Source: Mayo Clinic

Definition | Symptoms | Causes | Risk Factors | Complications | Preparing for your appointment | Test and Diagnosis | Treatments and Drugs
Lifestyle and Home Remedies | Coping and Support | Prevention
Definition
Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect your heart. Diseases under the heart disease umbrella include blood vessel diseases, such as coronary artery disease; heart rhythm problems (Arrhythmias); and heart defects you're born with (Congenital Heart Defects), among others.

The term "Heart Hisease" is often used interchangeably with the term "Cardiovascular Disease." Cardiovascular Disease generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (Angina) or stroke.
Other heart conditions, such as those that affect your heart's muscle, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.
Many forms of heart disease can be prevented or treated with healthy lifestyle choices.

Symptoms
Heart disease symptoms depend on what type of heart disease you have.

Symptoms of heart disease in your blood vessels (atherosclerotic disease)
Cardiovascular disease is caused by narrowed, blocked or stiffened blood vessels that prevent your heart, brain or other parts of your body from receiving enough blood.
Cardiovascular disease symptoms may be different for men and women. For instance, men are more likely to have chest pain; women are more likely to have symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea and extreme fatigue.
Symptoms can include:

• Chest pain (angina)
• Shortness of breath
• Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed
• Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back

You might not be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease until you have a heart attack, angina, stroke or heart failure. It's important to watch for cardiovascular symptoms and discuss concerns with your doctor.
Cardiovascular disease can sometimes be found early with regular exams.

Heart disease symptoms caused by abnormal heartbeats (heart arrhythmias)
A heart arrhythmia is an abnormal heartbeat. Your heart may beat too quickly, too slowly or irregularly.
Heart arrhythmia symptoms can include:

• Fluttering in your chest
• Racing heartbeat (tachycardia)
• Slow heartbeat (bradycardia)
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Shortness of breath
• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness
• Fainting (syncope) or near fainting

Heart disease symptoms caused by heart defects
Serious congenital heart defects, defects you're born with , usually become evident soon after birth.
Heart defect symptoms in children could include:

• Pale gray or blue skin color (cyanosis)
• Swelling in the legs, abdomen or areas around the eyes
• In an infant, shortness of breath during feedings, leading to poor weight gain

Less serious congenital heart defects are often not diagnosed until later in childhood or during adulthood.
Signs and symptoms of congenital heart defects that usually aren't immediately life-threatening include:

• Easily getting short of breath during exercise or activity
• Easily tiring during exercise or activity
• Swelling in the hands, ankles or feet

Heart disease symptoms caused by weak heart muscle (dilated cardiomyopathy)
Cardiomyopathy is the thickening and stiffening of heart muscle. In early stages of cardiomyopathy, you may have no symptoms.
As the condition worsens, symptoms may include:

• Breathlessness with exertion or at rest
• Swelling of the legs, ankles and feet
• Fatigue
• Irregular heartbeats that feel rapid, pounding or fluttering
• Dizziness, lightheadedness and fainting

Heart disease symptoms caused by heart infections
There are three types of heart infections:

• Pericarditis, which affects the tissue surrounding the heart (pericardium)
• Myocarditis, which affects the muscular middle layer of the walls of the heart (myocardium)
• Endocarditis, which affects the inner membrane that separates the chambers and valves of the heart (endocardium)

Varying slightly with each type of infection, heart infection symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness or fatigue
• Swelling in your legs or abdomen
• Changes in your heart rhythm
• Dry or persistent cough
• Skin rashes or unusual spots

Heart disease symptoms caused by valvular heart disease
The heart has four valves, the aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid valves, that open and close to direct blood flow through your heart.
Valves may be damaged by a variety of conditions leading to narrowing (stenosis), leaking (regurgitation or insufficiency) or improper closing (prolapse).
Depending on which valve isn't working properly, valvular heart disease symptoms generally include:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Irregular heartbeat
• Swollen feet or ankles
• Chest pain
• Fainting (syncope)

When to see a doctor
Seek emergency medical care if you have these heart disease symptoms:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Fainting

Heart disease is easier to treat when detected early, so talk to your doctor about your concerns about your heart health.
If you're concerned about developing heart disease, talk to your doctor about steps you can take to reduce your heart disease risk.
This is especially important if you have a family history of heart disease.
If you think you may have heart disease, based on new signs or symptoms you're having, make an appointment to see your doctor.

Causes
How the heart works
Your heart is a pump. It's a muscular organ about the size of your fist, situated slightly left of center in your chest.
Your heart is divided into the right and the left side. The division protects oxygen-rich blood from mixing with oxygen-poor blood.
Oxygen-poor blood returns to the heart after circulating through your body.

• The right side of the heart, comprising the right atrium and ventricle, collects and pumps blood to the lungs through the pulmonary arteries.
• The lungs refresh the blood with a new supply of oxygen.
• The lungs also breathe out carbon dioxide, a waste product.Oxygen-rich blood then enters the left side of the heart, comprising the left atrium and ventricle.
• The left side of the heart pumps blood through the aorta to supply tissues throughout the body with oxygen and nutrients.

Heart valves
Four valves within your heart keep your blood moving the right way by opening only one way and only when they need to.
To function properly, the valve must be formed properly, must open all the way and most close tightly so there's no leakage.
The four valves are:

• Tricuspid
• Mitral
• Pulmonary
• Aortic

Heartbeats
A beating heart contracts and relaxes in a continuous cycle.

• During contraction (systole), your ventricles contract, forcing blood into the vessels to your lungs and body.
• During relaxation (diastole), the ventricles are filled with blood coming from the upper chambers (left and right atria).

Electrical system
Your heart's electrical wiring keeps it beating, which controls the continuous exchange of oxygen-rich blood with oxygen-poor blood.
This exchange keeps you alive.

• Electrical impulses begin high in the right atrium and travel through specialized pathways to the ventricles, delivering the signal for the heart to pump.
• The conduction system keeps your heart beating in a coordinated and normal rhythm, which keeps blood circulating.

