Heart Disease includes any heart condition that affects your heart’s muscle, valves, rhythm, or surrounding structures of the heart. At Stern, we can provide you with a preventive program in order to reduce your risk of developing heart disease. We are the only group in the area that specializes in an advanced circulatory heart failure program which means that we have the specialty, technology and skill set to manage conditions that are so advanced and are considered for heart transplantation or mechanical pump assist devices.
Symptoms of Heart Disease
Some people with heart disease have no symptoms. However, others have symptoms which include angina which is chest pain or discomfort which can spread to other areas of the upper body. Some people sense a feeling of indigestion, heartburn, or nausea while other experience extreme fatigue and shortness of breath.
There are several types of heart disease.
- Arrhythmia
- Broken heart syndrome, which also is called stress-induced cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy
- Cardiac arrest
- Coronary artery disease
- Coronary microvascular disease, which also is called cardiac syndrome X or nonobstructive coronary heart disease
- Heart failure
Common Causes of Heart Disease
- Blood vessel inflammation
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- High cholesterol
- Smoking, including secondhand smoke
To help prevent heart disease, some risk factors may be controlled or modified:
Controllable Risk Factors
- Anemia
- Birth control pills
- Diabetes and prediabetes
- Follow a healthy diet
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Monitor high blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- High triglyceride levels
- Metabolic Syndrom
- Sleep apnea
- Don't smoke
- Reduce and manage stress and depression
Non-controllable Risk Factors
- Age
- Family history
- Menopause
- Preeclampsia
Diagnosis
Your doctor will diagnose heart disease after learning about your medical and family histories, reviewing your risk factors, giving you a physical exam, and getting results based on tests and procedures.
Some of these tests may be considered: Electrocardiogram (EKG), Stress Test, Echocardiography (echo), chest x ray, blood tests, and more. No single test can diagnose heart disease.
Treatment
Since each heart disease is different, treatments vary widely. Lifestyle changes, medications, medical and surgical procedures are all possible, depending completely on your diagnosis. It is possible to also need cardiac rehabilitation. The goals of treatment are to relieve symptoms, reduce risk factors, lower the risk of blood clots forming, and prevent further complications. Seeking treatment early is important.
Lifestyle changes might include
- Be physically active
- Follow a healthy diet
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Reduce and manage stress and depression
- Don't smoke
Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctors. Always talk with your doctors about diagnosis and treatment options.