Heart diseases are categorized into various types and all of them have some common traits and many key differences as well. Heart disease is any disease that affects the proper functioning of the heart – the central blood pumping organ of the body.
There are numerous heart related diseases, coronary heart disease being a common one that arises due to the build up of plaque inside arteries that affect the smooth blood flow to the heart and this in turn increases the chance of a heart risk and many other diseases related to the heart.
Some of the Common Heart Related Diseases Include
Coronary Artery disease
Coronary Artery Disease as already mentioned is the most common ones and happens due to the build up of plaque in your coronary arteries. It is also known as atherosclerosis and is a condition which restricts the smooth blood flow due to blockages. Thus the heart does not get the required oxygen and this might lead to strokes and heart attacks.
Enlarged Heart or Cardiomegaly
Enlarged heart or cardiomegaly can be due to different reasons. The most common ones are however, blood pressure and/or coronary heart disease. The heart is unable to pump blood and this might lead to congestive heart failure.
Heart Attacks
Heart attacks can be a result of coronary heart disease and various other reasons like coronary artery spasm.
Irregular Heart Beat
Irregular heart beat is termed as arrhythmia. It does not always have to mean that your heart is beating either too slow or It simply means that the normal rhythm is missing and it can happen even when you have a healthy heart.
Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic heart disease is caused when the valves of your heart gets damaged due to attacks of rheumatic fever.
Sudden Cardiac Death
Sudden cardiac death happens when the heart suddenly stops functioning and this is a common cause of death in many parts of the world. It is not similar to heart attacks but can take place during a heart attack.
Heart Muscle Disease or Cardiomypathy
Heart Muscle Disease or Cardiomypathy is a progressive heart disease where the heart is thickened, stiffened and/or enlarge abnormally. This hinders the smooth pumping of the blood leading to heart failure and also backup of blood into rest of the body.
Pericarditis or Pericardial Disease
Pericarditis or pericardial disease is the inflammation of one or both the layers of the pericardium. The pericardium is a fluid fill sac that protects the heart.
Symptoms
The symptoms of different heart related disease vary. However, there are some common symptoms that help the doctors to judge that something is wrong and they are:
- Irregular heartbeat
- Light headedness
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
Some of the uncommon symptoms include swelling of the hand and legs, skin rashes, skin discolouration etc.
Prevention
A healthy lifestyle can go a long way in keeping your heart healthy. Avoid saturated and trans fat and make sure that you eat a healthy and balanced diet full of greens, devoid of red meat and sweetened beverages. Being physically active is also important.