Various heart disease causes
The causes of heart disease vary by type of heart disease.
Causes of cardiovascular disease
While cardiovascular disease can refer to different heart or blood vessel problems, the term is often used to mean damage to your heart or blood vessels by atherosclerosis (ath-ur-o-skluh-ROE-sis), a buildup of fatty plaques in your arteries.
Plaque buildup thickens and stiffens artery walls, which can inhibit blood flow through your arteries to your organs and tissues.
Atherosclerosis is also the most common cause of cardiovascular disease. It can be caused by correctable problems, such as an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, being overweight and smoking.

Causes of heart arrhythmia
Common causes of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) or conditions that can lead to arrhythmias include:

• Heart defects you're born with (congenital heart defects)
• Coronary artery disease
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Excessive use of alcohol or caffeine
• Drug abuse
• Stress
• Some over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, dietary supplements and herbal remedies
• Valvular heart disease

In a healthy person with a normal, healthy heart, it's unlikely for a fatal arrhythmia to develop without some outside trigger, such as an electrical shock or the use of illegal drugs.
That's primarily because a healthy person's heart is free from any abnormal conditions that cause an arrhythmia, such as an area of scarred tissue.
However, in a heart that's diseased or deformed, the heart's electrical impulses may not properly start or travel through the heart, making arrhythmias more likely to develop

Causes of congenital heart defects
Heart defects usually develop while a baby is in the womb. Heart defects can develop as the heart develops, about a month after conception, changing the flow of blood in the heart.
Some medical conditions, medications and genes may play a role in causing heart defects.
Heart defects can also develop in adults. As you age, your heart's structure can change, causing a heart defect.

Causes of cardiomyopathy
The cause of cardiomyopathy, a thickening or enlarging of the heart muscle, may depend on the type:

• Dilated cardiomyopathy. The cause of this most common type of cardiomyopathy often is unknown. It may be caused by reduced blood flow to the heart (ischemic heart disease), infections, toxins and certain drugs. It also may be inherited from a parent. It usually enlarges (dilates) the left ventricle.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This type, in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, usually is inherited. It can also develop over time because of high blood pressure or aging.
• Restrictive cardiomyopathy. This least common type of cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart muscle to become rigid and less elastic, can occur for no known reason. Or it may be caused by diseases, such as connective tissue disorders or excessive iron buildup in your body (hemochromatosis), or by some cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation.

Causes of heart infection
Heart infections, such as pericarditis, endocarditis and myocarditis, are caused when an irritant, such as a bacterium, virus or chemical, reaches your heart muscle.
The most common causes of heart infections include:

• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Parasites

Causes of valvular heart disease
There are many causes of diseases of your heart valves. You may be born with valvular disease, or the valves may be damaged by conditions such as:

• Rheumatic fever
• Infections (infectious endocarditis)
• Connective tissue disorders

Risk Factors
Risk factors for developing heart disease include:

• Age. Aging increases your risk of damaged and narrowed arteries and weakened or thickened heart muscle.
• Sex. Men are generally at greater risk of heart disease. However, women's risk increases after menopause.
• Family history. A family history of heart disease increases your risk of coronary artery disease, especially if a parent developed it at an early age (before age 55 for a male relative, such as your brother or father, and 65 for a female relative, such as your mother or sister).
• Smoking. Nicotine constricts your blood vessels, and carbon monoxide can damage their inner lining, making them more susceptible to atherosclerosis. Heart attacks are more common in smokers than in nonsmokers.
• Poor diet. A diet that's high in fat, salt, sugar and cholesterol can contribute to the development of heart disease.
• High blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can result in hardening and thickening of your arteries, narrowing the vessels through which blood flows.
• High blood cholesterol levels. High levels of cholesterol in your blood can increase the risk of formation of plaques and atherosclerosis.
• Diabetes. Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease. Both conditions share similar risk factors, such as obesity and high blood pressure.
• Obesity. Excess weight typically worsens other risk factors.
• Physical inactivity. Lack of exercise also is associated with many forms of heart disease and some of its other risk factors, as well.
• Stress. Unrelieved stress may damage your arteries and worsen other risk factors for heart disease.
• Poor hygiene. Not regularly washing your hands and not establishing other habits that can help prevent viral or bacterial infections can put you at risk of heart infections, especially if you already have an underlying heart condition. Poor dental health also may contribute to heart disease.

Complications
Complications of heart disease include:

• Heart failure. One of the most common complications of heart disease, heart failure occurs when your heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. Heart failure can result from many forms of heart disease, including heart defects, cardiovascular disease, valvular heart disease, heart infections or cardiomyopathy.
• Heart attack. A blood clot blocking the blood flow through a blood vessel that feeds the heart causes a heart attack, possibly damaging or destroying a part of the heart muscle. Atherosclerosis can cause a heart attack.
• Stroke. The risk factors that lead to cardiovascular disease also can lead to an ischemic stroke, which happens when the arteries to your brain are narrowed or blocked so that too little blood reaches your brain. A stroke is a medical emergency — brain tissue begins to die within just a few minutes of a stroke.
• Aneurysm. A serious complication that can occur anywhere in your body, an aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of your artery. If an aneurysm bursts, you may face life-threatening internal bleeding.
• Peripheral artery disease. Atherosclerosis also can lead to peripheral artery disease. When you develop peripheral artery disease, your extremities, usually your leg, don't receive enough blood flow. This causes symptoms, most notably leg pain when walking (claudication).
• Sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest is the sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness, often caused by an arrhythmia. Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. If not treated immediately, it is fatal, resulting in sudden cardiac death.

