Heart disease is an umbrella term for a number of different diseases affecting the heart. As of 2007, it is the leading cause of death in the United States. Division of Vital Statistics; Arialdi M. Miniño, M.P.H., Melonie P. Heron, Ph.D., Sherry L. Murphy, B.S., Kenneth D. Kochanek, M.A. (2007-08-21). "Deaths: Final data for 2004" (PDF). National Vital Statistics Reports 55 (19): 7. United States: Center for Disease Control. Retrieved on 2007-12-30. White House News, American Heart Month, 2007, <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/02/20070201-2.html>. Retrieved on 16 July 2007, England, and Wales National Statistics Press Release 25th May 2006, killing one person every 34 seconds in the United States aloneHitti, Miranda. "Heart Disease Kills Every 34 Seconds in U.S.", Fox News - WebMD, 2004-12-07. Retrieved on 2007-12-30. .
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Over 1,200 Americans die of coronary heart disease every day. American Heart Association: Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2008 Update. AHA, Dallas, Texas, 2008.
Coronary heart disease is a disease of the heart caused by the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the myocardium. Angina pectoris and myocardial infarction (heart attack) are symptoms of and conditions caused by coronary heart disease.
Cardiomyopathy literally means "heart muscle disease" (Myo= muscle, pathy= disease) It is the deterioration of the function of the myocardium (i.e., the actual heart muscle) for any reason. People with cardiomyopathy are often at risk of arrhythmia and/or sudden cardiac death.
Cardiovascular disease is any of a number of specific diseases that affect the heart itself and/or the blood vessel system, especially the veins and arteries leading to and from the heart. Research on disease dimorphism suggests that women who suffer with cardiovascular disease usually suffer from forms that affect the blood vessels while men usually suffer from forms that affect the heart muscle itself. Known or associated causes of cardiovascular disease include diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia and hypercholesterolemia.
Types of cardiovascular disease include:
Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure (or CHF), and congestive cardiac failure (CCF), is a condition that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the heart to fill with or pump a sufficient amount of blood throughout the body.
Hypertensive heart disease, heart disease caused by high blood pressure, especially localised high blood pressure. Conditions that can be caused by hypertensive heart disease include:
Inflammatory heart disease involves inflammation of the heart muscle and/or the tissue surrounding it.
Valvular heart disease is any disease process involving one or more valves of the heart. The valves in the right side of the heart are the tricuspid valve and the pulmonic valve. The valves in the left side of the heart are the mitral valve and the aortic valve.
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