Heart disease encompasses a range of conditions that affect your heart, including coronary artery disease, heart valve diseases, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms). If you have heart disease, you may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, palpitations, lightheadedness, sweating, and swelling in your legs. Treatment varies depending on the specific condition and may involve medication, lifestyle changes, or procedures like angioplasty or surgery. Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, stress management, and avoiding tobacco are crucial for prevention and management of heart disease.
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FAQ
What are the main risk factors for heart disease?
Risk factors for heart disease include health conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes, as well as lifestyle habits like eating high amounts of saturated fats, smoking cigarettes, and inactivity. Age and genetics also play a role.
What are the common symptoms of a heart attack?
A heart attack can cause symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, cold sweat, heartburn or indigestion, sudden dizziness or lightheadedness, nausea, and pain that radiates to the shoulder, neck, back, arm, or jaw.
Can lifestyle changes prevent heart disease?
Lifestyle changes like following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.
How is heart disease diagnosed?
Heart disease is diagnosed by a healthcare professional through tests like an electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, echocardiogram, cardiac CT scan, and cardiac MRI, as well as exercise, stress, and blood tests.
What foods are good for heart health?
Foods that support heart health include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fat-free or low-fat dairy.
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Chung Yoon, MD, is a noninvasive cardiologist with a passion for diagnosis, prevention, intervention, and treatment of a wide range of heart and cardiovascular disorders. He enjoys...
Anurag Sahu, MD, is the director of the adult congenital heart program at Inova Health System in Fairfax, Virginia. Previously, he was an associate professor of medicine as well as...
Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, a...
Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She comp...
Michael Cutler, DO, PhD, is a cardiac electrophysiologist at Intermountain Heart Rhythm Specialists in Salt Lake City, Utah. His research interests include understanding the cellul...
Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American Col...
Adam Gilden, MD, MSCE, is an associate director of the Obesity Medicine Fellowship at University of Colorado School of Medicine and associate director of the Colorado University Me...
Cheng-Han Chen, MD, PhD, is the medical director of the structural heart program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California, and director of structural a...
Sylvia Klinger, DBA, MS, RD, CPT, is an internationally recognized nutrition expert who is relentlessly passionate about helping people fall in love with creating and enjoying deli...
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