Preparing for your appointment
Some types of heart disease will be discovered without an appointment, for example, if a child is born with a serious heart defect, it will be detected soon after birth.
In other cases, your heart disease may be diagnosed in an emergency situation, such as a heart attack
If you think you have heart disease or are worried about your heart disease risk because of your family history, see your family doctor.
You may be referred to a heart specialist (cardiologist).
Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment
What you can do:

• Be aware of pre-appointment restrictions. When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet. You may need to fast before a cholesterol test, for example.
• Write down symptoms you're experiencing, including any that seem unrelated to heart disease. Write down key personal information,including a family history of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure or diabetes — and major stresses or recent life changes.
• Make a list of medications, vitamins or supplements you're taking.
• Take someone along, if possible. Someone who accompanies you can help you remember information you're given.
• Be prepared to discuss your diet and your smoking and exercise habits. If you don't already follow a diet or exercise routine, talk to your doctor about getting started.
• Write down questions to ask your doctor.

For heart disease, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

• What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
• What are other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
• What tests will I need?
• What's the best treatment?
• What foods should I eat or avoid?
• What's an appropriate level of physical activity?
• How often should I be screened for heart disease? For example, how often do I need a cholesterol test?
• What are alternatives to the primary approach you're suggesting?
• I have other health conditions. How do I manage them together?
• Are there restrictions that I need to follow?
• Should I see a specialist?
• Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
• Are there brochures or other materials that I can have?
• What websites do you recommend?

Don't hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you questions, such as:

• When did your symptoms begin?
• Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
• What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
• Do you have a family history of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or other serious illness?

What you can do in the meantime
It's never too early to make healthy lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, eating healthy foods and becoming more physically active.
These are primary lines of defense against heart disease and its complications.

Tests and diagnosis
The tests you'll need to diagnose your heart disease depend on what condition your doctor thinks you might have.
No matter what type of heart disease you have, your doctor will likely perform a physical exam and ask about your personal and family medical history before doing any tests.
Besides blood tests and a chest X-ray, tests to diagnose heart disease can include: The tests you'll need to diagnose your heart disease depend on what condition your doctor thinks you might have. No matter what type of heart disease you have, your doctor will likely perform a physical exam and ask about your personal and family medical history before doing any tests. Besides blood tests and a chest X-ray, tests to diagnose heart disease can include: The tests you'll need to diagnose your heart disease depend on what condition your doctor thinks you might have. No matter what type of heart disease you have, your doctor will likely perform a physical exam and ask about your personal and family medical history before doing any tests. Besides blood tests and a chest X-ray, tests to diagnose heart disease can include: The tests you'll need to diagnose your heart disease depend on what condition your doctor thinks you might have. No matter what type of heart disease you have, your doctor will likely perform a physical exam and ask about your personal and family medical history before doing any tests. Besides blood tests and a chest X-ray, tests to diagnose heart disease can include:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG). An ECG records these electrical signals and can help your doctor detect irregularities in your heart's rhythm and structure. You may have an ECG while you're at rest or while exercising (stress electrocardiogram).
• Holter monitoring. A Holter monitor is a portable device you wear to record a continuous ECG, usually for 24 to 72 hours. Holter monitoring is used to detect heart rhythm irregularities that aren't found during a regular ECG exam.
• Echocardiogram. This noninvasive exam, which includes an ultrasound of your chest, shows detailed images of your heart's structure and function.
• bCardiac catheterization. In this test, a short tube (sheath) is inserted into a vein or artery in your leg (groin) or arm. A hollow, flexible and longer tube (guide catheter) is then inserted into the sheath. Aided by X-ray images on a monitor, your doctor threads the guide catheter through that artery until it reaches your heart. The pressures in your heart chambers can be measured, and dye can be injected. The dye can be seen on an X-ray, which helps your doctor see the blood flow through your heart, blood vessels and valves to check for abnormalities.
• Cardiac computerized tomography (CT) scan. This test is often used to check for heart problems. In a cardiac CT scan, you lie on a table inside a doughnut-shaped machine. An X-ray tube inside the machine rotates around your body and collects images of your heart and chest.
• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For this test, you lie on a table inside a long tube-like machine that produces a magnetic field. The magnetic field produces pictures to help your doctor evaluate your heart.

Treatments and drugs
Appointments & care
Heart disease treatments vary by condition. For instance, if you have a heart infection, you'll likely be given antibiotics.
In general, treatment for heart disease usually includes:

• Lifestyle changes. These include eating a low-fat and low-sodium diet, getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol intake.
• Medications. If lifestyle changes alone aren't enough, your doctor may prescribe medications to control your heart disease. The type of medication will depend on the type of heart disease.
• Medical procedures or surgery. If medications aren't enough, it's possible your doctor will recommend specific procedures or surgery. The type of procedure will depend on the type of heart disease and the extent of the damage to your heart.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Heart disease can be improved, or even prevented, by making certain lifestyle changes.
The following changes can help anyone who wants to improve heart health:

• Stop smoking. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, especially atherosclerosis. Quitting is the best way to reduce your risk of heart disease and its complications.•
• Control your blood pressure. Ask your doctor for a blood pressure measurement at least every two years. He or she may recommend more frequent measurements if your blood pressure is higher than normal or you have a history of heart disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, as measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
• Check your cholesterol. Ask your doctor for a baseline cholesterol test when you're in your 20s and then at least every five years. You may need to start testing earlier if high cholesterol is in your family. If your test results aren't within desirable ranges, your doctor may recommend more frequent measurements.
  Most people should aim for an LDL level below 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 3.4 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). If you have other risk factors for heart disease, you should aim for an LDL below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L). If you're at very high risk of heart disease, if you've already had a heart attack or have diabetes, for example, aim for an even lower LDL level — below 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L).
• Keep diabetes under control. If you have diabetes, tight blood sugar control can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Move. Exercise helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight and control diabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure — all risk factors for heart disease. If you have a heart arrhythmia or heart defect, there may be some restrictions on the activities you can do, so talk to your doctor.
  With your doctor's OK, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.
• Eat healthy foods. A heart-healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains,and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugar, can help you control your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases your risk of heart disease. A BMI of less than 25 and a waist circumference of 35 inches (88.9 centimeters) or less is the goal for preventing and treating heart disease.
• Manage stress. Reduce stress as much as possible. Practice techniques for managing stress, such as muscle relaxation and deep breathing.
• Deal with depression. Being depressed can increase your risk of heart disease significantly. Talk to your doctor if you feel hopeless or uninterested in your life.
• Practice good hygiene. Stay away from people with infectious diseases such as colds, get vaccinated against the flu, regularly wash your hands, and brush and floss your teeth regularly to keep yourself well.

