Cardiac Disease - Heart Disease

Heart disease is a general term for a wide variety of diseases and conditions that affect the function of the heart.

What is going on in the body?

The main job of the heart is to pump blood to the rest of the body. The primary concern with most heart conditions is how much they affect the heart's ability to pump blood. When people use the term heart disease, they are often referring to atherosclerosis, or clogged arteries. Clogged heart arteries cause coronary artery disease, or CAD. In turn, coronary artery disease can lead to:

But heart disease can also refer to many other conditions. This is important for people to remember when they see or hear the term heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and in many other countries.

What are the causes and risks of the disease?

There are many causes of heart disease.

Atherosclerosis, or clogging of the arteries, is partly or fully responsible for many diseases that affect the heart, including:

Factors that increase a person's risk of developing atherosclerosis include:

High blood pressure can cause heart disease even when arteries are not clogged. The increased blood pressure can cause heart enlargement, called hypertrophy, and congestive heart failure. It also increases the risk of clogged arteries, which can further damage the heart.

Congenital heart disease, which means heart disease that is present at birth, can result in a heart that has an abnormal structure or function. For example, a baby with Down syndrome may have an atrial septal defect and/or ventricular septal defect. Heart valve conditions, such as pulmonary stenosis, may be present at birth as well.

Other causes of heart disease include:

Many other conditions can also affect the heart.