Managing Diseases and Staying Healthy
Heart Disease
There are many types of heart disease. About 25% of all Americans have one or more types of cardiovascular disease. The major types of heart disease are arteriosclerosis, coronary, rheumatic, congenital, myocarditis, angina and arrhythmia.
Heart disease can arise from congenital defects, infection, narrowing of the coronary arteries, high blood pressure, or disturbances.
The first stages of heart disease are lesions and cracks forming in the blood vessel walls normally at the points of highest pressure or stress (near the heart). The second stage is the body trying to repair itself by depositing fatty substances (cholesterol, lipoproteins) inside the blood vessels to fill the cracks. |
