Heart diseases

If you visit the web pages of the National Institute of Health's Heart, Lung and Blood Health, the American Heart Disease Association and others (see links below) you will see find a list of more than 40 diseases that can affect the heart and blood vessels. They include conditions that are easily controlled and managed, to serious illness and those that are fatal

• Diseases that Affect the Rhythm of the Heart

1. To deliver enough blood and the oxygen and nutrients it carries to the body, your heart beats regularly. If these rhythmic contractions are interrupted, your body will be deprived of oxygen. One common condition is called arrhythmia. The heart can beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or with an irregular rhythm. Arrhythmias can be harmless or they can lead to damage to the heart, lungs, brain and other organs. There are different kinds of arrhythmias. They may be present at birth, or secondary to other medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attack, coronary artery disease, thyroid diseases or rheumatic diseases.

Diseases That Affect the Structure of the Heart

2. The heart consists of four chambers. The top two are called the atrium and the bottom two are called the ventricles. There are numerous blood vessels attached that bring blood to and from the heart. Congenital heart defect diseases are present at birth and involve structural damage to the walls, valves or arteries of the heart and/or circulatory system. Pericarditis is a disease of the sac that holds your heart. It becomes inflamed because of virus, infection or secondary to an autoimmune condition.

Conditions That Affect the Valves of the Heart

3. When the heart contracts and pushes blood out, the valves open to allow the blood to go through and close to prevent blood from flowing backward into the heart. If the valves become damaged, the heart can not fully contract or relax. Your heart muscle may have to work harder and will be unable to pump blood efficiently. Damage to the valves can be the result of congenital disease, infection and aging.

Conditions That Occur Within the Blood Vessels

4. Your blood vessels provide a passageway for the blood and the oxygen and nutrients it carries. When there are problems in the vessels, parts of your body may not get enough oxygen and nutrients. The heart must beat faster to try to make up the deficit. The most common blood vessel disease is atherosclerosis. In this condition, plaque builds up on the walls of the vessels and narrows the passageway the blood travels through. Atherosclerosis can lead to heart attack and stroke. While the exact cause of this condition is unknown, we do know that eating a healthy diet, not smoking, getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, all reduce your risk of this disease.

High Blood Pressure

5. High blood pressure or hypertension affects millions of people. It measure the force of the blood against the blood vessels. Blood pressure naturally rises slightly with age. However high blood pressure is also often the result of poor lifestyle habits, and many of the diseases that are listed above. Hypertension means that your heart is working too hard and this puts you at a higher risk for heart attack and stroke. Since high blood pressure can exist without causing symptoms, regularly checking your blood pressure is the only way you will know if you have it.

Get Regular Checkups

6. The above is only a very basic list of the many conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. It is important to get regular checkups so that you can catch any of these diseases early on. Heart disease is often referred to as the "silent killer". That is because many of these conditions occur without symptoms, but they may show up in routine tests. Having a heart attack or stroke may be the only sign. By getting regular examinations and making healthy lifestyle choices, you can help to prevent many of these conditions.