Heart Disease

Other heart conditions that affect your heart’s muscles, valves or rhythm also are considered forms of heart disease.

Who is Affected by Heart Disease?

17% of Australians suffer from heart disease or cardiovascular disease. Heart disease remains a significant health burden for Australia and causes thousands of premature deaths yearly.

What are the Types of Heart Disease?

The types of heart diseases include:

• Ischaemic heart disease (also called coronary artery disease)
• Heart valve disease
• Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms)
• Congenital heart disease
• Heart failure
• Cardiomyopathy (disease of heart muscle)
• Pericardial disease (disease of the lining around the heart)
• Aortic aneurysm (dilation of the aorta)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs)

What are the Causes of Heart Disease?

Causes or risk factors associated with heart disease can be categorised in two ways:

Risk Factors Within Your Control

• Unhealthy lifestyle choices: smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity
• Medical conditions: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes
• Chronic stress
• Excessive alcohol consumption

Risks Factors Beyond Your Control

• Family history of heart disease
• Age: risk increases as you get older
• Gender: men have a higher risk before age 55, women after menopause
• Ethnicity: some ethnic groups have higher rates of heart disease

What are the Symptoms of Heart Disease?

Generally, commonly observed symptoms can include:

• Pain that Spreads to the Arm
• Throat or Jaw Pain
• Being easily exhausted
• Cold Sweats
• Chest pain or discomfort (angina)
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
• Swelling in legs, ankles, and feet
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Nausea

Some heart diseases may not cause symptoms until they are advanced, so it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle and have regular check-ups with your doctor to detect and treat heart disease early. Sometimes, heart disease may cause sudden cardiac arrest and requires immediate medical attention.

Diagnosis of Heart Disease

There are several tests used for diagnosing heart disease, including:

• Physical examination
• Blood tests
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Echocardiogram
• Stress test
• Coronary angiogram
• Cardiac computed tomography (CT) scan
• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

The choice of test depends on the individual's symptoms and medical history.

Treatment Choices for Heart Disease

Keeping your heart healthy, whatever your age, is the most important thing you can do to help prevent and manage heart disease.

You can minimise your risk of cardiovascular disease by improving your lifestyle, diet, and fitness level.

Even if you have two or more risk factors, you can still make changes to reduce your chances of developing heart problems.

The treatment options for heart disease include:

• Lifestyle changes: diet, exercise, stress management
• Medications: aspirin, statins, blood pressure meds, anticoagulants
• Interventional procedures: angioplasty, stenting, coronary artery bypass surgery
• Devices: pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs)
• Heart procedures: valve repair/replacement, heart transplant

Treatment choice will depend on the type and severity of heart disease and individual patient factors.

Ischaemic Heart Disease

What is Ischaemic Heart Disease?

Ischaemic heart disease (IHD), or coronary artery disease (CAD), occurs when the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle, become narrow or blocked due to plaque buildup. This can cause chest pain (angina) and shortness of breath and increase the risk of heart attack (myocardial infarction). 

IHD is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and is often related to lifestyle factors such as unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and smoking. Treatment for IHD typically involves lifestyle changes, medications, and in severe cases, interventional procedures or surgery in extreme cases.

How Can Ischaemic Heart Disease Affect You?

When the coronary arteries become narrow or blocked due to plaque buildup, the heart muscle doesn't receive enough oxygen-rich blood, which can lead to:

• Chest pain or discomfort (angina) occurs when the heart muscle doesn't receive enough blood.
• Heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs when a portion of the heart muscle dies due to a lack of oxygen caused by a complete blockage in one or more coronary arteries.
• Heart failure: If the heart muscle doesn't receive enough blood for an extended period, it can become damaged and enlarged, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood effectively.
• Arrhythmias: IHD can increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms, which can cause palpitations or fainting.

IHD can also harm overall health and well-being, including decreased quality of life, reduced physical and mental functioning, and an increased risk of death. Treatment and lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, can help manage the symptoms and reduce the risk of complications.

What are the Types of Ischaemic Heart Disease?

