Heart Disease A Wakeup Call

If you have heart disease, you may understandably hope that it’s only a temporary ailment, one that can be cured with medicine or surgery. But heart disease is a lifelong condition: Once you have it, you’ll always have it. It’s true that procedures such as angioplasty and bypass surgery can help blood and oxygen flow more easily through the coronary arteries that lead to the heart. But the arteries remain damaged, which means that you’re more likely to have a heart attack. It is sobering, yet important, to realize that the condition of your blood vessels will steadily worsen unless you make changes in your daily habits. Many people die of complications from heart disease, or become permanently disabled. That’s why it is so vital to take action to control this serious condition.


The good news is that you can control heart disease. There is much you can do to manage your heart condition, reduce your risk of a first or repeat heart attack, and improve your chances of living a long, rewarding life. The sooner you get started, the better your chances of avoiding further heart problems, feeling better, and staying well. So use this handbook to find out more about your own heart condition and what you can do to improve it. You have the power to make a positive difference in your heart health—and you can start making that difference today.

What Is Heart Disease?

Coronary heart disease is the main form of heart disease. It occurs when the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle, become hardened and narrowed due to a buildup of plaque on the arteries’ inner walls. Plaque is the accumulation of cholesterol, fat, and other substances. As plaque continues to build up in the arteries, blood flow to the heart is reduced.

Coronary heart disease—often simply called heart disease—can lead to a heart attack. A heart attack happens when a cholesterol-rich plaque bursts and releases its contents into the bloodstream. This causes a blood clot to form over the plaque, totally blocking blood flow through the artery and preventing vital oxygen and nutrients from getting to the heart. A heart attack can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle.

Heart disease includes a number of other serious conditions, including: 

Angina. More than 6 million Americans live with angina, which is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when the heart muscle is not getting enough blood. The inadequate blood flow is caused by narrowed coronary arteries, due to an accumulation of plaque. A bout of angina is not a heart attack, but it means that you’re more likely to have a heart attack than someone who doesn’t have angina. There are two kinds of angina:

Stable angina has a recognizable pattern. It may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. The pain may also occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It may also feel like indigestion. Stable angina pain is generally brought on by some kind of exertion or strain (such as climbing stairs or experiencing emotional stress), and it is usually relieved by rest or medicine.

Unstable angina is more serious than stable angina. Occurring at any time, unstable angina often reflects a change in a previously stable pattern of angina. Episodes of unstable angina are usually more f requent, painful, and longer lasting than bouts of stable angina, and a re less often relieved by rest or medicine. Unstable angina is a sign that you may have a heart attack very soon. The symptoms are the same as if you are having a heart attack. (See page 46 for heart attack warning signs.) If you have any of these symptoms, you should call 9–1–1 right away so that you can get immediate treatment.

Congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure is a life-threatening condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to supply the body’s needs. Affecting nearly 5 million Americans, heart failure occurs when excess fluid collects in the body as a result of heart weakness or injury. This condition leads to a buildup of fluid in the lungs, causing swelling of the feet, tiredness, weakness, and breathing difficulties.

High blood pressure is the leading cause of congestive heart failure in the United States. Heart disease and diabetes are also major underlying causes of heart failure. People who have had a heart attack are at high risk of developing this condition.

 Arrhythmias are problems that affect the electrical system of the heart muscle, producing abnormal heart arrhythmias . Many factors can contribute to arrh y t hm i a s , including heart disease, high blood pre s s u re, diabetes , smoking, heavy alcohol use, an electrolyte imbalance, drug abuse, and stress ..