Cardiac Diseases See  Heart Diseases

What Is Heart Disease? 

The  heart is the center of  the cardiovascular system. Through the body's blood vessels, the heart pumps blood to all  of the body's cells.  The blood carries oxygen, which the cells need. Cardiovascular  disease is a group  of problems  that occur when  the heart and blood vessels aren't working  the way they should. 

Here are some  of the problems that go along with cardiovascular disease: 

• Arteriosclerosis (say: ar-teer-ee-oh-skluh-row-sus). Also called hardening of  the arteries, arteriosclerosis means  the arteries become thickened  and are no longer as flexible. 
• Atherosclerosis (say: ah-thuh-row-skluh-row-sus). People  with atherosclerosis have a buildup  of cholesterol and fat that makes their arteries narrower so less  blood can flow through. Those deposits are called plaque. 
• Angina (say: an-jy-nuh). People with angina feel  a pain in the chest  that means  the heart isn't getting enough blood. 
• Heart attack. This  is when a blood clot or other blockage cuts blood flow to a part  of the heart. 
• Stroke. when part  of the brain doesn't get enough  blood due to a clot  or a burst blood vessel.

How Do You Get Heart Disease? 

Heart  disease isn't contagious — you can't catch it like you  can the flu  or a cold. Instead, there  are certain things that increase a person's chances  of getting cardiovascular disease. Doctors call these things risk factors.

Some  of these risk factors a person can't do anything about, like being older  and having other people in  the family who have had  the same problems. But people do have control over some  risk factors — smoking, having high blood pressure,  being overweight, and not exercising can increase the risk  of getting  cardiovascular disease.

What Are the Signs  of Heart Disease? 

Many people do not realize they have  cardiovascular disease until they have chest pain, a  heart attack,  or stroke. These kinds  of problems often need immediate attention and  the person may need to go  to the emergency department  of a hospital. 

If it's not an emergency  and a doctor suspects the person could have  cardiovascular disease, the doctor can do  some tests  to find out more about how  the heart and blood vessels are working. These tests include: 

• Electrocardiogram (say: eh-lek-tro-kar-dee-uh-gram).  This test records  the heart's electrical activity. A doctor puts  the patient on  a monitor  and watches the machine  to see the heart beat  and determine if it's normal.
• Echocardiogram (say: eh-ko-kar-dee-uh-gram). This test uses sound waves to diagnose  heart problems. These waves are bounced off  the parts  of the heart, creating  a picture  of the heart that is displayed on  a monitor. 
• Stress test. For this test, the person exercises  while the doctor checks the electrocardiogram machine to see how  the heart muscle reacts. 
• Catheterization (say: kah-thuh-tuh-ruh-zay-shun). This test uses  a long, thin tube  that is inserted into the patient's body to inject  a special dye. It  can locate narrowed areas  in arteries due to plaque buildup and find other problems. 
• Carotid (say: kuh-rah-tid) artery scan. This test uses sound waves to check for blockages  in the carotid artery,  a large blood vessel in  the neck that supplies blood  to the brain.

Surgeries 

If  the doctor finds that  a patient has cardiovascular disease, he  or she will talk  with the patient about how stopping smoking, losing weight, eating a healthy diet, and getting exercise can help. The person also  may need to take medicine, have surgery,  or both. 

There  are different surgeries for  the heart and blood vessels.  These include: 

• Angioplasty (say: an-jee-uh-plas-tee). This opens  a blocked vessel by using a balloon-like device  at an artery's narrowest point. The doctor may also insert a stent,  which is a tiny, stainless steel tube  that props  the vessel open and makes sure it stays clear.
• Atherectomy (say: ah-thuh-rek-tuh-mee). This involves cutting  the plaque out of an artery, so  blood can flow freely. 
• Bypass surgery. This involves taking part  of an artery or vein from another part  of the body (like the arm or leg)  and using it to channel  blood around a blocked area in an artery. 
• Pacemakers. A pacemaker is a small electronic device that's put inside the body  to regulate the heartbeat. 
• Valve replacement. If a heart valve  is damaged  or isn't working,  a surgeon  can replace it. 
• Carotid endarterectomy (say: en-dar-tuh-rek-tuh-me). During this procedure, a surgeon removes plaque deposits from  the carotid artery to prevent  a stroke.

If someone  you know  is getting one of these operations, you might feel worried. The good news  is that these surgeries can help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other problems. The amount of time the person will need  to spend  in the hospital will vary, depending on  the operation and the person's health. The person  may be tired and worn out after  the surgery, but  you can help by making a "Get Well" card  and paying a visit. 

Can Kids Get Heart Disease? 

Kids usually  don't have any symptoms of heart and blood vessel problems. But by starting heart-healthy habits right now, kids can reduce the chance they will ever need  to worry  about cardiovascular disease.

So what should you do? Don't smoke, for one. And  be sure  to eat healthy, exercise,  and maintain a healthy weight. Your heart  and blood vessels will thank  you later!