Heart Disease Related Events and Factors Contributing to Heart Disease
Diagnosing heart disease can be a complex process, and the causes and consequences of the disease are equally complex. There are several factors that contribute to the development and severity of the disease. Furthermore, heart disease can culminate in serious, even traumatic medical events like heart attack. Understanding what causes heart disease and how it affects the heart's function is the key to preventing, managing or reversing the disease.
Hypertension
More commonly known as high blood pressure, hypertension is defined as a chronic, or long-lasting, increase in blood pressure above the normal range. High blood pressure increases the pressure of the blood against artery walls. It increases the workload on the heart and can also contribute to the risk of developing deposits on artery walls. It also increases the risk of heart attack, angina, stroke, kidney failure, and peripheral artery disease.
High Cholesterol
High cholesterol is defined by New York University Vascular Associates as an elevated fat content in the blood. High cholesterol is is one of the major risk factors for heart disease.
The excess cholesterol builds up on artery walls causing them to eventually harden, restrict flow, or even block flow entirely. Since blood transports oxygen to the heart, chest pain can ensue if there is an oxygen deficit. If an entire portion of the heart does not receive oxygen, it induces heart attack.
Atherosclerosis
The specific name for blockage in the arteries due to build up of cholesterol or calcium build up (plaque) is atherosclerosis. If a deposit tears or ruptures, it damages the vein or artery. A blood clot may form at the injured site, block the artery and cause a heart attack.
Angina
Angina is the medical term for any chest pain related to coronary heart disease. Angina occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t get as much blood as it needs. Sometimes people suffer from predictable or stable angina. That is, certain activities or stressors induce chest pain. This type of angina is not as serious as unstable angina, or unexpected chest pain. Unstable angina can occur while at rest and is usually more extreme in the amounts of pain and duration than stable angina. Unexpected and extreme chest pain should be treated as a medical emergency.
Arrhythmia
The rapid or chaotic heartbeat that induces cardiac arrest is known as arrhythmia. Specifically, arrhythmias occur when the atria and ventricles of the heart contract irregularly. Signs of arrhythmia include a slow, rapid, or irregular pulse. Arrhythmia may be caused by different types of heart disease, high blood pressure, heart attack, or even hyperthyroidism and some medications. In some cases or arrhythmia, the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body.
Heart Attack
Also called myocardial infarction, coronary thrombosis, or coronary occlusion, heart attack is characterized by the death of or damage to part of the heart muscle. Such damage occurs if blood flow is blocked by build up on artery walls or a blood clot which cuts off the heart's oxygen supply.
Cardiac Arrest
Not to be confused with heart attack, cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops functioning. It can also be referred to as sudden cardiac arrest or unexpected cardiac arrest. Most often, cardiac arrest occurs in an already diseased heart. When the electrical impulses that make the heart function normally cause the heart to beat rapidly, or chaotically or both, the heart will stop beating. It can be reversed and a normal heartbeat can be restored if treated in the first few minutes with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and an electric shock (defibrillation).
