Cardiovascular Disease
- Angina
- Chest discomfort or pain caused by a relative lack of blood flow to the heart muscle. Most often, it is caused by a narrowing of one or more coronary artery(s) and may be triggered by activity, eating a large meal, emotional stress or exposure to extreme hot/cold conditions.
- Atrial Flutter
- Fast, irregular heart rhythm caused by abnormal contraction of the atria, the top chambers of the heart. This results in irregular contraction of the ventricles, the bottom chambers of the heart, and an irregular heart beat. The heart rhythm is usually more regular than atrial fibrillation.
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Fast, irregular heart rhythm caused by abnormal contraction of the atria, the top chambers of the heart. This results in irregular contraction of the ventricles, the bottom chambers of the heart, and an irregular heart beat. The heart rhythm is usually more irregular than atrial flutter.
- Palpitations
- Fluttering, skipping or uncomfortable sensation in the chest associated with extra heart beats or abnormal heart rhythm. Palpitations are very common in normal people and do not necessarily indicate serious heart disease.
- Cardiomyopathy
- General term used to describe diseases of the heart muscle. Cardiomyopathy can result in impaired heart function and congestive heart failure.
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Heart abnormalities that occur during fetal development. Abnormalities are present at birth, but may not cause symptoms and may not be detected until much later in life.
- Congestive Heart Failure
- The result of a variety of heart conditions where the heart is unable to pump blood forward effectively. As a result, fluid backs up in the lungs and body tissues causing breathing difficulties and swelling in the legs. This condition usually develops gradually over months to years, although in some cases it can come on very quickly.
- Coronary Artery Disease
- The coronary arteries are large blood vessels that supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle. In coronary artery disease (CAD), these vessels become narrowed or blocked, restricting the flow of blood to the heart muscle. This can lead to chest pain, and heart attack.
- Hypertensive Heart Disease
- Hypertension, or high blood pressure, makes it so that the heart has to work harder to pump blood forward against elevated pressures in the arteries of the body. If hypertension is untreated, the heart becomes abnormally thick which impairs its ability to function normally.
- Heart murmur
- An extra sound heard with the aid of a stethoscope that is caused by turbulent blood flow in the heart. It can be caused by heart valve disease, congenital defects, or other kinds of heart disease. It can also be a normal finding, especially in young people and pregnant women.
- Pericarditis
- Inflammation of the membrane (sac) which surrounds the heart muscle. It can be caused by a variety of conditions including viral infections (by far the most common), heart attack or heart surgery, autoimmune disorders, medications, trauma and malignancy, among others.
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Most commonly, disorders of one or more heart valves caused by rheumatic fever (bacterial infection) which typically occurs in childhood. The heart may be damaged due to inflammation or scarring at the time of the infection.