Also, get regular medical checkups. Early detection and treatment can set the stage for a lifetime of better heart health.

Coping and Support
You may feel frustrated, upset or overwhelmed upon learning you or your loved one has heart disease.
Fortunately, there are ways to help cope with heart disease or improve your condition.
These include:

• Cardiac rehabilitation. For people who have cardiovascular disease that's caused a heart attack or has required surgery to correct, cardiac rehabilitation is often recommended as a way to improve treatment and speed recovery.
  Cardiac rehabilitation involves levels of monitored exercise, nutritional counseling, emotional support, and support and education about lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of heart problems.
• Support groups. Turning to friends and family for support is essential, but if you need more help, talk to your doctor about joining a support group.
  You may find that talking about your concerns with others with similar difficulties can help.
• Continued medical checkups. If you have a recurring or chronic heart condition, regularly check in with your doctor to make sure you're properly managing your heart condition.

Prevention
Certain types of heart disease, such as heart defects, can't be prevented. However, you can help prevent many other types of heart disease by making the same lifestyle changes that can improve your heart disease, such as:

• Quit smoking
• Control other health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes
• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week
• Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Reduce and manage stress
• Practice good hygiene

Source: World Heart Federation

Rheumatic heart disease
Rheumatic heart disease is caused by one or more attacks of rheumatic fever, which then do damage to the heart, particularly the heart valves. Rheumatic fever usually occurs in childhood, and may follow a streptococcal infection.
In some cases, the infection affects the heart and may result in scarring the valves, weakening the heart muscle, or damaging the sac enclosing the heart.
The valves are sometimes scarred so they do not open and close normally.

Hypertensive heart disease
High blood pressure of unknown origin (primary hypertension) or caused by (secondary hypertension) certain specific diseases or infections, such as tumor in the adrenal glands, damage to or disease of the kidneys or their blood vessels.
High blood pressure may overburden the heart and blood vessels and cause disease.

Ischemic heart disease
Heart ailments caused by narrowing of the coronary arteries and therefore a decreased blood supply to the heart.

Cerebrovascular disease
Disease pertaining to the blood vessels in the brain. A cerebrovascular accident or stroke is the result of an impeded blood supply to some part of the brain.

Iinflammatory heart disease
Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), the membrane sac (pericarditis) which surround the heart, the inner lining of the heart (endocarditis) or the myocardium (heart muscle).
Inflammation may be caused by known toxic or infectious agents or by an unknown origin.

Other

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Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic heart disease
Rheumatic heart disease is damage caused to the heart’s valves by rheumatic fever, which is caused by streptococcal bacteria.
Valvular heart disease
The heart’s valves keep blood flowing through the heart in the right direction. But a variety of conditions can lead to valvular damage.
Valves may narrow (stenosis), leak (regurgitation or insufficiency) or not close properly (prolapse).
You may be born with valvular disease, or the valves may be damaged by such conditions as rheumatic fever, infections connective tissue disorders, and certain medications or radiation treatments for cancer.

Hypertensive Heart Disease
Aneurysm
An aneurysm is a bulge or weakness in the wall of a blood vessel. Aneurysms can enlarge over time and may be life threatening if they rupture.
They can occur because of high blood pressure or a weak spot in a blood vessel wall. Aneurysms can occur in arteries in any location in your body.
The most common sites include the abdominal aorta and the arteries at the base of the brain.

Atherosclerosis
In atherosclerosis the walls of your arteries become thick and stiff because of the build up fatty deposits. The fatty deposits are called plaques.
When this happens, the flow of blood is restricted. Atherosclerosis can happen throughout the body.
In the arteries of the heart it is known as coronary artery disease, in the legs, peripheral arterial disease.
Atherosclerosis happens over a period of time and its consequences can be grave and include heart attack and stroke.

High blood pressure (hypertension)
High blood pressure is the excessive force of blood pumping through your blood vessels.
High blood pressure causes many types of cardiovascular disease, such as stroke and heart failure, and renal disease.
Peripheral arterial disease
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is caused by atherosclerosis, which is the narrowing and / or blockage of the blood vessels in the legs.
PAD manifests as pain in the legs when walking, which is relieved by rest.
If you have PAD you are at greater risk of developing gangrene in your leg

Ischemic Heart Disease
Angina
Angina manifests as pain in the chest that results from reduced blood supply to the heart (ischemia).
Blood carries oxygen around your body and depriving the heart of oxygen has serious consequences.
Angina is caused by atherosclerosis, that is the narrowing and / or blockage of the blood vessels that supply the heart.
The typical pain of angina is in the chest but it can often radiate to the left arm, shoulder or jaw.
If you have angina you will have noticed that the pain is related to exertion and is relieved by rest.
An angina attack is also associated with shortness of breath and sweating. If you are a woman you may experience angina slightly differently.
Women appear to have more pain in their shoulder and middle back area, and more throat, neck, and jaw pain than men.
If your angina symptoms rapidly worsen and occur at rest this may presage an impending heart attack (myocardial infarction) and you should seek medical help immediately.

