A condition that affects the cardiovascular system is referred to as Heart disease. There are several types of medical conditions that may affect the functioning of the heart and blood vessels in many different ways.
Coronary artery, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, heart rhythm disturbances, and heart infections are among the most common heart diseases that affect a large population globally.
Here in this article, you will learn about these heart disease types, causes, and treatment. Continue reading!
Types of heart diseases
Coronary artery disease
It is also known as Coronary heart disease- a heart condition that develops when the arteries supplying blood to the heart get obstructed by plaque and causes the arteries to narrow down. This results in a decreased supply of blood and oxygen to the heart, leading to heart failure and arrhythmias.
Valvular heart disease
A heart condition in which the valves do not work correctly the way they should is called valvular heart disease. These can develop before birth (congenital) or can be acquired during one’s lifetime.
- Congenital valve disease: Valves can be of the wrong size, have malformed leaflets, or are not attached correctly.
- Acquired valve disease: This includes changes in the structure of the valve due to a variety of ailments like rheumatic fever or endocarditis.
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is an acquired or hereditary disease of the heart muscle. In this condition, the heart faces difficulty pumping blood to the rest of the body, which leads to heart failure.
Cardiomyopathy is mainly of two types:
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Problem in which the heart muscles stretch and become thinner and chambers become dilated.
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: It tends to be an inherited condition when the genetic problem affects the heart muscle.
Heart Rhythm Disturbances
This is also known as Arrhythmia. It occurs when your heart has an irregular beating pattern. Arrhythmia is a heart disease that usually develops from other heart problems.
But it can develop on its own also. When the electrical impulses responsible for coordinating the heartbeat do not work in harmony, this leads to disturbances in heart rhythm (either heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or irregularly).
Heart Infection
Endocarditis is the most common heart infection that affects the inner lining of heart chambers and heart valves. This is a life-threatening infection of the heart.
Bacteria, fungi, or other germs enter the body and spread through the bloodstream, and get attached to damaged areas of your heart. If left untreated, this becomes life-threatening and damages or destroys the heart valves.
Causes of heart diseases
Heart diseases can be caused by:
Medical conditions like:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure during pregnancy
- Sleep apnea
Lifestyle risk factors include:
- Unhealthy diet
- Less physical activity
- Unhealthy weight
- Smoking
- To much alcohol
- Stress
- Recreational drug
Treatments of heart disease
Treatment of heart disease includes medication, lifestyle changes (like healthy eating habits, staying active, reducing stress), and surgery or other medical procedures. Treatment depends on the heart disease types and severity.
In case of blockages and heart problems when medications are ineffective, surgery is the last resort. Therefore, consult your doctor and find out a suitable solution for your situation.
Heart disease is a common health issue these days. However, an individual can take some simple steps to prevent heart disease and its complications. Remember, prevention is better than cure!
By just incorporating a few habits into your lifestyle can save you from such life-threatening heart problems. These steps include eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, maintaining moderate body weight, avoiding smoking and drinking, managing underlying conditions that affect heart health, and so forth.
