Heart disease
What is Heart disease?
Heart disease refers to several conditions that affect how your heart works. The most common type is coronary artery disease, which happens when blood vessels that supply your heart become narrow or blocked. This limits the oxygen-rich blood your heart muscle needs to work properly.
Over time, narrowed arteries can lead to chest pain, heart attacks, heart failure, or irregular heartbeats. Heart disease develops slowly, often over decades. Many people do not know they have it until they experience serious symptoms.
The good news is that heart disease is often preventable. Understanding your risk factors and making lifestyle changes can protect your heart at any age. Regular monitoring through blood tests and doctor visits helps catch problems early.
Symptoms
- Chest pain or discomfort, especially during activity or stress
- Shortness of breath during normal activities or at rest
- Pain or numbness in your neck, jaw, throat, upper belly, or back
- Fatigue or weakness that limits daily activities
- Irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations
- Swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Cold sweats or nausea
Some people with early heart disease have no symptoms at all. This is why regular screening and blood tests are important, especially if you have risk factors.
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Causes and risk factors
Heart disease usually starts with damage to the inner lining of your arteries. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar all damage artery walls over time. Smoking, inflammation, and family history also increase risk. As damage builds up, fatty deposits called plaque form inside your arteries. These deposits make arteries stiff and narrow, reducing blood flow to your heart.
Risk factors you can control include smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, excess weight, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Risk factors you cannot control include age, family history, and gender. Men face higher risk at younger ages, while women's risk increases after menopause. Having multiple risk factors greatly increases your chances of developing heart disease.
How it's diagnosed
Doctors diagnose heart disease through several tests. These include physical exams, blood tests, electrocardiograms, stress tests, and imaging studies like echocardiograms or CT scans. Blood tests can show cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and markers of inflammation or heart damage. Some blood tests also check kidney function, which is closely linked to heart health.
Conditions that limit blood flow to your kidneys, including heart disease, can affect your eGFR test results. The eGFR measures how well your kidneys filter waste from your blood. Talk to our doctor about which tests are right for your heart health needs. Early detection through regular screening gives you the best chance to prevent serious problems.
Treatment options
- Eat a heart-healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins
- Limit saturated fats, trans fats, sodium, and added sugars
- Exercise for at least 150 minutes per week at moderate intensity
- Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke
- Maintain a healthy weight for your body type
- Manage stress through relaxation techniques, sleep, and social connection
- Control blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar with medication if needed
- Take prescribed medications like statins, beta blockers, or blood thinners
- Consider cardiac rehabilitation programs after a heart event
- Work with your doctor to create a personalized treatment plan
Frequently asked questions
Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease. It occurs when plaque builds up inside the arteries that supply blood to your heart muscle. This buildup narrows the arteries and reduces blood flow, which can lead to chest pain or heart attacks.
While you cannot completely reverse advanced heart disease, you can slow or stop its progression. Lifestyle changes like eating better, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking can improve artery health. Some studies show that intensive lifestyle programs may reduce plaque buildup in some people.
Your heart and kidneys work closely together to maintain healthy blood flow. When heart disease reduces your heart's pumping power, less blood reaches your kidneys. This decreased blood flow can impair kidney function over time, which shows up on tests like eGFR.
Limit foods high in saturated fat like red meat, butter, and full-fat dairy. Avoid trans fats found in processed snacks and fried foods. Reduce sodium from processed foods, canned goods, and restaurant meals. Cut back on added sugars in sodas, desserts, and sweetened drinks.
Most adults should have blood pressure checked at least yearly and cholesterol tested every 4 to 6 years. If you have risk factors or existing heart disease, your doctor may recommend more frequent monitoring. Regular blood tests help track cholesterol, blood sugar, and kidney function related to heart health.
Heart disease is the underlying condition where arteries become narrow or blocked over time. A heart attack is a sudden event that happens when blood flow to part of your heart is completely blocked. Heart attacks are a complication of heart disease, but not everyone with heart disease will have a heart attack.
Chronic stress contributes to heart disease risk but does not directly cause it. Stress raises blood pressure and may lead to unhealthy behaviors like smoking, poor eating, or lack of exercise. Managing stress through healthy coping strategies protects your heart as part of a broader prevention plan.
Yes, though it is less common in younger adults. Heart disease can affect people in their 20s and 30s, especially with risk factors like obesity, diabetes, smoking, or family history. Unhealthy lifestyle habits started in youth can lead to artery damage that shows up decades later.
Common medications include statins to lower cholesterol, blood pressure medications like ACE inhibitors or beta blockers, and blood thinners like aspirin. Your doctor may also prescribe medications to control blood sugar if you have diabetes. The specific medications depend on your type of heart disease and risk factors.
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, which breaks down to about 30 minutes on most days. Moderate activity includes brisk walking, cycling, or swimming where you can talk but not sing. Adding strength training twice a week provides additional heart benefits.