FAQs
What are the 4 main types of heart disease?
The four main types of heart disease are coronary artery disease, heart arrhythmia, valve disease, and heart failure. Each affects a different part of the heart or its function.
What symptoms should I watch for in coronary artery disease?
Common symptoms include chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath during activities, fatigue, and sometimes nausea. Women may experience unusual tiredness or indigestion rather than the classic chest pain.
How are heart arrhythmias diagnosed?
Doctors use diagnostic tools like an ECG, Holter monitor (24-48 hours of heart rhythm recording), event recorders for longer monitoring, and sometimes electrophysiology studies to map electrical pathways of the heart.
Can valve disease be treated without surgery?
Mild valve disease symptoms may be managed with medications and lifestyle changes, but many cases eventually require valve repair or replacement. New minimally invasive procedures like TAVR can avoid open-heart surgery in some patients.
What lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of all four types of heart disease?
Key prevention steps include eating a Mediterranean-style diet, engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise weekly, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, managing stress, and monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol regularly.
