INFORMATION ON HEART DISEASE

Heart disease is any disorder that affects the heart's ability to function normally. The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart itself. Heart disease can arise from congenital defects, infection, narrowing of the coronary arteries, high blood pressure, or disturbances. This happens slowly over time.

Some forms of heart disease include:
1. Congenital heart disease.
2. Coronary artery disease.
3. Dilated cardiomyopathy.
4. Heart attack.
5. Heart failure.
6. Heart tumor.
7. Acute mitral regurgitation.
8. Chronic mitral regurgitation.
9. Mitral stenosis.
10. Mitral valve prolapse.
11. Peripartum cardiomyopathy.
12. Pulmonary stenosis.

SYNONYMS OF HEART DISEASE

Synonyms of heart disease are:
1. Angina pectoris.
2. Atherosclerosis.
3. Coronary arteries.
4. Coronary artery disease.
5. Heart attack.
6. Myocardial ischemia.
7. Silent ischemia.

CAUSES OF HEART DISEASE

Main causes of a heart disease are:
High blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. One of the major risk factors for heart disease is high blood cholesterol. Cholesterol, a fat-like substance carried in your blood, is found in all of your body's cells. Heart problems are the leading cause of death among people with diabetes, especially in the case of adult-onset or Type II diabetes. Extra weight is thought to lead to increased total cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of coronary artery disease. Obesity increases your chances of developing other risk factors for heart disease, especially high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes. Most people know that cigarette and tobacco smoking increases your risk of lung cancer, but fewer realize that it also greatly increases your risk of heart disease and peripheral vascular disease. People who are not active have a greater risk of heart attack than do people who exercise regularly. Heart disease tends to run in families. As it is a inherited diseases. Sex hormones appear to play a role in heart disease.

SYMPTOMS OF HEART DISEASE

Main symptoms of heart disease are:
1. Shortness of breath.
2. Palpitations.
3. A faster heartbeat.
4. Weakness or dizziness.
5. Nausea.
6. Sweating.
7. Discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm or below the breastbone.
8. Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat or arm.
9. Fullness, indigestion or choking feeling.
10. Sweating, nausea, vomiting or dizziness.
11. Extreme weakness, anxiety or shortness of breath.
12. Rapid or irregular heartbeats.

DIAGNOSIS OF HEART DISEASE

Certain test is done to diagnosis heart diseases:
1. Resting electrocardiogram.
2. Signal-averaged electrocardiogram.
3. Chest X-ray.
4. Holter monitor.
5. Echocardiogram.
6. Exercise stress test.
7. Computed tomography scan.
8. Magnetic resonance imaging.
9. Magnetic resonance angiography.

TREATMENT OF HEART DISEASE

Many children with congenital heart and blood vessel defects may need medical treatment such as diuretics, digoxin or other drugs. Diuretics help the body excrete water and salts by promoting urination. Digoxin strengthens the heart's contractions, slows the heart rate and helps remove extra fluid from body tissues. Some children may need surgery. If you have frequent chest pain that makes normal everyday activities difficult, your doctor may recommend angioplasty with stent placement to open clogged coronary arteries, or sometimes coronary artery bypass surgery may be necessary.