Atherosclerosis
In atherosclerosis the walls of your arteries become thick and stiff because of the build up fatty deposits. The fatty deposits are called plaques.
When this happens, the flow of blood is restricted. Atherosclerosis can happen throughout the body.
In the arteries of the heart it is known as coronary artery disease, in the legs, peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
Atherosclerosis happens over a period of time and its consequences can be grave and include heart attack and stroke.
Coronary artery disease
Coronary artery disease is also known as ischemic heart disease. It is caused by atherosclerosis, that is the narrowing and / or blockage of the blood vessels that supply the heart.
It is one of the most common forms of heart disease and the leading cause of heart attacks and angina.
Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease refers to the disease of the arteries to the heart and their resulting complications, such as angina, heart attacks and heart failure.
Heart attack
A heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs when the heart’s supply of blood is stopped. A heart attack need not be fatal, especially if you receive medical attention and treatment to deal with the blockage soon after you have your heart attack.
But you are likely to be left with a damaged heart post heart attack.
A heart attack manifests as severe central chest pain, which may also radiate to the left arm, shoulder or jaw.
Severe shortness of breath, sweating and feeling faint are common additional symptoms.
If you are a woman, however, your experience of heart attack may differ. Rather than acute chest pain you may have difficulty breathing, be very, very tired and have pain in your shoulder, jaw, or upper back pain.
Sudden death
Sudden death occurs when there is an abrupt loss of the heart's ability to pump blood.
This may be because of heart attack or serious abnormality of the heart’s rhythm.

Cerebrovascular heart disease
Atherosclerosis
In atherosclerosis the walls of your arteries become thick and stiff because of the build up fatty deposits. The fatty deposits are called plaques.
When this happens, the flow of blood is restricted. Atherosclerosis can happen throughout the body. In the arteries of the heart it is known as coronary artery disease, in the legs, peripheral arterial disease.
Atherosclerosis happens over a period of time and its consequences can be grave and include heart attack and stroke.
Cerebral vascular disease
Cerebral vascular disease is caused by atherosclerosis, that is the narrowing and / or blockage of the blood vessels that flow to the brain.
If the flow of blood is cut off this can lead to strokes and transient ischemic attacks.
Stroke
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted. This can happen either when a blood vessel in the brain or neck is blocked or bursts.
If this happens, your brain is deprived of oxygen and parts of your brain may be permanently damaged.
The consequences of a stroke can include problems with speech or vision, weakness or paralysis.
Transient ischemic attacks
Just as stroke occurs when the flow of blood is blocked, TIAs happen when there is a brief blockage.
The temporary loss of blood to the brain causes a brief, sudden change in brain function. This may manifest as temporary numbness or weakness on one side of the body, loss of balance, confusion, blindness in one or both eyes, double vision, difficulty speaking, or a severe headache.
But these will disappear quickly and permanent damage is unlikely.
If you have ever experienced symptoms like this you should seek medical advice.
A TIA can be a warning that you are at risk of stroke sometime in the future.

Inflammatory heart disease
Atherosclerosis
In atherosclerosis the walls of your arteries become thick and stiff because of the build up of fatty deposits. The fatty deposits are called plaques.
When this happens, the flow of blood is restricted. Atherosclerosis can happen throughout the body.
In the arteries of the heart it is known as coronary artery disease, in the legs, peripheral arterial disease. Atherosclerosis happens over a period of time and its consequences can be grave and include heart attack and stroke.
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy refers to diseases of the heart muscle. Some types of cardiomyopathy are genetic, while others occur because of infection or other reasons that are less well understood.
One of the most common types of cardiomyopathy is idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, where the heart is enlarged.
Other types include ischemic, loss of heart muscle; dilated, heart enlarged; hypertrophic, heart muscle is thickened.
Pericardial disease
The sac that encases the heart is called the pericardium and it can be affected by a variety of conditions such as inflammation (pericarditis), fluid accumulation (pericardial effusion) and stiffness (constrictive pericarditis).
The etiology of these conditions varies.
Valvular heart disease
The heart’s valves keep blood flowing through the heart in the right direction. But a variety of conditions can lead to valvular damage.
Valves may narrow (stenosis), leak (regurgitation or insufficiency) or not close properly (prolapse).
You may be born with valvular disease, or the valves may be damaged by such conditions as rheumatic fever, infections connective tissue disorders, and certain medications or radiation treatments for cancer.

Other
Congenital heart disease
Congenital heart disease is when you are born with malformations of the heart’s structures. This may be the result of the genes you inherited from your parents or adverse exposure to certain elements while still in the womb, such as some medicines or too much alcohol.
Congenital heart disease is a broad term and examples are holes in the heart, abnormal valves, and abnormal heart chambers.
Heart failure
Heart failure is a chronic condition that happens when the heart’s muscle becomes too damaged to adequately pump the blood around your body.
If you have heart failure your heart still works but because it is less effective your organs do not get enough blood and oxygen.
Heart failure tends to affect older people more often and manifests as shortness of breath, reduced exercise tolerance and swelling of the ankles.
It results if the heart is damaged and weakened

Source: WebMD

1/20 Fresh Herbs When you add these to foods instead of salt and fat, you're making a heart-healthy choice. They add flavor without the bad stuff. Spices and other foods are delicious ways to eat heart-smart.

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2/20 Black Beans Mild, tender black beans are packed with heart-healthy nutrients. Folate, antioxidants, and magnesium can help lower blood pressure. Their fiber helps control both cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Add beans to boost soups and salads. Prep Tip: Rinse canned beans to remove extra salt.

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3/20 Red Wine and Resveratrol If you drink alcohol, a little red wine may be a heart-healthy choice. Resveratrol and catechins, two antioxidants in red wine, may protect artery walls. Alcohol can also boost HDL, the good cholesterol. Tip: Too much alcohol hurts the heart. Don’t have more than one drink a day for women or two drinks for men. It’s best to talk to your doctor first. Alcohol may cause problems for people taking aspirin and other medications.

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4/20 Salmon: Super Food A top food for heart health, it’s rich in omega-3s. Omega-3s are healthy fats that may lessen the risk of heart rhythm disorders and lower blood pressure. They may also lower triglycerides and curb inflammation. The American Heart Association recommends two servings of salmon or other oily fish a week. Cooking Tip: Bake salmon in foil with herbs and veggies. Toss extra cooked salmon in fish tacos and salads.

