Home > Quick Links: Health Library > Health Encyclopedia
- Skip to the content
- Skip to the navigation
- Adjust Text Size (requires Javascript)
Health Encyclopedia
Heart Disease
<< Back to Health EncyclopediaDefinition
Heart disease is any disorder that affects the heart's ability to function normally. Various forms of heart disease include:
- Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
- Aortic regurgitation
- Aortic stenosis
- Arrhythmias
- Cardiogenic shock
- Congenital heart disease
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Endocarditis
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- Heart failure
- Heart tumor
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Idiopathic cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic cardiomyopathy
- Acute mitral regurgitation
- Chronic mitral regurgitation
- Mitral stenosis
- Mitral valve prolapse
- Peripartum cardiomyopathy
- Pulmonary stenosis
- Stable angina
- Unstable angina
- Tricuspid regurgitation
Alternative Names
Cardiovascular disorders
Causes, Incidence, And Risk Factors
The most common cause of heart disease is a narrowing of or blockage in the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle (coronary artery disease). Some heart diseases are present at birth (congenital heart disease).
Other causes include:
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Abnormal heart valve function
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Weakening of the heart's pumping ability, often caused by infection or toxins (cardiomyopathy)
Symptoms
Signs And Tests
Treatment
Support Groups
Expectations (prognosis)
Complications
Calling Your Health Care Provider
Prevention
References
Criqui MH. Epidemiology of cardiovascular disease. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 49.
Review Date: Oct 05, 2008
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
|
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch). |
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2008 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
