What is Heart Disease
Heart disease
is the leading cause of death in the U.K. Because it is so common,
there is a good chance that heart disease will affect you in
some way and you will need to see a doctor about your heart.
Heart disease is any condition that causes your heart to malfunction.
When the words "heart disease" are used generically,
what people are usually referring to is Coronary Heart Disease
which leads to heart attacks and angina, ultimately caused by
Atherosclerosis. But there are a wide range of other diseases
of the heart. For example:
Congestive
Heart Failure
Valvular Heart Disease - Diseases of the heart valves
Cardiac Arrhythmias - Irregular heartbeats
Diseases of the Pericardium (sac around the heart)
Diseases of the Myocardium (heart muscle)
Endocarditis (infection of a heart valve)
Congenital Heart Disease - birth defects of the heart
Even in this technologic age in which a wide
assortment of tests are available to the physician, the primary
source of information about your heart comes through a history
and physical exam.
There are no symptoms that occur only in heart
disease. However, one of the most common symptoms of heart
disease is chest pain. When a part of the heart muscle (myocardium)
is not getting enough blood (usually due to a blockage in
one of the coronary arteries), chest pain can result. Chest
pain from heart disease usually feels like a tightness, pressure
or squeezing sensation. It is usually located in the center
of the chest but can also be located off to the side. Usually
it is brought on by exertion and relieved by rest.
Chest pain can also originate from other areas
that are near the heart such as the Pericardium (the sac around
the heart), Aorta, Lung, Pleura (lining of the Lung), muscles
and bones of the chest or the Gastrointestinal Tract (Esophagus
or Stomach). Also, someone can have heart disease and not
have any chest pain.
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