Heart Disease
Heart disease refers to a range of conditions that affect the heart, including coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, congenital heart defects, and diseases of the heart muscle and valves. It is the leading cause of death globally, encompassing conditions that narrow or block blood vessels, disrupt electrical signaling, or impair the heart's ability to pump effectively.
Symptoms
Chest pain or discomfort (angina), shortness of breath, palpitations or irregular heartbeat, dizziness or lightheadedness, fatigue, swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet, pain or numbness in the arms or shoulders, and in severe cases, heart attack symptoms such as pressure or squeezing in the chest, cold sweat, and nausea.
Treatments
Treatment depends on the specific type and severity. Options include lifestyle changes (heart-healthy diet, regular exercise, smoking cessation, weight management), medications (statins, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, blood thinners, antiarrhythmics), medical procedures (angioplasty and stenting, coronary artery bypass grafting, valve repair or replacement), implantable devices (pacemakers, ICDs), and in advanced cases, heart transplantation.
Risk Factors
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, excessive alcohol use, family history of heart disease, advancing age, chronic stress, and conditions such as sleep apnea and chronic kidney disease.
Prevalence
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for approximately 17.9 million deaths annually. In the United States, about 697,000 people died from heart disease in 2022 — roughly 1 in every 5 deaths. Coronary artery disease is the most common type, affecting over 20 million U.S. adults.
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