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Heart disease 101
By Rachel Martin
Also known as cardiovascular disease, heart disease is not one condition in itself but an umbrella term for a collection of cardiovascular maladies. Any disease or condition that affects the heart (cardio) or the blood vessels (vascular) falls under cardiovascular disease. This includes:
- Arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat)
- Coronary artery disease (affects the arteries that supply blood to the heart, the most common cause of heart attack)
- Cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle)
- Valvular heart disease (affects the heart valves)
- Pericardial disease (affects the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart)
- Congenital heart disease (heart problems present at birth)
- Heart failure, congestive heart failure (affects the heart’s ability to adequately pump blood throughout the body)
- Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of the arteries)
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Stroke (loss of blood-flow to the brain)
- Aneurysm (weakening or bulge in blood vessel)
- Peripheral arterial disease, claudication (blocked arteries and/or veins in the arms and legs)
- Vasculitis (inflamed blood vessels)
- Venous incompetence (blood flows the wrong way in veins)
- Venous thrombosis (blood clot in vein)
- Varicose veins (twisted and enlarged veins)
- Lymphedema (blocked lymphatic vessel, results in painful swelling)
Heart disease is a permanent condition. There is no cure. As of 2004, the American Heart Association estimated that more than 79 million people in the United States are living with some form of cardiovascular disease. It is the number one killer of Americans, both men and women. Heart disease is the leading cause of disability in American women.
Who Is at Risk?
There are controllable and uncontrollable risk factors for heart disease.
Uncontrollable risk factors:
- Age (the older you get, the greater your chances of having heart disease)
- Gender (men are at higher risk)
- Post-menopause
- Family history (if heart disease runs in your family, your risk is higher)
- Congenital heart defects (heart problems you were born with)
Controllable risk factors:
Continued on Page 2: Symptoms and Causes |
