The World Health Organization reports that more people die from cardiovascular diseases than any other cause with about 17 million deaths in 2004. The projected total of deaths worldwide by 2030 is more than 23 million. Diseases and afflictions of the heart include coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, rhythm irregularities and valve disorders.
Mitral Valve Prolapse
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute defines mitral valve prolapse as a condition where the flaps of the mitral valve flop rather than close tightly. The mitral valve is a one-way valve that controls the blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle. Failure of the flaps to close properly allows a backflow into the atrium. Symptoms of this backflow, or mitral valve prolapse, include shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations (fluttering, hard or rapid heartbeats). Treatments include medications to control the symptoms and heart valve surgery for a severely damaged mitral valve.
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm, is intermittent or chronic. Intermittent atrial fibrillation begins and stops at irregular intervals. When chronic atrial fibrillation begins, it usually does not stop spontaneously, as stated by UpToDate, an online medical educational resource. Causes of atrial fibrillation include heart attack, heart valve disease, chronic lung disease, hyperthyroidism and sleep apnea. Symptoms range from mild, such as lightheadedness, palpitations and irregular heartbeat, to more severe, such as shortness of breath, fainting, confusion, fatigue and chest discomfort. Treatment includes medications for rhythm control and cardioversion, a procedure to reset the normal heart rhythm.
Coronary artery disease
Coronary artery disease, as defined by Merck Manuals, an online medical library, is the partial or complete blockage of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Causes of coronary artery disease include a buildup of plaque (cholesterol and other fats) in the coronary artery wall, coronary artery spasm, blood clot, lupus and arterial inflammation. Treatment goals to reduce the workload of the heart, improve blood flow and control plaque buildup include medications, lifestyle change and surgical intervention. Procedures to improve circulation include percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty to insert a stent into the artery at the blockage and coronary artery bypass grafting to bypass the clogged artery completely with a grafted vein from the leg or chest.
Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic heart disease is the result of damage to the heart valves by rheumatic fever, as reported by the American Heart Association. Symptoms of rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease that begins with strep throat, include migrating joint pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fever, fatigue and skin rashes. Expect extensive antibiotic treatment, possibly for life to control the damage to the heart muscle.
