What is heart disease?

Heart disease is the general term used to describe problems with the heart muscle, or any part of the heart, including valves, arteries and veins. Heart disease can cause poor blood flow, irregular heartbeat, or heart attack.

Some people are born with heart disease (congenital heart disease). Some develop it as a result of having a bacterial infection, such as rheumatic fever, or from High Blood Pressure or high cholesterol. Problems with arteries leading to the heart (atherosclerosis) can cause damage. A long list of diseases and conditions contribute to heart disease.

More often than not, when you hear the term Coronary Heart Disease or Coronary Artery Disease, it means Myocardial Infarction (heart attack) and Angina Pectoris (chest pain). This is the most common form of heart disease and is the focus of most of this article.

A heart attack is an injury to the heart caused by a lack of oxygen getting to the muscle. The oxygen cannot get to the heart muscle because the blood flow, which carries the oxygen, is blocked. Coronary arteries carry the heart’s blood supply. One or more of the coronary arteries becomes blocked with a blood clot during a heart attack. The medical term for a heart attack is myocardial infarction.

Angina Pectoris is chest pain or other discomfort in the chest, shoulders, arms, or abdomen caused by reduced blood supply to the heart. It is a temporary pain, usually lasting less than five minutes. Unlike a heart attack, the reduced blood flow does not last long enough to cause damage to the heart. Angina is a sign that there is a high risk of heart attack in the future.

To learn more:

Angina Pectoris
(American Heart Association)

This material answers basic questions about chest pain. What is it? How long does it last? When does it happen? Is it a heart attack? How can you tell if you are having a heart attack? And more.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/SymptomsDiagnosisofHea
rtAttack/Angina-Pectoris-Stable-Angina_UCM_437515_Article.jsp#.VznE3JMrJCs

Arrhythmia
(American Heart Association)

Arrhythmia or irregular heart beat is explained and treatment options are given. There are links for both patients and professionals.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/Arrhythmia_UCM_002013_S
ubHomePage.jsp

Congestive Heart Failure
(American Heart Association)

Congestive Heart Failure defines congestive heart failure. This explains how doctors identify congestive heart failure and how it is treated.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/CongenitalHeartDefects/TheImpactof
CongenitalHeartDefects/Congestive-Heart-Failure_UCM_307111_Article.jsp

Cardiomyopathy

This American Heart Association site has information about heart muscle disease, the different types of heart muscle disease and how they are treated.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/ChildrensHealth/Pediatric-Car
diomyopathies_UCM_312219_Article.jsp

Coronary Heart Disease
(MUSChealth)

Coronary Heart Disease defines coronary heart disease, gives the risk factors and symptoms. Explains how doctors test for coronary heart disease and the common treatments.

http://muschealth.staywellsolutionsonline.com/Search/85,P00207

What About My Child and Rheumatic Fever?
(American Heart Association)

Explains how rheumatic fever can affect the heart. Gives advice on how to prevent getting rheumatic fever.

http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@hcm/documents/downloadab
le/ucm_300321.pdf

The link above requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you are unable to view or download this article, get Acrobat Reader here.

Heart Attack
(American Heart Association)

Heart Attack describes heart attacks, explains causes, and provides a list of related publications.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/AboutHeartAttacks/Abou
t-Heart-Attacks_UCM_002038_Article.jsp

Heart Attack
(MEDLINEplus)

Links to sites which have been reviewed by librarians at the National Library of Medicine. There are links to information about how the heart works, what happens during a heart attack and what to do if you think you are having a heart attack. Also listed are links to the latest information about causes, treatment and prevention. Material is easy-to-read and Spanish links are provided.

https://medlineplus.gov/heartattack.html

Heart Attack - Tell Me More

Heart Attack - Tell Me More from Heart Point, a site created by a practicing cardiologist, answers questions from why heart attacks happen to how to prevent them. Explanations are given for procedures, treatments, and prevention.

http://www.heartpoint.com/mimore.html

next » What causes heart disease?

Written by: Doris Wisher, M.L.S.
Reviewed by: Jeffrey G. Schultze, M.D.
Last Modified: Thursday February 09, 2017 12:28 PM