About Heart Disease
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Various types of heart dysfunction all lead down one road
Heart disease is an umbrella term for various disorders that affect the heart. The most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease, which is usually caused by atherosclerosis. Other forms of heart disease include hypertension, valve dysfunction, and infection. But all lead to destruction of the heart muscle and eventual heart failure if left untreated.
Below you will find information about the various types of heart disease, their causes, and how they can be treated.
Photo credit: Heart anterior wall dysfunction by Patrick J Lynch for Yale Medical School, 2006
Below you will find information about the various types of heart disease, their causes, and how they can be treated.
Photo credit: Heart anterior wall dysfunction by Patrick J Lynch for Yale Medical School, 2006
Contents at a Glance
Need a refresher on how the heart works?
- How the circulatory system works
- The circulatory system in humans is a closed system - blood travels through vessels in a loop from the tissues to the heart, with a second l...
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Types of heart disease
The heart is an essential, yet complex organ, and a number of diseases can affect it. From congenital diseases that are present from birth, to heart disease that occurs as we age or due to the presence of other disease or risk factors - from problems with the circulation and lungs to electrical disturbances and infection. Read a general overview of the diseases of the heart, or continue below for specifics.
- Coronary artery disease - usually what is meant by the term "heart disease", it is the most common form and can cause ischemic heart disease
- Congestive heart failure - usually the result of another type of heart disease, like hypertension or ischemic heart disease
- Ischemic heart disease - lack of oxygen getting to the heart muscle, leads to myocardial infarction (heart attack)
- Hypertension - high blood pressure, also known as the "silent killer"
- Valve disease - acquired or congenital
- Infection - endocarditis (infection in the heart) or pericarditis (infection around the heart), it can result in a tamponade (restriction of the heart by scarring or fluid, reducing its ability to function)
- Cardiomyopathies - changes to or deformities of the heart
- Cor pulmonale - problem with the pulmonary circulation usually caused by COPD or pulmonary hypertension
- Congenital disorders - present at birth, includes septal defects (hole in the heart)
For more specific information
- Primary Myocardial Disease: Anomalies and Deformities of the Heart
- Primary myocardial diseases are due to problems with the heart muscle itself, due to deformity, injury, or malfunction.
- Secondary Heart Disease: Heart Attacks are Just One Possibility
- Valve obstruction, inflammation of the heart tissue, and blocked arteries all result in insufficient heart function.
- Overview of congenital heart defects
- A congenital defect is one that is present from birth, and there are a variety of defects that can occur in the heart tissue or heart valves.
Hypertension
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a complex disease caused by interactions between a person's genetics, diet, and environment. As the pressure of the blood against the arteries and inside the heart increases, it results in structural heart damage. The disease is not only one of the heart, but also the blood vessels and kidneys. Most cases of hypertension are idiopathic - their direct cause is unknown or a combination of factors that cannot be pinned down.
The image to the right is an illustration of ventricular hypertrophy, which occurs when the heart muscle has to work harder against higher arterial pressures. Photo credit: Patrick J Lynch
- Causes of hypertension
- Both environment and genetics contribute to this disease
Coronary artery disease
Atherosclerosis is a risk factor
Atherosclerosis is a buildup of fats, including cholesterol, in the blood vessels. This is actually a natural process that begins when we're young, but a number of risk factors can speed this process up and compromise the circulation. When this buildup occurs in the arteries feeding the heart muscle, the result is coronary artery disease. Here are some basic concepts surrounding atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.
- Functions of lipids in the human body
- Lipids play important roles in the human body. Cholesterol is actually a necessary component of the body and is produced by the liver as a precursor to steroid hormones, such as estrogen. Similarly, phospholipids are important components of cell membranes. Fats are necessary for our survival, though they can accumulate, and become detrimental, when present in high quantities in the blood.
- Cholesterol precursors in the human body
- Cholesterol is used in the production of sex hormones and vitamin D and plays a role in inflammation, necessary processes in the human body. During the synthesis of cholesterol a number of precursor molecules exist in the body, but it starts with acetyl-CoA, the byproduct of cellular respiration (i.e. energy production within the cell).
- The effects of high cholesterol
- Low density lipoprotein (aka LDL, or bad, cholesterol) has a tendency to accumulate along the walls of blood vessels. This isn't usually a problem unless the LDL levels in the blood are too high. High density lipoprotein (HDL, or good, cholesterol) balances this out, so too low levels of this cholesterol can also cause problems even if LDL levels are normal. Triglycerides are another trouble fat when they are present at levels that are higher than the body needs because they add to the plaque formation in the blood vessel wall.