The types of Ischaemic Heart Disease include:

• Angina: Chest pain or discomfort caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the heart.
• Stable angina: Chest pain occurs when the heart works harder than usual, such as during physical activity.
• Unstable angina: Chest pain that occurs at rest, is more severe, and lasts longer than stable angina.
• Silent ischemia: Chest pain or discomfort that is not noticeable but still affects the heart muscle.
• Myocardial infarction (heart attack) occurs when a portion of the heart muscle dies due to a lack of oxygen caused by a complete blockage in one or more coronary arteries.
• Chronic stable angina: Persistent chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to the heart during physical activity or emotional stress.
• Variant angina: Chest pain or discomfort that occurs at rest and is caused by spasms in the coronary arteries.

It is essential to consult your doctor if you experience any symptoms of IHD, as prompt diagnosis and treatment can help prevent serious complications and improve health outcomes.

What are the Symptoms of Ischaemic Heart Disease?

The symptoms of Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) can vary and may include the following:

• Chest pain or discomfort (angina)
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
• Fatigue
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Nausea

Some individuals with IHD may not experience symptoms until the disease is advanced. Sometimes, IHD may cause sudden cardiac arrest and require immediate medical attention. If you experience any symptoms of IHD, it is essential to seek medical attention promptly.

What are the Causes of Ischaemic Heart Disease?

IHD is caused by plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle. This plaque buildup can narrow or block the arteries, reducing oxygen-rich blood reaching the heart muscle. The following are common causes of plaque buildup in the coronary arteries:

• High cholesterol levels: Cholesterol and other fatty substances can accumulate in the walls of the arteries, forming plaque.
• High blood pressure: Chronic high blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels, leading to plaque buildup.
• Smoking: Smoking can damage the blood vessels, causing plaque buildup and increasing the risk of IHD.
• Unhealthy diet: A diet high in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol can contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries.
• Physical inactivity: Lack of physical activity can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, risk factors for IHD.
• Diabetes: High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels, increasing the risk of plaque buildup.
• Genetics: IHD can run in families, and some individuals may have a genetic predisposition to the disease.

It is essential to manage these risk factors through lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, being physically active, quitting smoking, and working on high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. These measures can help reduce the risk of developing IHD and improve overall health.

Diagnosis of Ischaemic Heart Disease

Ischaemic heart disease is diagnosed through a combination of:

• Medical history and physical examination
• Blood tests
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Stress test
• Echocardiogram
• Coronary angiogram
• Cardiac CT or MRI

These tests aim to assess blood flow to the heart and identify any blockages or narrowing of the coronary arteries.

Treatments for Ischaemic Heart Disease

Treatment options for ischemic heart disease include:

• Lifestyle changes: diet, exercise, stress management
• Medications: aspirin, statins, blood pressure meds, anticoagulants
• Interventional procedures: angioplasty, stenting
• Devices: pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs)
• Heart procedures: coronary artery bypass surgery

How to Prevent Ischaemic Heart Disease?

Prevention of ischemic heart disease involves making lifestyle changes and managing risk factors. Some ways to reduce the risk of developing ischemic heart disease include:

• Maintaining a healthy diet low in saturated and trans fats, salt and added sugars.
• Engaging in regular physical activity and exercise.
• Maintaining a healthy weight.
• Not smoking or quitting smoking.
• Managing stress and getting enough sleep.
• Controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
• Taking prescribed medications as directed.
• Getting regular check-ups and monitoring for symptoms.

Work with your doctor to develop a personalised plan to reduce ischemic heart disease risk.

What is Cardiology?

Cardiology is a medical specialty that deals with diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases related to the heart and blood vessels.

What is Cardiology Care?

Cardiology care is diagnosing, treating and managing heart and blood vessel conditions by a cardiologist or a team of specialists. It includes various services to prevent, diagnose, and treat heart diseases and conditions, such as heart attacks, arrhythmias, and heart failure. 

Cardiology care may involve medical treatments, lifestyle changes, diagnostic tests, interventional procedures, and surgeries, depending on each patient's specific needs. It aims to promote heart health and improve the quality of life for individuals with heart problems.

Importance of Cardiology Care

Cardiology care is necessary because the heart is a vital organ that pumps blood to the rest of the body and plays a crucial role in overall health and well-being. Some of the reasons why cardiology care is essential include the following:

• Early detection and treatment of heart disease
• Improved quality of life
• Management of risk factors
• Support for heart-healthy habits
• Personalised care