Heart Disease

Risk factors for heart disease

Some types of heart disease are due to birth defects or inherited conditions that affect the heart. Such factors are called non-modifiable, since we can't take steps to alter them. But there are many modifiable health conditions that can increase your risk for developing heart disease.

These include:

• High blood pressure (also known as hypertension)
• Unhealthy blood cholesterol levels
• Diabetes mellitus
• Obesity

Certain behaviors can increase your risk directly or indirectly (by making you more prone to conditions that can lead to heart disease). These include:

• Smoking
• A diet high in fats and salt
• Excessive alcohol use
• Physical inactivity

Types of heart disease

Heart disease comprises a large number of conditions that may be categorized as congenital disorders (present at birth), structural disorders, valve disorders, arrhythmias (involving the heart's rhythm), cardiomyopathies (involving the heart's muscle) or vascular disorders (involving the heart's blood vessels), as well as some that don't fit into any category. The diagnostic procedures we use and treatments we recommend will depend on the type of heart disease you have as well as other factors, such as your age, overall health, and the condition of your heart.

Congenital heart diseases

Heart diseases or defects that people are born with are called congenital. They result from problems with the development of the heart walls, chambers, valves or blood vessels. These conditions include:

• Aortic stenosis
• Atrial septal defect
• Ebstein anomaly
• Marfan syndrome
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Transposition of the great arteries
• Ventricular septal defect

Structural heart diseases

Structural heart diseases are conditions that affect the physical form of the heart or its blood vessels. Sometimes these conditions are present at birth; sometimes they develop later. They include:

• Aneurysms
• Aortic Coarctation
• Arteriovenous Malformation
• Atherosclerosis
• Cavernous malformations
• Patent foramen ovale (PFO)

Valve disorders

These conditions affect the structure or functioning of the heart's valves, which are flaps between the heart's chambers that keep blood flowing in the right direction. Valve disorders include:

• Aortic stenosis
• Mitral valve disorders
• Mitral valve prolapse
• Mitral valve regurgitation
• Pulmonary stenosis

Arrhythmias

Arrhythmias are irregular heart rhythms that are often caused by problems with the heart's electrical system. These conditions include:

• Atrial fibrillation
• Atrial flutter
• Atrial tachycardia
• Complete heart block
• Long QT syndrome
• Supraventricular tachycardia
• Ventricular fibrillation
• Ventricular tachycardia
• Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

Cardiomyopathies

Cardiomyopathies are diseases in which the heart muscle's structure and function are impaired. The heart muscle may become inflamed, stiff or abnormally thick. These conditions include:

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
• Eisenmenger's syndrome

Vascular heart diseases

Vascular diseases affect the blood vessels that supply or drain blood from the heart. These conditions include:

• Carotid artery disease
• Coronary artery disease
• Peripheral artery disease
• Pulmonary hypertension

Other heart diseases

Some heart conditions don't fit neatly into any classification. These conditions include bacterial endocarditis, an infection of the heart's valves or lining.

Symptoms of heart disease

Symptoms vary depending on the specific condition. However, general signs of heart disease can include:

• Chest pain or discomfort
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue

Lifestyle practices for heart disease prevention

Healthy habits are often part of treatment for patients with heart disease, including those who have undergone a procedure for a heart condition. Lifestyle changes can protect against conditions that increase heart disease risk as well as reduce symptoms and help prevent disease progression in people who already have it. Heart-healthy habits include:

• A diet low in saturated fats, added sugars and salt and high in lean proteins, fruits and vegetables
• Regular physical activity – at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week
• Adequate sleep, meaning seven to nine hours each night
• Quitting use of tobacco
• Managing stress
• Maintaining healthy cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels