Heart Disease disrupts a heart's normal electrical system and pumping functions, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood normally. The most common heart diseases, according to the American Heart Association are: heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure and heart failure.
Number of people affected:26.5 million (CDC) and another 7% of the population is undiagnosed
Who gets it:Smokers, people with high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol, overweight obese people who are physically inactive, diabetics and those with a family history.
Symptoms:Shortness of breath, persistent coughing/wheezing, increased heart rate, fatigue
Treatments:Medications, lifestyle changes, and/or surgery
Doctors to see:Primary care doctor and cardiologist
The heart is made up of many parts working together to pump blood. In a healthy heart, all the parts work well so that your heart pumps blood normally.
Heart disease can disrupt a heart's normal electrical system and pumping functions. Diseases and conditions of the heart’s muscle make it difficult for your heart to pump blood normally. Damaged or diseased blood vessels make the heart work harder than normal. Problems with the heart’s electrical system, called arrhythmias, can make it difficult for the heart to pump blood efficiently.
Heart disease is caused by narrowing of the coronary arteries that feed the heart. Like any muscle, the heart needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, which are carried to it by the blood in the coronary arteries. When the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged by fat and cholesterol deposits and cannot supply enough blood to the heart, the result is coronary heart disease (CHD). If not enough oxygen-carrying blood reaches the heart, you may experience chest pain called angina. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by total blockage of a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack. This is usually due to a sudden closure from a blood clot forming on top of a previous narrowing.
The four most common types of cardiovascular disease:
Each type of heart disease -- coronary artery disease, heart attack, etc. – has different symptoms, although many heart problems have similar symptoms.
Signs of heart trouble include:
Doctors typically conduct these tests when heart disease is suspected:
Treatments
Age is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Heart disease and stroke incidence rises steeply after age 65, accounting for more than 40 percent of all deaths among people age 65 to 74 and almost 60 percent at age 85 and above. People age 65 and older are much more likely than younger people to suffer a heart attack, to have a stroke, or to develop coronary heart disease and high blood pressure leading to heart failure. In women, menopause often causes an increase in their LDL-cholesterol and a decrease in their HDL- cholesterol level, and after the age of 50, women often have higher total cholesterol levels than men of the same age.
Other risk factors include:
Heredity/family history The genes influence how high the LDL-cholesterol is by affecting how fast LDL is made and removed from the blood.
Diet Two main nutrients in the foods you eat make LDL-cholesterol level go up: saturated fat, a type of fat found mostly in foods that come from animals; and cholesterol, which comes only from animal products.
Weight Excess weight tends to increase the LDL-cholesterol level.
Physical activity/exercise Regular physical activity may lower LDL-cholesterol and raise HDL-cholesterol levels.
-National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
There's no set timeline for recovery from heart trouble. Depending on the type of heart disease, your loved one may experience some or all of these issues:
Weakness, fatigue, and shortness of breath. After getting the go-ahead from the doctor, get your loved moving, little by little. Encourage them to get dressed, take a shower and walk for 5 minutes, several times a day.
Leg swelling. This is common after surgery. Elevate the legs when sitting or lying down, and encourage movement and activity.
Sleep problems. Minimize pain and discomfort at night. Arrange pillows to help your loved one find the most comfortable sleeping position. Discourage your loved one from napping during the day.
Depression. It is very common for heart patients to be depressed following a surgery. Watch for warning signs, such as feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, loss of interest in life, increased or decreased appetite. Notify your doctor if the symptoms last more than a week.
Decreased mental function. A decrease in mental function is common, but usually temporary following surgery. Give your loved one time to recover. If symptoms persist, contact your doctor.
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