Heart disease
Good For Your Heart
Baylor is dedicated to your heart health. Our innovative diagnostic tools, treatments and educational programs ensure you'll receive the most complete and advanced heart health care. In addition to the heart and vascular services at many of our facilities, we also offer two dedicated heart hospitals, located in Dallas and Plano.
Search for a Cardiologist
Baylor is dedicated to your heart health. Our innovative diagnostic tools, treatments and educational programs ensure you'll receive the most complete and advanced heart health care. In addition to the heart and vascular services at many of our facilities, we also offer two dedicated heart hospitals, located in Dallas and Plano.
Search for a Cardiologist
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Definition
Heart disease is any disorder that affects the heart's ability to function normally. Various forms of heart disease include:
- Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
- Aortic regurgitation
- Aortic stenosis
- Arrhythmias
- Cardiogenic shock
- Congenital heart disease
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Endocarditis
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- Heart failure
- Heart tumor
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Idiopathic cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic cardiomyopathy
- Acute mitral regurgitation
- Chronic mitral regurgitation
- Mitral stenosis
- Mitral valve prolapse
- Peripartum cardiomyopathy
- Pulmonary stenosis
- Stable angina
- Unstable angina
- Tricuspid regurgitation
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Alternative Names
Cardiovascular disorders
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Causes
The most common cause of heart disease is a narrowing of or blockage in the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle (coronary artery disease). Some heart diseases are present at birth (congenital heart disease).
Other causes include:
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Abnormal heart valve function
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Weakening of the heart's pumping ability, often caused by infection or toxins (cardiomyopathy)
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References
Criqui MH. Epidemiology of cardiovascular disease. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 49.
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Review Date:
10/5/2008
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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