- When triglycerides are too high
- Triglycerides are often measured alongside cholesterol on lipid panels. Like cholesterol, triglycerides are a type of lipid stored in the body and that circulates in the blood in the form of lipoproteins. Higher than normal blood triglyceride levels have been found in individuals with heart disease. Very high levels lead to accumulation of fatty acids in the liver, pancreas and other organs, causing inflammatory diseases.
- Scientists are creating fat-friendly meat with transgenics
- Omega-3 fatty acids are considered to be "healthy" fats. Found mainly in fish, these fats have been linked to cardiovascular benefits. Scientists have found a way to make consumer meats that contain healthier fats that fight high cholesterol and possibly prevent heart disease.
Ideal cholesterol levels
- Triglycerides - less than150 mg/dL
- LDL - less than 100 mg/dL (or less than 130 mg/dL if no other risk factors for heart disease are present, less than 70 mg/dL if there is a family history of cholesterol-related disease)
- HDL - above 60 mg/dL
- LDL to HDL ratio - 3.5 to 1 (no higher than 5 to 1)
- Lipoprotein(a) - varies by lab, might not even be tested on the lipid panel, generally should be less than 30 mg/dL
- VLDL (very low density lipoprotein), if measured directly - 5-40 mg/dL
Risk factors for heart disease
Diet
- The relationship between antioxidant intake and stroke risk
- Antioxidant intake has been associated with a decreased risk of various disorders, including cerebral infarction (i.e. stroke).
Genetics
Beyond diet and lifestyle related factors, like smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and cholesterol levels, genetics also play a role in the development of heart disease.
- Evidence for a role of toll-like receptors in cardiovascular disease
- Members of the toll-like receptor (TLR) family of transmembrane proteins are the central actors in innate immunity, the fast and immediate immune ...
- An overview of genetic testing for cardiovascular disease risk
- Cardiovascular disease affects more than 81 million people. What if we could determine who was at risk before they're sick?
- The association between PON-1 and clopidogrel responsiveness
- Clopidogrel is the generic name for an anti-platelet drug used to prevent heart attack and stroke. It is sold under the brand name Plavix. Some patients do not response to the drug because of their genetics.
Researchers are seeking more genetic clues to treat heart disease and other disorders
Other diseases play a role, too
Important!
Get Healthy!
The American Heart Association works tirelessly to get information out there about healthy living. Stop by their website to learn more about your heart health!
Read more about heart disease
Heart disease treatment
- Arteriosclerosis: Symptoms and treatment
- The most well known form of arteriosclerosis is atherosclerosis, but the disease actually occurs in three forms...
- What are fibric acid derivatives (fibrates)?
- Fibric acid derivatives, or fibrates, are drugs prescribed to prevent heart disease. The drugs lower Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) levels by...
- Drugs preventing heart disease mortality: Combined or separate treatment with ARBs and ACE Inhibitors
- The renin-angiotensin system's involvement in cardiovascular regulation makes it a key target for drugs fighting heart disease.
- The ONTARGET study of heart disease treatment
- The renin-angiotensin systems involvement in cardiovascular regulation makes it a key target for drugs fighting heart disease. The ONTARGET (ONgoi...
- How long can a stent stay in the body?
- Stents are tubes or tube-like materials used to keep a passageway in the human body open. Most commonly, the passage is a blood vessel...
- An overview of genetic testing for clopidogrel responsiveness
- Responsiveness to clopidogrel, sold under the brand name Plavix, is an issue for some patients who undergo anti-platelet treatment to prevent hear...
Heart stent
A common treatment for restricted arteries is to surgically implant a stent in the blood vessel. This stent holds the vessel open, allowing blood to continuously flow through the damaged vessel and supply the tissue that would otherwise suffer ischemia (as occurs in a heart attack). One such stent is metal, though the materials technology has advanced to include many more options.
The endpoint of heart disease
Heart failure, a catastrophic inability of the heart to work, is the result of heart disease. We all hope it happens when we're old, with the muscle having pumped all it can over many many decades. But for many people it happens early in the form of congestion because of the heart's gradual loss of function.
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Lung disease, hypertension, and heart disease often end the same way - a dilated heart that cannot pump, and death.
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Heart disease in the news
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Salt is one contributing factor for hypertension, and fat can contribute to atherosclerotic plaques. Reducing both in your diet can help limit your risk of heart disease.
