Overview
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States. Heart disease is an umbrella term for multiple diffferent heart conditions. These conditions include: Blood vessel disease like coronary artery disease, irregular heartbeats/arrythmias, congenital heart defects (heart issues that you were born with), heart valve disease, and disease of the heart muscle. Most heart diseases can be prevented with healthy lifestyle choices.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease is a very common heart condition, it effects the blood vessels that supply the heart. It is caused by a buildup of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls. This buildup is called plaque. The plaque buildup in the arteries is called atherosclerosis, this reduces blood flow to the heart, and the rest of the body. This can lead to things like chest pain, a heart attack, or a stroke. You are more at risk of developing coronary artery disease if you have an unhealthy diet, do not exercise enough, are obese, or smoke.
Symptoms of coronary artery disease inclue:
Chest pain/chest pressure/chest discomfort which is called angina
Shortness of breath
Jaw, neck, thoat, upper stomach, or back pain
Pain, numbness, weakness, or coldness in the extremities.
Arrhythmia
With arrhythmia the heart beats too slowly, too fastly, or irregularly. Arrhythmias can be caused by a number of conditions including:
Heart muscle disease
Coronary artery disease
Diabetes
Illegal drugs like cocaine
Smoking
High levels of emotional stress
Consuming too much alcohol or caffeine
Congenital heart deffects
High blood pressure
Heart valve disease
Certain, medications, herbs, and supplements
Some symptoms include:
Chest pain/discomfort
Dizziness
Fainting or almost fainting
Fluttering in the chest
Lightheadedness
Racing/slow heartbeat
Shortness of breath
Congenital Heart Defects
This is a heart condition that you are born with. Congenital heart deffects develope in the womb and doctors are not sure precicely why they occur. Gene changes, certain medical conditions, certain medications, and lifestyle or environmental factors may play a role. Most serious cengenital heart deffects are found after birth. Symptoms of these defects include:
Blue or gray skin
Swelling in the legs, belly, or area surrounding the eyes
For infants, poor weight gain due to shortness of breath while feeding
Other congenital heart deffects may not be diagnosed until later in childhood, or even into adulthood. Symtoms of these deffects include:
Being very short of breath during exercise, or activity
Tiring quickly during exercise or activity
Swelling of the hands, ankles or feet
Diseased Heart Mucle/Cardiomyopathy
There are three different kinds of cardiomyopathy. The most common is called dilated cardiomyopathy. The exact cause of dilated cardio myopathy is often unknown, however doctors suspect that it may be inherited. The second kind of cardiomyopathy is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is typically passed down through families. The last type of cardiomyopathy is called restrictive cardiomyopathy. The cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy is often unknown, however sometimes a buildup of a protein called amyloid can cause it, and other times it is caused by connective tissue disorders. At the start there are typically no symptoms, however as the disease progresses some symptoms include:
Dizziness/ lightheadedness/ fainting
Fatigue
Being short of breath while trying to sleep, at rest, or exercising
Rapid/pounding/fluttering heart beats
Swollen legs, ankles, or feet
Heart Valve Disease
The heart contains four valves. These valves allow the blood to flow on way, while preventing it from going in the opposite direction. There are multiple different ways that a heart valve can be damaged. If it is narrowed then it is called stenosis. If the valve allows blood to flow backwards, then it is called regurgitation. Heart valve disease can by cause by rheumatic fever, an infection of the lining of the heart valve which is called infectious endocarditis, or connective tissue disorders. People can also be born with heart valve disease, this is called congenital heart valve disease. The symptoms of heart valve disease are determined by which valve is not working. Some symptoms include:
Chest pain
Fainting or almost fainting
Fatigue
Irregular heart beats
Shortness of breath
Swollen feet or ankles
Risk Factors
Age: As you grow older your likely hood of developing narrowed or damaged arteries and a weakened or thickened heart muscle increases.
Menopause: After menopause women are more at risk of developing heart disease.
Family History: If you have a family history of heart disease it increases the risk of coronary artery disease. This is especially the case if your relative developed the condition at an early age. An early age for women is defined as before the age 65, and an early age for men is defined as before the age of 55.
Smoking: If you smoke you are much more likely to have a heart attack than people who do not smoke. Substances in tobacco smoke damage your arteries.
Unhealthy Diet: People with diets high in fat, salt, sugar, and cholesterol increase your risk for heart disease.
High Blood Pressure: When high blood pressure is not controlled it can cause the arteries to become hard and thick. This prevents blood from properly flowing to the heart and body.
High Cholesterol: High cholesterol can increase your risk of atherosclerosis, and is linked to heart attack an stroke.
Diabetes: Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease.
Obesity: Obesity usually worsens other heart disease risk factors.
Lack of Exercise: Not getting enough exercise increases your risk of developing heart disease.
Stress: Stress may damage the arteries, and cause other heart risk factors to worsen.
Bad Dental Health: Having bad dental health makes it easier for germs to enter the blood stream. These germs can travel to the heart and cause an infection called endocarditis.
Prevention
Ways to prevent heart disease include:
Not smoking
Eating a diet that is low in salt and saturated fat
Exercising for at least thirty minutes a day most days of the week
Maintaining a healthy weight
Reducing and managing stress
Controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes
Getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night
---. “Leading Causes of Death, United States.” Women’s Health, 12 Dec. 2024, www.cdc.gov/womens-health/lcod/index.html.
Mayo Clinic . “Heart Disease.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic, 13 Aug. 2024, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20353118.