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According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the cause of approximately 40% of all deaths in the United States. So, how can you avoid becoming a part of this statistic? Well, educating yourself on the various forms of heart disease is a start. Cardiovascular disease is the broad term used to describe the different types of heart and blood vessel problems. By gaining some insight into cardiovascular disease you can make better lifestyle choices regarding diet, exercise and the cessation of cigarette use, if you're a smoker.

Cardiovascular disease can be the result of many problems. However, it most commonly refers to atherosclerosis which is the narrowing of the blood vessels inner lining due to fat, cholesterol or calcium deposition. The narrowing of the arterial blood vessels results in the heart having to work harder to get oxygenated blood through the body. Overtime, atherosclerosis left untreated will manifest into diseases such as hypertension, heart attack, congestive heart failure and stroke. Aside from atherosclerosis heart disease may be caused by birth defects (congenital) or considered idiopathic meaning there's no known cause. Here you will get an overview of the many types of CVD. At the end of this review try your hand at matching each disease to the correct example provided to see how much you've learned.

Hypertension (HTN)
refers to elevated blood pressure causing the heart to work harder at pumping blood throughout the body. The majority of cases have no known cause and patients may not have symptoms for a long time. Whereas, a smaller population experience HTN due to secondary causes and the symptoms may present more suddenly. Hypertension is treatable with medication and if left without the proper medical attention can causes other problems such as stroke or heart failure.

Coronary artery disease (CAD)
affects the blood vessels of the heart which are narrowed due to atherosclerosis. The blockage of blood to the heart will lead to poorly oxygenated heart muscles. The heart in turn won't be able to work effectively at pumping blood to the rest of the body. Some common problems associated with this disease are chest pain and heart attack. A person usually presenting with chest pain may experience relief after stopping the inciting activity.

Heart attack
as mentioned above can be a manifestation of CAD and is also referred to as a myocardial infarction (MI). It results from a prolonged lack of blood flow or complete obstruction of flow to heart muscles due to an occlusion of one or more coronary arteries. A heart attack results in the muscle being unable to work normally at pumping blood because the area of the heart supplied by the blocked blood vessels becomes damaged. Signs or symptoms commonly associated with a heart attack are heavy, crushing chest pain that may not be relieved with rest.

Stroke - There are two forms of stroke. One occurs due to blood flow being blocked to the brain and the other is the result of a blood vessel to the brain rupturing. These forms are known as ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes respectively. A stroke causes a part of the brain not to receive oxygen and this may result in certain neurological problems like paralysis. Certain factors to prevent stroke are controllable. However, the National Stroke Association lists certain criteria such as being African-American and over the age of 55 as uncontrollable risk factors.

Heart failure
has also been referred to as congestive heart failure (CHF). CHF can be the result of acute or chronic heart problems and leads to the inability of the heart to pump blood to the body. This may create a build up of fluids in the body because the heart can no longer contract adequately. Although not all heart failure leads to fluid retention the term "congestive" is still used interchangeably to describe this disease.

Valvular heart disease refers tothe inability of the four heart valves to allow blood to move in the forward direction. Valvular disease may be attributed to the narrowing of the valve outlet referred to as valve stenosis. Whereas, valve insufficiency indicates that there is a leaky valve or a prolapsed valve. A prolapsed valve means that the valve's leaflet bulges back into the atria. Heart valve disease is caused by congenital defects or acquired diseases (e.g., rheumatic fever, endocarditis).

Arrhythmias disrupt normal cardiac rhythm. Arrhythmias result in tachycardia (rapid heart beat), bradycardia (slow heart beat) or irregular heart beats. Arrhythmias may be asymptomatic in some patients. However, if arrhythmias present with more serious symptoms (e.g., chest pain, shortness of breath) or lead to complications (e.g., stroke, CHF) medications to normalize the heart rate will be provided.

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle which can be ischemic, dilated, hypertrophic or restrictive. Ischemic cardiomyopathy is the result of decreased blood flow to the heart and the poorly oxygenated areas of the heart become damaged or destroyed. A dilated heart is enlarged and is the most common form of cardiomyopathy. The left ventricle becomes enlarged and the cause is unknown although some inheritable component has been associated with this disease. In the hypertrophic heart the left ventricle is affected and has thick muscular walls. This form has been associated with certain genes. Restrictive cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart muscles become rigid resulting in problems with blood adequately filling the heart chambers.

Aneurysm is a weakness that result in the outpocketing or bulging of the arterial wall. The bulge is caused by high blood pressure pushing against the arterial wall and is most likely to be found in the abdominal aorta and the arteries at the base of the brain. The wear and tear of these high pressures over time eventually may cause the bulges to get bigger and rupture. The rupturing of an aneurysm is life-threatening.

Pericardial diseases
can be the inflammation, fluid buildup or rigidity of the sac surrounding the heart called the pericardium. If the sac is inflamed the disease is called pericarditis. Constrictive pericarditis and pericardial effusion refer to the stiffness or fluid retention around the heart. The causes and complications as a result of pericardial disease vary.

Peripheral arterial disease or PAD, according to the Amercian Heart Association is the most common cause of peripheral vascular disease. PAD occurs as the result of the lower limbs inability to receive adequate blood flow. The patient will experience symptoms, usually referred to as claudication (leg pain) during exercise. However, as the disease progresses one may experience pain at rest.

Congenital heart disease
is cardiac problem that occurs in utero (before birth). There are many types of congenital heart problems that can range from septal defects in the walls dividing the heart chambers. This results in atrial or ventricular septal defects known as ASD or VSD. Other congenital heart problems can result in defects in heart muscle, valves, or narrowing of the aorta called a coarctation. These heart defects may or may not present with clinical signs or symptoms until later in life (WPW.

So you've had an overview of the various forms of cardiovascular disease. Now here's your chance to see how much you've learned! The answer key is found at the end of this matching quiz.

1. A woman stops to catch her breath while playing tennis because she experienced a rapid heart beat

2. Retired police officer experiences chest pain while painting his garage and is relieved when he rests

3. A sphygmomanometer reading of 140/90

4. Chest X-ray reveals an enlarged heart

5. An ER resident evaluates a cardiac patient with recent left-side weakness

6. History of bacterial infection and an abnormal sound is heard while listening to the heart

7. A surgical procedure is completed to correct a defect in the atrial septum

8. Patient has swelling of the lower extremities and is prescribe a drug to help the heart contract better

9. Fluid surrounding the heart

10. Patient experiences chest pain while watching TV

11. Elderly woman experiences pain in her legs while walking her dog

12. Autopsy reveals a major ruptured blood vessel

Answer choices
a. Valvular heart disease
b. Peripheral arterial disease
c. Pericardial disease
d. Aneurysm
e. Cardiomyopathy
f. Congenital heart disease
g. Coronary artery disease
h. Hypertension
i. Heart failure
j. Stroke
k. Arrhythmia
l. Heart attack

Answer key: 1.k, 2.g, 3.h, 4.e, 5.j, 6.a, 7.f, 8.i, 9.c, 10.l, 11.b, 12.d

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