Body
An amazing fact: The human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times in an average lifetime. An unfortunate truth: An unhealthy heart can reduce this number considerably.
An unhealthy heart can result in various types of heart disease, including coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral vascular disease, cardiac arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, valvular disease, and aneurysms.Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is caused by the narrowing or clogging of the coronary arteries that supply the heart with oxygen and nutrients. CAD can cause angina (chest pain), myocardial infarction (heart attacks), and cardiac sudden death, caused by severely abnormal and ineffective beating of the heart.
Peripheral vascular disease refers to diseases of blood vessels outside the heart and brain. It involves a narrowing of the blood vessels carrying blood to the legs, arms, stomach and kidneys.
Congestive heart failure results when the heart muscle is weakened, and can no longer pump blood efficiently.
Cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat) can be chronic and relatively harmless, but can also be more serious, preventing the heart from pumping blood effectively.
Cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart muscle loses its ability to pump blood. Heart rhythm may be disturbed, resulting in arrhythmia.
Less common forms of heart diseases include valvular disease (problems with the valves in the heart) and aneurysms (abnormal widening of the arteries).
In general, most heart diseases are caused by obstructions in the coronary arteries. These are the blood vessels which travel through the walls of the heart, and nourish the heart muscle.
Since the heart muscle spends a huge amount of energy in carrying out its functions, it needs ceaseless nourishment which it gets from blood. Any impairment of these blood vessels interferes with the adequate flow of blood to the heart. If this blood flow is significantly diminished, the heart signals its difficulties by registering a pain or discomfort in the chest.
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