Types of Heart Related Diseases

A large portion of heart related diseases are due to atherosclerosis. This is when arterial walls become thick and stiff due to fatty deposits called plaques. This then restricts blood flow. When blood flow is restricted, it can lead to heart diseases. There are many types of heart-related diseases. Here are some of the most common heart related diseases and how they present:

Ischemic heart disease is a broad name for heart conditions that include angina, coronary artery disease, coronary heart disease, heart attack and sudden death. Angina manifests as chest pain due to a narrowing or blockage of blood vessels that supply the heart. This may result in a heart attack if not immediately treated. Coronary artery disease is caused by narrowing of blood vessels that supply the heart with blood. The narrowing if severe enough may lead to angina and heart attacks. Coronary heart disease is the disease of the arteries of the heart. This disease may be caused by plaque build-up in the arteries causing reduction in oxygen rich blood supply to the heart muscle. Heart attack is the narrowing of the coronary arteries completely blocks the supply of blood to the heart. Sudden death is the abrupt loss of the heart’s ability to pump which is usually caused by an electrical malfunction in the heart’s pumping system.

Hypertensive heart diseases describe heart problems caused by high blood pressure and how it relates to the heart’s arteries and muscles. Prolonged high blood pressure creates stress on the blood vessels causing heart disease, strokes and renal disease. High blood pressure can also lead to an aneurysm which is a bulge or weakness in the wall of a blood vessel which can enlarge overtime and even rupture. Aneurysms can occur in arteries in any location of the body.

Rheumatic heart disease is a disease caused by one or more attacks of rheumatic fever which can damage the heart valves. This can then lead to valvular heart disease. There are three types of valvular heart disease which includes stenosis which is a narrowing of the heart valves, regurgitation which is when the valves leak or prolapsed in which the valves do not close properly. These conditions can all inhibit the heart from functioning properly.

Inflammatory heart disease includes pericarditis which is inflammation of the pericardium, the sac that encases the heart which is usually caused by a viral infection. Endocarditis which is inflammation of the heart’s inner lining which is usually caused by infection and most commonly affects the heart’s valves.

Congenital heart disease refers to a heart disease present at birth, such as holes in the heart, abnormal valves or heart chambers. Congenital heart disease may be caused by predisposed genetics or family history.

Cardiac arrhythmias refer to when the heart does not beat regularly due to a malfunction in the heart’s electrical system; whether too slow (bradycardia), too fast (tachycardia), or an irregular heartbeat.  Cardiac arrhythmias in severe cases can cause undue stress on the heart if not corrected.

Heart failure occurs when the heart becomes too damaged to properly function. It may not pump adequately, causing organs to not receive enough oxygen to function efficiently.