What Are the Different Coronary Artery Disease Symptoms?

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is an exceptionally dangerous illness that can ultimately result in heart attack or myocardial infarction. Often, the beginnings of this condition occur many years before symptoms like heart attack develop and in early stages, CAD is typically asymptomatic. As the blood vessels that supply the heart become more impaired, symptoms can start to develop and these could take many different forms, depending on the person. Moreover, recent studies in this area suggest there can be significant difference between the way coronary artery disease symptoms manifest in women and men, even if they have the same basic illnesses from constricted blood vessels.

The Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure

The Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) occurs when the heart has trouble pumping sufficient blood to the rest of the body. It can be difficult to diagnose early because most of the symptoms of congestive heart failure, aside from an irregular heartbeat, appear to have little to do with the heart. Instead, this condition tends to affect the entire body in various ways, including fatigue and shortness of breath. In addition, fluids usually accumulate in the body, leading to swelling and weight gain despite nausea and loss of appetite. Many patients attribute the typical symptoms of congestive heart failure to other conditions, so CHF is often not noticed until a doctor runs diagnostic tests during a medical exam.

The Symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart disease and a leading cause of death in Europe, North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand. It is characterized by inadequate circulation in the blood vessels of the heart muscle, or myocardium. Coronary heart disease may be asymptomatic, but there are many possible complications and symptoms of coronary heart disease.

Symptoms of coronary heart disease include pain or heaviness in the chest, fatigue, shortness of breath, and myocardial infarction or heart attack. Chest pain often takes the form of angina pectoris, severe pain caused by lack of oxygen, or ischemia, in the heart muscles and surrounding tissues, caused by insufficient blood circulation. In addition to pain, angina can also manifest as a feeling of tightness, heaviness, pressure, or burning.  

Hypertensive Heart Disease

Hypertensive Heart Disease

Hypertensive heart disease is a medical condition that can and often does develop from high blood pressure over a period of time. It also can be defined as any one of various heart problems that occur as a direct result of high blood pressure, particularly when it is not brought and kept under control. A variety of complications with the heart can follow hypertension, which is known as "the silent killer" because it often goes undetected until serious and life-threatening health problems are experienced.

What is Cardiovascular Disease?

What is Cardiovascular Disease?

Cardiovascular disease is a general term encompassing meanings for various ailments of the heart and the blood vessels surrounding the heart. The terms cardiovascular disease and heart disease are used interchangeably by many people and both are acceptable forms. It can be quite serious and often require serious medical attention from a trained specialist.

Most types of cardiovascular disease deal with the hardening and clotting of arteries. This can lead to heart attacks and strokes in their most serious form. Both conditions are capable of resulting in death. While improvements have been made in cardiovascular disease treatment over the last 50 years in particular, the disease is still considered very dangerous.

Cyanotic Heart Disease

What Is Cyanotic Heart Disease?

Cyanotic heart disease is a congenital condition that impairs blood flow to and from the lungs. As a result, blood that gets pumped through the body contains an insufficient amount of oxygen. The most obvious characteristic of cyanotic heart disease is a bluish tint to the lips and skin, a clear sign that there is not enough oxygen in the bloodstream. Many cases of cyanotic heart disease are mild and can be treated with surgery and medications. More severe problems may necessitate a heart transplant to prevent fatal complications.

Congenital Heart Disease

What Is Congenital Heart Disease?

Congenital heart disease includes any type of heart defect or malfunctioning heart problem that is present at birth. These diseases arise during fetal development, and may be due to a wide variety of causes. There are many different forms of congenital heart disease which may vary greatly in severity, condition management, and treatment options.

Although it is not known for certain what causes congenital heart disease, certain issues are believed to contribute to the likelihood of a heart condition developing in a fetus. Some medical experts believe that some conditions may develop as a result of a viral infection during the pregnancy. Genetic factors may also be a source of congenital disease, although this concept is still not completely confirmed. Many medical experts also believe that smoking, drinking, and drug abuse can inhibit fetal development in a variety of ways and may be a contributing factor to congenital heart disease.