Heart disease is a broad term used to describe a range of problems that affect your heart. Some of the various heart health problems within this grouping are:
- angina
- arrhythmias
- heart attack
- cardiac arrest
- heart murmurs
- atrial fibrillation
- aortic aneurysm
- cardiomyopathy
- congestive heart failure
- coronary artery disease
- congenital heart defects
- rheumatic heart disease
- Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
- heart valve problem ~ stenosis, leaking, prolapse
- heart infections ~ pericarditis, myocarditis, endocarditis
Some causes of heart infections include:
- drugs that cause an allergic reaction ~ antibiotics
- parasites ~ trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas’ disease), toxoplasma
- bacteria ~ bacteria entering bloodstream, bacteria causing Lyme disease
- other conditions ~ lupus, connective tissue disorders, vasculitis, Wegener’s granulomatosis
- virus ~ coxsackievirus, adenovirus, human parvovirus, echovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, rubella, STD viruses
Heart valves can be damaged by:
- infections
- rheumatic fever
- certain medications
- connective tissue disorders
- radiation cancer treatments
Heart problem symptoms vary, depending on what type of heart disease you have. However, shortness of breath and chest pain are two symptoms commanding a “heart health” check ASAP.
Men are generally at a greater risk of heart health diseases, and a woman’s risk increases after menopause.
You can help prevent many types of heart health problems by making a couple of lifestyle changes, like:
- stay physically active
- reduce & manage stress
- maintain a healthy weight
- eat healthy foods, especially fruits & vegetables
- control high blood pressure, high cholesterol & diabetes
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer worldwide. So, make these healthy lifestyle choices before a heart problem adds you to that statistic.
