Heart Disease

Heart disease, also known as Cardiac disease, is most common in the U.S. and is one of the major causes of death. Every 1 in 4 people has heart disease over there. It covers various aspects of the heart like enlargement of the heart, defects in the heart right from birth, etc. There are various ways to diagnose such as Heart MRI, CT Scan, ECG Tests, etc. In this article, we will read more about heart disease and its various aspects.

Types of Heart Disease –

Arrhythmia: It is a condition in which the rhythm of the heart is abnormal.

Atherosclerosis: It is a condition in which the arteries get hard.

Cardiomyopathy: It is a condition in which the muscle of the heart gets hard or grows weak.

Congenital Heart Defects: It is a condition in which there are irregularities in the heart at the time of birth.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): It is also called ischemic heart disease and in this, plaque gets built up in the heart’s arteries.

Heart Infections: It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites.

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Signs and Symptoms of heart disease –

Symptoms of heart disease vary between men and women. While men experience chest pain, women may experience nausea, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

Symptoms of Arrhythmia are:

• Heartbeat is slow
• Racing heartbeat
• Shortness of breath
• Fainting
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Chest Pain
• The sensation of skipping a beat

Symptoms of CAD are:

• Discomfort in the chest
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Pain in the jaw, back, upper abdomen, neck, or throat
• Fatigue with exertion

Symptoms of congenital heart disease:

• Shortness of breath
• Swelling of the organs
• Bluish tint to the skin
• Fast tiring
• Arrhythmia

Symptoms of Cardiomyopathy:

• Swelling of the legs
• Fatigue
• Breathlessness with exertion
• Arrhythmia
• Dizziness

Symptoms of Heart Infection:

• Fever
• Shortness of Breath
• Fatigue
• Swelling in the legs
• Skin rashes

Symptoms of valvular heart disease:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Pain in the chest
• Irregular heartbeat

What are the causes?

Heart disease can be formed when there is:

• A problem with a blood vessel that is connected with the heart
• A less supply of oxygen to the heart
• Damage to the heart
• A genetic reason

Other than this, some other lifestyle factors can cause heart disease such as:

• High level of cholesterol
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Being overweight
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Low level of activities
• Family history
• Age factor
• Stress and Anxiety

How can it be diagnosed?

Heart diseases can be diagnosed in the following ways:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG)Stress Tests
• Computerized Tomography (CT Scan)
• Heart MRI
• Holter Monitors
• Echocardiogram
• Cardiac Catheterization

What are the treatments?

It is mainly categorized into three parts:

• Lifestyle changes
• Surgery like Coronary artery bypass surgery, Coronary angiography, Device implantation, Valve replacement or repair, etc.
• Medications like Angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors, Anticoagulants, Beta-blockers, Antiplatelet therapies, etc.

Source:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-disease/#diagnosis

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20353118#:~:text=Heart%20disease%20describes%20a%20range,born%20with%20(congenital%20heart%20defects)

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/237191#causes-and-risk-factors

https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease#causes