What is Heart Disease?

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What is Heart Disease?

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Posted: June 1, 2008

Heart disease refers to a number of abnormal conditions affecting the heart and the blood vessels in the heart. Types of heart disease include:

Coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is the most common type of heart disease and is the leading cause of heart attacks. When you have CAD, your arteries become hard and narrow. Blood has a hard time getting to the heart, so the heart does not get all the blood it needs.
CAD can lead to:

Angina. Angina is chest pain or discomfort that happens when the heart does not get enough blood. Angina is not a heart attack, but having angina means you are more likely to have a heart attack.
Heart attack. A heart attack occurs when an artery is severely or completely blocked, and the heart does not get the blood it needs for more than 20 minutes.

Heart failure occurs when the heart is not able to pump blood through the body as well as it should. This means that other organs, which normally get blood from the heart, do not get enough blood. It does not mean that the heart stops.
Signs of heart failure include:

Shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air)
Swelling in feet, ankles and legs
Extreme tiredness

Heart arrhythmias are changes in the beat of the heart. Most people have felt dizzy, faint, out of breath or had chest pains at one time and these changes in heartbeat are, for most people, harmless. As you get older, you are more likely to have arrhythmias. Don't panic if you have a few flutters or if your heart races once in a while. If you have flutters AND other symptoms such as dizziness or shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air), call 911 right away.

What does high cholesterol have to do with heart disease?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in all parts of the body. When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, cholesterol can build up on the walls of your arteries and cause blood clots. Cholesterol can clog your arteries and keep your heart from getting the blood it needs. This can cause a heart attack.

Various factors affect cholesterol levels: diet, weight, physical activity, age, gender and heredity.

High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms. You may not know your blood cholesterol level is too high. So, it’s important to have your cholesterol measured. Adults age 20 or older should have their cholesterol checked at least once every five years.

There are two types of cholesterol:

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is often called the “bad” type of cholesterol because it can clog the arteries that carry blood to your heart. For LDL, lower numbers are better.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as "good" cholesterol because it takes the bad cholesterol out of your blood and keeps it from building up in your arteries. For HDL, higher numbers are better.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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