What Is the Definition of Heart Disease?

As of 2010, heart disease stands as the leading cause of death in the United States. The heart is a major muscle organ that pumps blood throughout the body, allowing oxygen and nutrients to reach the muscles and organs. About the size of an individual’s fist, it will beat about 2.5 million times during an average lifespan.

Obesity, high blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol are all conditions that can severely compromise the health of the human heart. Therefore, maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle can prevent the heart problems that plague so many Americans. What is the definition of heart disease? Due to the diversity of heart conditions that the term ‘heart disease’ represents, there are several sub-types of heart disease.

Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease is a type of heart disease in which the heart can’t provide enough circulation of blood to the muscles that need nourishment. This also typically affects the arteries. Although there’s no determined cause of coronary heart disease, major risk factors include smoking, hypertension and radiotherapy to the chest. Radiotherapy is also called radiation therapy and has been linked with coronary heart disease in breast cancer survivors.

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is another type of heart disease. This form is a deterioration of the heart muscle, something that can happen for various reasons. Symptoms often include chest pain but cases of cardiomyopathy can also be asymptomatic, or with no symptoms. Treatment includes prescription medicine and heart transplant, if necessary. Stem cell therapy is also available but isn’t currently accepted as a legitimate treatment for cardiomyopathy.

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is another type of heart disease. This refers to any disease that affects the heart and blood vessels. Diet and stress are two major causes of this disease, and even long-term cases can be reversed with the adoption of healthier lifestyle habits. Cardiovascular disease can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke and claims the most deaths out of all of the various types of heart disease in existence.

Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure is a very serious type of heart disease in which the heart’s ability to pump blood is so compromised that the supplied blood flow doesn’t meet the body’s needs. Either one side of the heart can fail or a person can experience biventricular failure in which both sides are compromised.

Symptoms of congestive heart failure include coughing, a buildup of fluid around the lungs, tiredness and shortness of breath, a swollen belly and swollen feet and ankles. It’s known as a disabling and devastating condition, and is typically treated by making lifestyle changes such as a reduction of sodium intake.

Inflammatory Heart Disease

Inflammatory heart disease is another type of heart disease. It is characterized by the inflammation of the heart muscle or the tissue surrounding it. This type of heart disease includes enocarditis, an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart or the heart valves and myocarditis, the inflammation of the muscular part of the heart.

Other Types

There are a few more types of heart disease. Valvular heart disease affects the valves of the heart and can either be genetic and present at birth or acquired later in life due to lifestyle. Hypertensive heart disease is a type of heart disease caused by high blood pressure.

So, what is the definition of heart disease? The Dictionary lists heart disease as “heart failure, coronary illness, thrombosis.” It is important to remember in the discussion of most types of heart disease the old homage that tells you that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Although many cases of heart disease are acquired genetically or environmental conditions out of your control, lifestyle habits that are overall healthy can prevent these afflictions from impacting your life.