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5/20 Tuna for Omega-3s Often cheaper than salmon, tuna also has omega-3s. Albacore (white tuna) has more omega-3s than other tuna varieties. Try grilling tuna steak with dill and lemon. Reel in these other sources of omega-3s, too: mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, and anchovies. Health Tip: Choose tuna packed in water, not oil, to keep it heart-healthy.

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6/20 Olive Oil This oil is a healthy fat made from smashed olives. It's rich in heart-healthy antioxidants. They may protect your blood vessels. When olive oil replaces saturated fat (like butter), it can help lower cholesterol levels. Try it on salads and cooked veggies, or with bread. Taste tip: For the best flavor, look for cold-pressed and use it within 6 months.

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7/20 Walnuts A small handful of walnuts a day may lower your cholesterol. It may also protect against inflammation in your heart’s arteries. Walnuts are packed with omega-3s, healthy fats called monounsaturated fats, plant sterols, and fiber. The benefits come when walnuts replace bad fats, like those in chips and cookies. Tip: Try walnut oil in salad dressings.

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8/20 Almonds Slivered almonds go well with vegetables, fish, chicken, and desserts. They have plant sterols, fiber, and heart-healthy fats. Almonds may help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol. Grab a small handful a day. Taste Tip: Toast them to boost their creamy, mild flavor.

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9/20 Edamame You may have seen these as an appetizer at an Asian restaurant. Edamame is the Japanese word for soybeans. Soy protein can help lower cholesterol levels. A cup of edamame also has 8 grams of heart-healthy fiber. To get that much fiber from whole wheat bread, you’d need to eat about four slices. Tip: Take frozen edamame, boil it, and then serve warm in the pod. Popping out the yummy beans from the tough pod makes a satisfying snack.

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10/20 Tofu Eat tofu and you'll get a great form of vegetarian soy protein with heart-healthy minerals, fiber, and polyunsaturated fats. It can take on the taste of the spices or sauces you use to cook it. Tips: Chop firm tofu, marinate, then grill or stir-fry, going easy on the oil. Add tofu to soups for protein with little added fat.

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11/20 Sweet Potatoes Swap white potatoes for sweet potatoes. With a low glycemic index, these spuds won't cause a quick spike in blood sugar. They also have fiber, vitamin A, and lycopene. Taste Tip: Boost their natural sweetness with a sprinkle of cinnamon and lime juice instead of sugary toppings.

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12/20 Oranges Sweet and juicy, oranges have the cholesterol-fighting fiber pectin. They also have potassium, which helps control blood pressure. In one study, 2 cups of OJ a day boosted blood vessel health. It also lowered blood pressure in men. Nutrition Tip: A medium orange has about 62 calories and 3 grams of fiber.

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13/20 Swiss Chard This dark green, leafy vegetable is rich in potassium and magnesium. These minerals help control blood pressure. Swiss chard also has heart-healthy fiber, vitamin A, and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. Try serving it with grilled meats or as a bed for fish. Prep Tip: Sauté it with olive oil and garlic until wilted. Season with herbs and pepper.

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14/20 Barley Try this nutty whole grain in place of rice. You can also simmer barley into soups and stews. The fiber in barley can help lower cholesterol levels. It may lower blood sugar levels, too. Tip: Get to know your barley. Hulled or “whole grain” barley is the most nutritious. Barley grits are toasted and ground. They make a nice cereal or as a side dish. Pearl barley is quick, but a lot of the heart-healthy fiber has been removed.

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15/20 Oatmeal A warm bowl of oatmeal fills you up for hours, fights snack attacks, and helps keep blood sugar levels stable over time -- making it useful for people with diabetes, too. Oats’ fiber can help your heart by lowering bad cholesterol (LDL). Best results come from using steel cut or slow cooked oats. Baking Tip: Making pancakes, muffins, or other baked goods? Swap out one-third of the flour and put in oats instead.

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16/20 Flaxseed This shiny, honey-colored seed has three things that are good for your heart: fiber, phytochemicals called lignans, and omega-3 fatty acids. Tip: Grind flaxseed for the best nutrition. Add it to cereal, baked goods, yogurt, or mustard on a sandwich.

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17/20 Low-Fat Yogurt When you think of dairy foods, you probably think, “Good for my bones!” These foods can help control high blood pressure, too. Yogurt is high in calcium and potassium. To really boost the calcium and minimize the fat, choose low-fat varieties.

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18/20 Foods Fortified With Sterols Some margarines, soy milks, almond milks, and orange juices have cholesterol-fighting sterols and stanols added. These plant extracts block your gut from soaking up cholesterol. They can lower LDL levels by 10% without messing with good cholesterol.

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19/20 Cherries Sweet cherries, sour cherries, dried cherries, and cherry juice -- they’re all good. All are packed with an antioxidants called anthocyanins. They’re believed to help protect blood vessels. Get More: Sprinkle dried cherries into cereal, muffin batter, green salads, and wild rice.

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20/20 Blueberries Blueberries are simply brilliant when it comes to nutrition. They’ve got anthocyanins, those blood vessel-helping antioxidants. Those antioxidants give the berries their dark blue color. Blueberries also have fiber and more than a handful of other great nutrients. Add fresh or dried blueberries to cereal, pancakes, or yogurt. Dessert Idea: Puree a batch for a sweet sauce you can use as a dip or to drizzle on other sweet treats.

