General Overview
Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. There are many different types of heart disease—some are congenital (people are born with them) and others develop over the course of time and affect people later in life.
- Acute coronary syndrome
- Angina
- Aortic coarctation
- Aortic insufficiency
- Arrhythmias
- Atrial fibrillation
- Bacterial endocarditis
- Cardiac tamponade
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congestive heart failure
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart attack
- Heart murmur
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - adult
- Mitral valve prolapse
- Septal defects
- Tachycardia
- Ventricular tachycardia
InDepth
Read our in-depth reports on various types of heart disease:
Diagnostic and Surgical Procedures
- Aortic aneurysm repair
- Atherosclerosis
- Blood pressure measurement
- Cardiac catheterization
- Cardioversion
- Cholesterol tests
- Coronary angioplasty
- Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
- Coronary stenting
- Echocardiogram
- Electrocardiogram
- Electrophysiology study
- Exercise stress test
- Exercise tolerance test
- Heart-lung transplant
- Heart transplant
- Heart valve replacement
- Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
- Maze procedure—open surgery
- Mini-maze procedure—minimally invasive surgery
- Myocardial perfusion imaging
- Nuclear stress test
- Pacemaker insertion
- Robot-assisted cardiac procedures
- Thoracotomy
Preventing Heart Disease
Lowering heart disease risk is more than just lowering your cholesterol number
Focusing on your cholesterol numbers is a small part of achieving the real goal. Beyond the numbers, there are other risk factors that you need to be aware of.
Brush your teeth: it's good for your heart
When bacteria from your gums get into your blood, it can spell trouble for your heart. How can you protect your gums and your heart from disease?
Tips for reducing stress in your life
Many people feel stress often; some even feel it as a part of their daily lives. Stress has been implicated as a possible cause of—or at least exacerbating some of the symptoms of—numerous conditions, including coronary artery disease.
Preventing Heart Disease (Continued)
Reducing your risk of heart disease when you have diabetes
New studies indicate that, because diabetes can cause damage to the heart and blood vessels, controlling cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors is equally important as controlling blood glucose.
Quitting smoking is one of the most daunting challenges you'll face in your life. It's an addiction that is both physical and psychological, but quitting smoking can be done.
Weight loss: what are your options?
Being overweight is closely linked to many very serious health conditions, most particularly risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Fortunately, even modest reductions in weight can help improve these conditions.
Heart Disease Videos and Animations
- Angioplasty
- Coronary angiography
- Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
- Reducing Your Heart Disease Risk Factors after Heart Surgery
- Learning About Heart Disease Risk Factors
- The Pacemaker Implant Procedure
- Treating atrial fibrillation
- Understanding heart failure
- What is a stent?
- Understanding Angina Pectoris
Special Topics
If you have heart failure and you smoke, read on to find out just how important it is to quit today!
Cardiac arrest in healthy, young athletes
Learn what sudden cardiac arrest is, what the causes are, and why young athletes are at risk.
The immune system and organ transplant: what you should know
Thousands of people undergo organ transplant surgery each year and get a second chance to lead healthy lives. But, what medical steps are taken to make sure that the immune system does not reject the organ?
True or False?
"Chocolate is good for you” sounds like an obvious entry in the “too good to be true” hall of fame. But a significant body of evidence supports this statement. So chocolate lovers can indulge their cravings—to a point—without too much guilt.