Heart Health

What Is Heart Disease?

Heart disease encompasses any issue that affects the heart’s structure or function. While it may be commonly thought of as a single condition, it is actually a collection of various disorders with different underlying causes. A common type of heart disease in the U.S. is coronary artery disease (CAD), which restricts blood flow to the heart. Other types include heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias), structural heart disease (congenital valve disorders), heart failure, and vascular disease.

The Progression of Heart Disease

• High blood pressure: High blood pressure occurs when the pressure of your blood is consistently too high. As a result, the heart works harder than it should, leading to thickening and damage of the heart muscle. Over time, high blood pressure can damage the walls of the arteries leading to arrhythmias, heart attack, or stroke.
• Atherosclerosis: An array of risk factors, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, leads to plaque deposits that constrain blood flow.
• Angina: Some people may experience chest pain during exertion due to the narrowing of their arteries.
• Heart attack: A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is significantly reduced or obstructed. This is often caused by the accumulation of fat, cholesterol, and other substances in the coronary arteries, forming plaques. The buildup of these plaques is referred to as atherosclerosis. Sometimes, a plaque may rupture and create a blood clot, obstructing blood flow. This lack of blood flow can harm or destroy part of the heart muscle.
• Valve disease: Valvular heart disease occurs when the heart valves do not function properly, leading to issues with blood flow through the heart.
• Heart failure: Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump blood effectively, leading to shortness of breath and extremity swelling due to fluid buildup in the body.

“Optimizing heart health requires an integrated approach that addresses hormone balancing, metabolic nutrition, blood pressure control, lifestyle changes, and sleep.”

-Dr. Shapiro

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