Source: CardioSmart.org Heart Disease Statistics General Facts

• In 2008, over 616,000 people died of heart disease.
• In 2008, heart disease caused almost 25% of deaths—almost one in every four—in the United States.
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2008 were in men.
• Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease. In 2008, 405,309 people died from coronary heart disease.Every year about 785,000 Americans have a first coronary attack. Another 470,000 who have already had one or more coronary attacks have another attack.
• In 2010, coronary heart disease alone was projected to cost the United States $108.9 billion. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Women and Heart Disease

• More than 42 million women are currently living with some form of cardiovascular disease.
• More than 8 million women have a history of heart attack and/or angina.
• Five and a half million women will suffer angina.
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death of American women, killing more than a third of them​.
• 35.3% of deaths in American women over the age of 20, or more than 432,000, are caused by cardiovascular disease each year.
• More than 200,000 women die each year from heart attacks- five times as many women as breast cancer.
• More than 159,000 women die each year of congestive heart failure, accounting for 56.3% of all heart failure deaths.
• 48% of adult women have a total cholesterol of at least 200mg/dL.
• 50% of Caucasian women, 64% of African-American women, 60% of Hispanic women, and 53% of Asian/Pacific Islander women are sedentary and get no leisure time physical activity.
• 58% of Caucasian women, 80% of African-American women, and 74% Hispanic-American women are overweight or obese.
• Women with diabetes are 2.5 times more likely to have heart attacks.
• More women than men die of heart disease each year.
• 23% of women and 18% of men will die within one year of a first recognized heart attack; 22-32% of women and 15-27% of men heart attack survivors will die within five years.
• 12-25% of women and 7-22% of men heart attack survivors will be diagnosed with heart failure within five years.
• Women are less likely than men to receive appropriate treatment after a heart attack.
• Women comprise only 27% of participants in all heart-related research studies.
• Percent of women 18 years and over who met the 2008 federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic activity through leisure-time aerobic activity: 44.6%
• Percent of women 18 years and over who currently smoke: 16.5%
• Percent of women 18 years and over who had 5 or more drinks in 1 day at least once in the past year: 13.6%
• Percent of women 20 years and over who are obese: 35.9% (2007-2010)
• Percent of women 20 years and over with hypertension: 32.8% (2007-2010)

Source: WomenHeart and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Overweight/Obesity

• Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are obese: 35.9% (2009-2010)
• Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are overweight (and not obese): 33.3% (2009-2010)
• Percent of adolescents age 12-19 years who are obese: 18.4% (2009-2010)
• Percent of children age 6-11 years who are obese: 18.0% (2009-2010)
• Percent of children age 2-5 years who are obese: 12.1% (2009-2010)
• In 2008, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.
• Non-Hispanic blacks have the highest age-adjusted rates of obesity (49.5%) compared with Mexican Americans (40.4%), all Hispanics (39.1%) and non-Hispanic whites (34.3%)
• Among non-Hispanic black and Mexican-American men, those with higher incomes are more likely to be obese than those with low income.
• Higher income women are less likely to be obese than low-income women.
• There is no significant relationship between obesity and education among men. Among women, however, there is a trend—those with college degrees are less likely to be obese compared with less educated women.
• Between 1988–1994 and 2007–2008 the prevalence of obesity increased in adults at all income and education levels.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Diabetes

• Diabetes affects 25.8 million people of all ages (8.3% of the U.S. population)
• 18.8 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with diabetes.
• 7 million people in the U.S. have diabetes but remain undiagnosed.
• Among U.S. residents ages 65 years and older, 10.9 million, or 26.9 percent, had diabetes in 2010.
• About 215,000 people younger than 20 years had diabetes—type 1 or type 2—in the United States in 2010.
• About 1.9 million people ages 20 years or older were newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2010 in the United States.
• In 2005–2008, based on fasting glucose or hemoglobin A1C (A1C) levels, 35 percent of U.S. adults ages 20 years or older had prediabetes—50 percent of adults ages 65 years or older. Applying this percentage to the entire U.S. population in 2010 yields an estimated 79 million American adults ages 20 years or older with prediabetes.
• Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, nontraumatic lower-limb amputations, and new cases of blindness among adults in the United States.Diabetes is a major cause of heart disease and stroke.
• Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States

Source: National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health.

High Blood Pressure
About 1 in 3 U.S. adults—an estimated 68 million—has high blood pressure.

• High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease.
• High blood pressure was listed as a primary or contributing cause of death for more than 347,000 Americans in 2008.
• In 2010, high blood pressure was projected to cost the United States $93.5 billion in health care services, medications, and missed days of work.
• About 1 in 2 U.S. adults with high blood pressure has it under control.
• Almost 30% of American adults have prehypertension—blood pressure numbers that are higher than normal, but not yet in the high blood pressure range.
• Prehypertension raises your risk for high blood pressure.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

High Cholesterol

• Approximately one in every six adults—16.3% of the U.S. adult population—has high total cholesterol.1 The level defined as high total cholesterol is 240 mg/dL and above.
• People with high total cholesterol have approximately twice the risk of heart disease as people with optimal levels. A desirable level is lower than 200 mg/dL.
• For adult Americans, the average level is about 200 mg/dL, which is borderline high risk.
• More women than men have high cholesterol in the United States.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Smoking

• Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, and lung diseases (including emphysema, bronchitis, and chronic airway obstruction).
• For every person who dies from a smoking-related disease, 20 more people suffer with at least one serious illness from smoking.
• Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 5 million deaths per year, and current trends show that tobacco use will cause more than 8 million deaths annually by 2030.
• In the United States, tobacco use is responsible for about one in five deaths annually (i.e., about 443,000 deaths per year, and an estimated 49,000 of these smoking-related deaths are the result of secondhand smoke exposure).
• On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than nonsmokers.

Percentage of U.S. adults who were current smokers in 2010:

• 19.3% of all adults (45.3 million people)
• 31.4% non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native
• 25.9% non-Hispanic multiple race
• 21.0% non-Hispanic white
• 20.6% non-Hispanic black
• 12.5% Hispanic
• 9.2% non-Hispanic Asian

Thousands of young people begin smoking every day.

• Each day, more than 3,800 persons younger than 18 years of age smoke their first cigarette.
• Each day, about 1,000 persons younger than 18 years of age begin smoking on a daily basis.

Many adult smokers want to quit smoking.

