Heart Diseases & Genetics

Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect your heart. Diseases under the heart disease umbrella include blood vessel diseases, such as coronary artery disease; heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias); and heart defects you're born with (congenital heart defects), among others. The term "heart disease" is often used interchangeably with the term "cardiovascular disease." Cardiovascular disease generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as those that affect your heart's muscle, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.

Cardiovascular disease can sometimes be found early with regular exams. Heart disease symptoms caused by abnormal heartbeats (heart arrhythmias) A heart arrhythmia is an abnormal heartbeat. Your heart may beat too quickly, too slowly or irregularly.

Heart arrhythmia symptoms can include: 
• Fluttering in your chest 
• Racing heartbeat (tachycardia) 
• Slow heartbeat (bradycardia) 
• Chest pain or discomfort 
• Shortness of breath 
• Lightheadedness 
• Dizziness 
• Fainting (syncope) or near fainting

Heart disease symptoms caused by heart defects Serious congenital heart defects — defects you're born with — usually become evident soon after birth.

Symptoms of heart disease

in your blood vessels (atherosclerotic disease) Cardiovascular disease is caused by narrowed, blocked or stiffened blood vessels that prevent your heart, brain or other parts of your body from receiving enough blood. Cardiovascular disease symptoms may be different for men and women. For instance, men are more likely to have chest pain; women are more likely to have symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea and extreme fatigue. Symptoms can include:
• Chest pain (angina)
• Shortness of breath
• Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed
• Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back You might not be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease until you have a heart attack, angina, stroke or heart failure. It's important to watch for cardiovascular symptoms and discuss concerns with your doctor.

 Heart defect symptoms in children could include: 

• Pale gray or blue skin color (cyanosis) 
• Swelling in the legs, abdomen or areas around the eyes 
• In an infant, shortness of breath during feedings, leading to poor weight gain Less serious congenital heart defects are often not diagnosed until later in childhood or during adulthood.

Signs and symptoms of congenital heart defects that usually aren't immediately life-threatening include:
• Easily getting short of breath during exercise or activity 
• Easily tiring during exercise or activity 
• Swelling in the hands, ankles or feet Heart disease symptoms caused by weak heart muscle (dilated cardiomyopathy) Cardiomyopathy is the thickening and stiffening of heart muscle.