Alternative Names
Cardiac disease; myocardial infarction (MI); cardiovascular disease
Symptoms & Characteristics
There are many different types of heart (cardiac) disease.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common form of heart disease. CAD is a narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries (the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart) due to atherosclerosis (the process in which "plaques" consisting of fatty substances, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the inner arterial lining). CAD progresses over time and is the major cause of heart attacks.
Heart attacks (myocardial infarctions; MIs) occur when there is a blockage in one or more of the arteries to the heart, preventing the heart from receiving enough oxygen-rich blood. If the oxygen in the blood cannot reach the heart muscle, the heart becomes damaged.
Other common kinds of heart disease include:
- Heart valve disease occurs when the heart valves do not function properly.
- Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy) is a type of progressive heart disease in which the heart is abnormally enlarged, thickened, and/or stiffened. Examples cardiomyopathies include hypertrophy cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, and restrictive cardiomyopathy.
- Heart rhthym disorders (arrhythmias) cause an irregular heartbeat and can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Examples of types of arrhythmias include ventricular fibrillation, atrial fibrillation, cardiac channelopathies, tachycardias and bradyarrhythmias.
- Pericardial Disease including inflammation of the membrane sac surrounding the heart (pericarditis) or an accumulation of fluid surrounding the heart (pericardial effusion) can impair heart function.
- Aortic aneurysm is a bulge in a section of the aorta (the main artery of the body). If the aorta bursts, serious bleeding and death can occur.
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is atherosclerosis of the arteries outside the heart. PAD can lead to inadequate blood flow throughout the body.
Heart disease symptoms depend on the type and severity of disease. However, many heart conditions have symptoms that overlap. A doctor may use several tests to diagnose heart disease depending on symptoms, personal history and family history.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the type and severity of heart disease.
How Common Is It?
Heart disease causes more deaths in the United States than any other disease. Millions of Americans have one or more forms of heart disease.
Genetics & Inheritance
Most forms of heart disease have multifactorial inheritance, which means they involve a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors.
- Proposed risk factors for cardiac disease include obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, and injury to the heart.
- People who are affected with other health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol and/or stroke, are at increased risk to develop heart disease as well.
It is well established that susceptibility to heart disease runs in some families.
- Researchers believe that there are a number of genes that influence susceptibility to heart disease (as well as the health conditions associated with heart disease).
- Single nucleotide polymorphisms (or SNPs) are small variations in a single "letter" of DNA that can be found throughout our entire genetic make-up. Some researchers have proposed that specific SNPs may influence the risk to develop some forms of heart disease. Further research is needed to replicate study findings and clearly establish associations.
- Other yet to be identified or adequately classified genes may also contribute to heart disease.
Some cases of heart disease are inherited. Some of the more common inherited (genetic) heart diseases include:
- Cardiac channelopathies - heart rhythm disorders characterized by abnormalities in the function of ion channels on the surface of heart muscle cells
People who have certain genetic conditions are at an increased risk to develop heart disease. People with these conditions often have additional, characteristic mental and/or physical abnormalities. Some of the more common genetic conditions associated with heart disease include:
Genetic Testing
Clinical genetic testing for susceptibility to heart disease is currently unavailable.
Clinical genetic testing for the genetic heart diseases and genetic conditions associated with heart disease may be available through an in person genetic consultation for people who are considered at risk. It is always recommended to see a genetic professional for a complete evaluation, accurate diagnosis and discussion of the benefits and limitations of testing and recurrence risk. Use our find a genetic professional directory to locate a trained
genetic professional in your area.
Informational genetic testing for susceptibility to some forms of heart disease is available online (over the internet). Informational genetic testing for susceptibility to some forms of heart disease is also available as part of a whole genome scan. Whole genome scanning involves analyzing thousands of SNPs at once related to a number of different health conditions.
- At this point, many genetic professionals do not consider this testing clinically useful or medically relevant, but for informational purposes only. Go to the Tests tab to link to the
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Last Reviewed February 2, 2010