Heart Disease Explained: Prevention, Causes, and Treatment

A range of conditions affecting the heart, including coronary artery disease and heart attacks.
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Cardiology | Lifestyle | Preventative Medicine | Preventing Heart Disease | Heart Disease Symptoms | Cardiovascular Health
Prepared by Lee Cheng, reviewed by Dr. Helena Rodriguez

Heart Disease FAQ


Image credit: udmi.net

What is heart disease?

Heart disease is a variety of issues that can affect your heart. When people think about heart disease, they often think of the most common type — coronary artery disease (CAD) and the heart attacks it can cause. But you can have trouble with different parts of your heart, like your heart muscle, valves or electrical system.

What are the different types of heart disease?

These include high blood pressure, stroke and vascular dementia. Heart disease includes conditions that narrow or block blood vessels (coronary heart disease). This can lead to a heart attack, angina and some strokes. Heart disease also covers conditions that affect your heart's muscle, valves or cause abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias).

What are the symptoms of heart disease?

Chest pain (the most well-known symptom of heart disease). Central crushing chest pain (the typical pain which is caused by angina or a heart attack). Heavy aching in the left arm or in the neck or jaw. Breathlessness and tiredness can occur as not enough blood is getting pumped around the body to meet all its needs.

Can heart disease be cured?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. It can’t be cured or reversed, but medications, procedures, and lifestyle changes can relieve many symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 5 deaths resulted from heart disease in 2021 in the United States. That’s about 695,000 people.

What is a heart disease?

Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect the heart. Heart diseases include: Heart problems you're born with (congenital heart defects) Many forms of heart disease can be prevented or treated with healthy lifestyle choices. Heart disease symptoms depend on the type of heart disease.

What is vascular disease (CVD)?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), also called heart and circulatory disease, is an umbrella name for conditions that affect your heart or circulation. These include high blood pressure, stroke and vascular dementia. Heart disease includes conditions that narrow or block blood vessels (coronary heart disease).

How many people die from heart disease?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. 1 One person dies every 33 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. 1 About 695,000 people in the United States died from heart disease in 2021—that’s 1 in every 5 deaths. 1,2

Heart Disease References

If you want to know more about Heart Disease, consider exploring links below:

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