KeepTheDoctorAway - Types of Heart Disease

Heart muscle disease (Cardiomyopathy) is caused by an overly large, thickened heart that is unable to pump blood efficiently. If left untreated, symptoms will deteriorate over time, possibly causing irregular heart rhythms and heart failure.

Symptoms

• Chest pain or pressure, sometimes after exercise, rest or meals
• Heart failure symptoms
• Lower body swelling
• Tiredness and fainting
• Heart palpitations

There may, however, be no symptoms at all.

Congenital Heart Disease

Congenital heart disease is a heart abnormality that has been present from birth. About eight in every 1000 babies born each year in the UK have heart defects, some more dangerous than others. Defects may be genetic or caused by health risks during pregnancy, for example diabetes, epilepsy drugs and illegal narcotics, but in most cases the cause is unexplained.

Risk factors that apply to other types of heart disease, such as smoking and high cholesterol, can contribute to the risk of having a heart attack.

Symptoms

• Breathlessness
• Symptoms of heart failure or valve disease
• Inability to cope with physical activity
Symptoms in babies and children
• Blue skin, fingernails and lips)
• Quick breathing
• Poor feeding or weight gain.
• Lung infections
• Inability to exercise

Aorta Disease

The aorta is the large artery that pumps blood throughout the body. Your risk of life-threatening heart disease increases when the aorta is torn or widened, possibly caused by a hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, genetic conditions and tissue disorders like scleroderma, osteogenesis imperfecta, polycystic kidney disease and Turner's syndrome.

Heart Valve Disease

A diseased or damaged valve can obstruct blood flow or allow blood to flow in the wrong direction, putting extra strain on the heart and possibly causing fluid build-ups in the lungs or lower body.

Symptoms

• Shortness of breath, weakness or dizziness
• Pressure or weight in your chest, sometimes caused by exercise or cold temperature
• Heart palpitations
• Heart failure: look out for swollen ankles, feet or stomach, causing a bloated feeling, and rapid weight gain of as much as two or three pounds in one day

It is, however, possible to have no symptoms at all.

Pericarditis

This is a rare inflammation of the heart’s lining, often caused by an infection.

Symptoms

• Chest pain, different from angina. Possibly sharp, sometimes spreading to neck arms and back and worsened by lying down, deep breathing, coughing or swallowing
• Quickened heartbeat
• Mild fever

Read More

Heart Disease: Currently, just under 2.7 million people in the UK have coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease, of which there are several different types.

Types of Heart Disease: There are many types of heart disease, each with their own unique symptoms. Read on to learn....

Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease: Find out more about heart disease and find out how you can minimise the risk of developing the disease.

Understanding Heart Attacks: Find out more about the symptoms of a heart attack.

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