Heart Disease - What It Is And The Causes Of It
If you want a simple definition of what heart disease is: it can be one of several abnormal conditions that affect the heart and/or the blood vessels in the heart. These conditions can be classified into three major types.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) - One Form Of Heart Disease
Coronary Artery Disease is the most common example of what heart disease is. It is the leading cause of heart attacks. This is caused by hardened and narrowed arteries, which makes the heart have to work much harder to move the blood around the body.
Coronary Artery Disease can also lead to other things, like angina. Angina is the chest pain or squeezing feeling that many people experience as a sign of heart attack. Usually it is in the chest, but it can also be in the shoulders, neck, jaw, back, or arms. It can mimic indigestion. Those who are at risk for heart attack need to be extra careful if they believe they are suffering from indigestion or an upset stomach. These symptoms of angina are classic examples of what heart disease is and how it can feel. Those who have angina are more likely to have a heart attack.
Heart attacks are another byproduct of coronary artery disease. They happen when an artery is entirely or almost completely blocked and the heart is lacking sufficient blood for more than twenty minutes.
Heart Failure - Another Form Of What Heart Disease Is
If the heart can't pump the blood around the body as well as it needs to, there can be heart failure. It isn't that the heart has totally quit working - a common misconception - but it is that because the blood isn't being transferred as it should be, other organs don't get enough blood. Some symptoms include swelling in feet, legs, and ankles, shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue. If you have these symptoms, check with your doctor right away.
Heart Arrhythmias - An Important Form Of What Heart Disease Is To Know About
A heart arrhythmia is caused by changes in the heartbeat. Have you ever felt like you heart just skipped a beat, or fluttered, or just plain beat funny? This does not necessarily mean there is a problem. All of us, at some time, have feelings like this. There can be fatigue, or dizziness, or being out of breath - or even some chest pains. But if there are the flutters with other symptoms like shortness of breath or dizziness or extreme fatigue, it is important to call 911 immediately and get checked out by a medical professional.
Now that you know what heart disease is, learn how to prevent it through diet, exercise, and other means.
