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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Heart disease is a broad term used to describe a range of diseases that affect your heart, and in some cases, your blood vessels. The various diseases that fall under the umbrella of heart disease include diseases of your blood vessels, such as coronary artery disease; heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias); and heart defects you're born with (congenital heart defects).

The term "heart disease" is often used interchangeably with "cardiovascular disease" — a term that generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as infections and conditions that affect your heart's muscle, valves or beating rhythm also are considered forms of heart disease.

Heart disease is the No. 1 worldwide killer of men and women, including in the United States. For example, heart disease is responsible for 40 percent of all the deaths in the United States, more than all forms of cancer combined. Many forms of heart disease can be prevented or treated with healthy lifestyle choices and diet and exercise.

Symptoms
References
  1. Hansson GK. Inflammation, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease. New England Journal of Medicine. 2005;352:1685.
  2. Arrhythmias. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4469. Accessed Nov. 14, 2008.
  3. Arrhythmia: A problem with your heartbeat. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/articles/286.html. Accessed Nov. 14, 2008.
  4. Congenital heart defects. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/chd/chd_all.html. Accessed Nov. 14, 2008.
  5. Cooper LT, Jr. Definition and classification of the cardiomyopathies. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Feb. 27, 2008.
  6. McKenna WJ. Medical therapy in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Feb. 27, 2008.
  7. Torpy JM, et al. Heart valve infections. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007;297:1396.
  8. Heart valves. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4598. Accessed Nov. 14, 2008.
  9. Feldman AM, et al. Myocarditis. New England Journal of Medicine. 2000;343:1388.
  10. Moreillon P, et al. Infective endocarditis. The Lancet. 2004;363:139.
  11. Zeller JL, et al. Pericardial effusion. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007;297:1844.
  12. Control your risk factors. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=581. Accessed Dec. 2, 2008.
  13. Davis MM, et al. Influenza vaccination as secondary prevention for cardiovascular disease: A science advisory from the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology. Circulation. 2006;114:1553.
  14. Tonetti MS, et al. Treatment of periodontitis and endothelial function. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;356:911.
  15. Spahr A, et al. Periodontal infections and coronary heart disease. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2006;166:544.
  16. Rosendorff C, et al. Treatment of hypertension in the prevention and management of ischemic heart disease: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association Council for High Blood Pressure Research and the Councils on Clinical Cardiology and Epidemiology and Prevention. Circulation. 2007;115:2761.
  17. Chobanian AV, et al. The seventh report of the Joint National Committee on prevention, detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure. New England Journal of Medicine. 2003;289:2560.
  18. Fletcher B, et al. Managing abnormal blood lipids: A collaborative approach. Circulation. 2005;112:3184.
  19. Poobalan A, et al. Effect of weight loss in overweight/obese individuals and long-term lipid outcomes - A systematic review. Obesity Reviews. 2004;5:43.
  20. Barbara Woodward Lips Patient Education Center. About your heart-catheter procedures. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2005.
  21. Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart). American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3005161. Accessed June 16, 2008.
  22. Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG). American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3005172. Accessed May 15, 2008.
  23. Cardiac rehabilitation. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4490. Accessed Nov. 14, 2008.
  24. Natural medicines in the clinical management of hyperlipidemia. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Dec. 12, 2008.

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Jan. 28, 2009

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