Step-by-Step Guide to Getting a Pacemaker
Millions of American hearts are functioning better thanks to pacemakers. If you’re about to join this group and want to know what happens when we install this potentially life-saving device, read on.
Understanding the Different Types of Heart Disease
There are some serious and frightening associations with the umbrella term, “heart disease,” and for good reason. To start, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming one in four deaths.
To help you better understand what heart disease encompasses, the team of cardiology experts here at Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists, pulled together the most common types.
Before we begin, however, we want to underscore another statistic — 200,000 deaths related to heart disease and stroke could have been prevented, which is why it’s terribly important that you understand, and stay one step ahead of, heart disease.
Coronary artery disease
The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects more than 18 million over the age of 20 in the US. CAD, which is also called ischemic heart disease, occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries leading away from your heart, hampering your heart’s ability to efficiently deliver oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood throughout your body.
Arrhythmia
Under ideal circumstances, your heart beats regularly — about 60-100 times a minute. When you have an arrhythmia, there’s a problem with your heart’s rhythm, which can lead to:
- Tachycardia — a heart rate over 100 beats a minute
- Bradycardia — a heart rate under 60 beats a minute
- An irregular heart rate
Some arrhythmias are only mild, while others serious problems and require medications or devices like a pacemaker.
Atherosclerosis
This condition occurs when your arteries begin to harden because of plaque buildup. This condition can lead to dangerous consequences, such as heart attack, stroke, blood clot, or aneurysm.
Cardiomyopathy
Your heart is made of muscle, and if this muscle becomes diseased, the walls of the chambers of your heart can become stretched, thickened, or stiff, which compromises function. Cardiomyopathy can lead to serious conditions like congenital heart failure.
Congenital heart defects
As the name implies, congenital heart defects are those that are present at birth.
Infections
A bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection that damages your heart.
Diagnosing and managing heart disease
One of the problems when it comes to heart disease is that many forms show no outward signs until it’s too late and the unthinkable happens, such as a heart attack or stroke.
It’s important that you undergo routine heart health checks with us here, especially if you have certain risk factors, such as:
- Age — over the age of 60
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Certain lifestyle habits, such as smoking
Many of these factors can be mitigated, which can greatly improve your heart health by halting or even reversing your heart disease, especially in the earlier stages.
If you want to learn more about heart disease, please contact our office in Mountain View, California, to set up an appointment.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Why Do My Legs Feel Tired, Achy, and Heavy?
You’re being slowed down by legs that feel like lead weights and are hard to drag around — and sometimes they’re even painful. These symptoms may point toward a cardiovascular issue.
Should I Be Concerned If I Feel My Heart Flutter on Occasion?
Most everyone experiences heart flutters — someone pops out and scares you or you’re nervous about a job interview. Ongoing flutters with no readily identifiable cause, however, may be concerning.
What Role Does Cholesterol Play in Coronary Artery Disease?
The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease, so it’s worth educating yourself about this serious condition, starting with the fact that cholesterol has everything to do with it.
Can I Have Heart Disease Without Any Symptoms?
Given that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, you want to know what the warning signs are. Unfortunately, there aren’t always symptoms associated with heart issues.
Three Things We Want You to Know About Peripheral Artery Disease
When it comes to your all-important cardiovascular health, it’s helpful to educate yourself about some of the more common issues, and peripheral artery disease certainly fits this bill. Here’s what we need you to know.