Heart Disease-Types

It has been found that the traditional indicators of heart disease such as smoking, high cholesterol and high blood pressure account for about 50% of heart attacks. In trying to account for the rest the focus has moved to psychosocial factors - personality and behavior which give rise to stress hormones, chronic stress, Type A personality, anger, depression and social isolation not only have a direct negative effect on the cardiovascular system but they also increase the effects of other cardiac risk factors.

What Is Heart Disease?

What exactly is heart disease? The latest definition of heart disease is any disease that affects how the heart normally works. Narrowing or hardening of the arteries that lead to the heart is the most common type of cardiac disease, today.

Of course this can encompass quite a few types or variations of heart disease.

Various types of heart disease include:

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease is a condition in which a build-up of plaque inside the blood vessels leading to the heart reduces blood flow to the heart, causing blood vessels to initially increase in size and eventually to lose elasticity. In some cases, new blood vessels form to bypass the obstruction and carry more blood to the heart.

Endocarditis

Endocarditis is known as an infection of the endocardial area of the heart, which is an uncommon but not rare disease.The most common structures include are the heart valves.The disease is caused by an infection of bacteria usually and once infected surgery is usually needed.

High Blood Pressure

Not many people realize that high blood pressure is actually a heart disease. If your blood pressure reading is high, you will be asked to come back for repeat blood pressure checks. If you have two or more visits with readings over 140/90, you will be diagnosed with high blood pressure.

Congestive Heart Failure

This condition occurs when the heart does not beat effectively. This could be down to the heart being too weak or it could be damaged and that can cause a lack of control over the blood flow. This lack of control of blood flow then ensures that muscles and tissues are not getting the right amount of blood and oxygen which they need, and that can then cause various different symptoms. Constantly feeling tired and swelling in various areas of the body could occur and if the condition is particularly severe it can lead to a shortness of breath and very pale skin.