Heart Disease

Heart disease encompasses a range of conditions that affect your heart, including coronary artery disease, heart valve diseases, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms). If you have heart disease, you may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, palpitations, lightheadedness, sweating, and swelling in your legs. Treatment varies depending on the specific condition and may involve medication, lifestyle changes, or procedures like angioplasty or surgery. Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, stress management, and avoiding tobacco are crucial for prevention and management of heart disease.

Common Questions & Answers

What are the main risk factors for heart disease?

Risk factors for heart disease include health conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes, as well as lifestyle habits like eating high amounts of saturated fats, smoking cigarettes, and inactivity. Age and genetics also play a role.

A heart attack can cause symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, cold sweat, heartburn or indigestion, sudden dizziness or lightheadedness, nausea, and pain that radiates to the shoulder, neck, back, arm, or jaw.

Lifestyle changes like following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.

Heart disease is diagnosed by a healthcare professional through tests like an electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, echocardiogram, cardiac CT scan, and cardiac MRI, as well as exercise, stress, and blood tests.

Foods that support heart health include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fat-free or low-fat dairy.

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Resources
  1. Heart Disease. Cleveland Clinic. November 6, 2023.

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