Heart Disease
What is Heart Disease?
Heart disease is the name for several different heart conditions—most commonly coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease often develops when plaque builds up in the arteries, making it harder for blood and oxygen to reach the heart. If the coronary arteries become blocked by a clot, this can result in a heart attack.
In This Article:
What Causes Heart Disease?
There are several risk factors for heart disease, including:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Obesity and being overweight
- An unhealthy diet
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Chronic stress
- Having a family history of heart disease
Diagnosing Heart Disease
A diagnosis of heart disease begins with a physical exam and medical history. Common symptoms of heart disease include chest pain and tightness, shortness of breath, pain in the neck or jaw, or pain or numbness in the legs or arms.
Your provider may also order blood tests and tests like a chest x-ray. An electrocardiogram can also test whether your heart is beating irregularly, and an echocardiogram can show how the blood is moving through the heart and whether any of your heart valves are narrowed.
Treating Heart Disease
Treatment for heart disease will depend on what kind of heart disease you have. But healthy lifestyle changes are important for all people living with heart disease:
- Eating well
- Exercising regularly
- Stopping smoking
- Keeping up with your regular doctor’s appointments and check-ups
Some people may also need medication to help them manage their heart disease. If you are prescribed medication, it’s important to take it as appropriate.
How Heart Disease Affects COPD
Many people living with COPD also have heart disease. This is partly because the risk factors for both conditions are similar—especially smoking. People living with COPD are also at a greater risk of having a high heart rate or arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat).
There is also some overlap between the symptoms of COPD and heart disease; people living with COPD may mistake chest tightness, shortness of breath and fatigue as signs of heart disease.
What You Can Do Today
- Use your medication as prescribed by your provider
- Exercise regularly as directed by your provider
Resources
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/understanding-copd-from-a-cardiovascular-perspective