• Approximately 69% of smokers want to quit completely.
• Approximately 52% of smokers attempted to quit in 2010.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Latest News
Source: Heart Research Institute

Recovering from Exercise
What many people fail to remember is that the benefits that come with exercise are determined by our recovery. That’s right, exercising is only the first part in improving our health and wellbeing, the part that comes after it is just as, if not more important.
As many of us struggle to fit in a not so normal working week (gone are the days of the 9-5 office job), while fitting in our one hour of exercise a day, and trying to find time for some QT with the family, the one thing that seems to suffer the most is our sleep and ability to recover from exercise.
What many people fail to remember is that the benefits that come with exercise are determined by our recovery.
That’s right, exercising is only the first part in improving our health and wellbeing, the part that comes after it is just as, if not more important
. In fact, exercising when you are completely overworked, run down, stretched to the limit isn’t actually good for you. It simply puts you closer to a disease state and falling ill.
Think of it like a car that is over revved all the time. If you keep over revving the engine (working crazy hours and then flogging yourself in the gym), something is going to blow. That blow will most likely be your immune system and that may mean deleterious health consequences, like an illness or injury.
“Great!” I hear you say. “Now I am being told that exercise makes me sick!” Well not exactly, but it’s important to be aware of:

• How exercise causes stress on our bodies
• How our bodies adapt and respond to exercise and
• How you can still exercise and recover when you are time poor

Exercise and Stress
Resistance training and hard aerobic exercises are simply a form of stress in the body’s perspective. They are irritants that disrupt our bodies resting state, our homeostasis.
Importantly, there are 2 main types of stress, Eustress, which has a positive effect on the body and produces growth, and Distress, which you guessed it, has a negative effect that causes damage and decay.
Depending on how much you exercise, and more importantly, how much you rest, determines which state your body falls into.
Adaptation
There is technical term for the positive state our body falls into after exercising, known as the general adaptation syndrome.
Essentially it means that if after we first shock the body with exercise, we go away and recover properly (i.e. eat the right foods, sleep the right hours, do appropriate therapies) our bodies become stronger and more resistant to the stress we first placed on them.
That’s why if you ever train for an extended period of time doing resistance exercises or aerobic exercise, you become fitter and stronger.
That’s adaptation. Adaptation is a good thing!
Distress
The flip side to adaptation is when you don’t recover properly and implement those aforementioned things after you exercise (i.e. eat the right foods, sleep the right hours, do appropriate therapies).
You become exhausted, your body becomes distressed and you get run down. Even professional athletes who do try to recover properly like triathletes that have very high training volumes, have the highest rate of upper respiratory tract infections, due to their high training loads and weaken immune systems.
It’s very important to remember that being fit doesn’t necessarily mean being healthy.
Optimal Recovery
“Ok great”, I hear you say again. “But I hardly have time to exercise let alone find time for Qui Gong! to recover!”.
Fair Enough, I completely understand, I get very busy too. So here are my top tips to help you recover from exercise and make sure that your workouts make you healthier and not run you into the ground!!:

• If you sleep less <7 hours the night before, halve your workout. You will still get the many benefits of exercising (including that feel good buzz after) but without putting your body into a distressed state
• Nap! 10-20-minute power naps do amazing things to our immune systems. There is loads of empirical evidence to show this.. go find a nice warm spot in the sun on your lunch break and have a lie down!
• Eat well. After sleep and rest, food is the next most important component in repairing our bodies. Fibrous carbohydrate, fruits and vegetables, protein and good fats all promote a strong immune system
• Get a massage, use a foam roller in the gym or do a therapy you like and can afford
• Swim in salt water. If a swim at the beach can cure a hangover, it can definitely help you recover from a workout (ever noticed how all of the football teams go to the beach to recover!?)!!

Finally, and most importantly, listen to your body. There is an important difference between being lazy and being exhausted.
If you feel overwhelmed, jaded or apathetic by the thought of exercising, don’t train.
Sleep in and let your body heal!
Cardiovascular Disease Research News
Source: Medical News

Cardiovascular diseases kill and hospitalize millions of people worldwide each year. This makes them an important disease entity that has garnered large amounts of research.

Initial studies on cardiovascular health
Initial studies on cardiovascular health were performed in 1949 by Jerry Morris. He gathered occupational data for years before publishing his results in 1958.
The causes, prevention, and/or treatment of all forms of cardiovascular disease are active fields for biomedical research.
Hundreds of such studies are published weekly in hundreds of journals worldwide.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is an organization that supports cardiovascular research and aims at preventing and treating heart, lung, and blood diseases.
The research grants are aimed at exploring the effects of heart diseases on men and women, the possible strength of risk factors and methods to prevent and treat the disease.

Latest research Some of the latest research includes examination of risks of heart attack and its possible recovery and comparison of open-hear surgeries like coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with angioplasty and stenting in patients who have diabetes and blockages in more than one coronary artery.
Studies also compare CABG with medical therapy in patients of heart failure or coronary heart disease.
The effects of diet, exercise, aging and hormones on risk of heart diseases is another interesting area of research. Effects of depression, stress and other mental ailments on heart disease is an area of research.
Some researchers are exploring the use of newer imaging and diagnostic techniques in detection of heart diseases.

Clinical trials
Some times volunteers are recruited in clinical trials on cardiovascular drugs and interventions. Clinical trials test new ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat various diseases and conditions.
There are trials for medicines, medical devices, surgeries, or procedures and these trials show if the new procedure is safe and effective in humans before it is made available for widespread use.
Initial phases of the studies are conducted on small numbers of patients. Those who are willing may enroll themselves for the trials.
Patients will have the support of a team of health care providers, who will likely monitor the effects of the new medicine or procedure on their health closely.
Even if the patient does not benefit from the results of a clinical trial, the information may help others and add to scientific knowledge.

Informed consent
After patients volunteer for a clinical trial, the research will be explained to them in detail. The pros and cons and the benefits and risks will be explained in understandable terms.
This process is called informed consent. Once the patient agrees they would need to sign an informed consent form. The patient has the right to withdraw from a study at any time, for any reason.