention or healing by living a
reasonable lifestyle seems to be one of the best ways to reduce this widespread
health problem.
Reviewed by Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD on Saturday, August 06, 2016
Heart Disease: Causes of a
Heart Attack
This tool does not provide medical advice
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