What are the main types of heart disease?
What Are The Main Types Of Heart Disease?
Introduction
Considered as one of the best choreographers in India, Remo D’Souza had a heart attack despite being a non-smoker with a healthy lifestyle. This clearly indicates that even when there are no traditional risks of heart attack, it is possible for anyone to end up with a heart attack. Let us look at different types of heart disease and understand possible risks from the conditions.
What Are The Different Types Of Cyanotic Heart Disease?
These are congenital heart defects causing reduction in oxygen levels in the blood. This creates a bluish appearance to the skin, known as cyanosis. Among the different types of heart disease this involves structural abnormalities that affect the ability of the heart to pump blood. Different types of this condition include:
- Tetralogy of Fallot – Symptoms include bluish tint to skin, breathlessness.
- Transposition of the Great Arteries – Symptoms include bluish tint to skin after birth that is severe.
- Tricuspid Atresia – Symptoms include bluish tint to skin, extreme tiredness, poor feeding, and heart failure.
- Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return – Symptoms include rapid breathing, poor growth and bluish tint to skin.
- Pulmonary Atresia – Symptoms include breathlessness immediately after birth and bluish tint to skin.
- Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome – Symptoms include cold limb extremities, shock immediately after birth and bluish tint to skin.
- Ebstein’s Anomaly – Symptoms include irregular heartbeats, heart failure and bluish tint to skin.
Advanced genetic testing facilities presently available in Tamilnadu offer patients the options of checking for inherited conditions and congenital conditions. Samples of blood or saliva are analysed to check for genetic components of heart diseases, either by birth or through genetic predisposition. This helps to either rule out or confirm certain conditions. This offers a clear prediction of future risk of heart conditions.
Which Type Of Heart Disease Is Considered Dangerous?
Many types of heart disease are considered to be dangerous, as a result of the potential to cause sudden events that can be fatal or serious. Some of the most serious types of heart disease include the following:
- Coronary artery disease – The blocked coronary arteries prevent or reduce flow of blood to the heart, causing myocardial infarction, known as heart attack.
- Ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac arrest – Life-threatening arrhythmias make the heart to quiver, severely affecting pumping of blood. This causes sudden cardiac arrest and can be fatal in minutes.
- Heart failure – The heart gradually weakens, affecting flow of blood, and can also cause fluid buildup in the lungs, resulting in organ failure.
- Aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection – Any bulge in the aorta can rupture, causing rapid internal bleeding and possible death.
- Pulmonary embolism – The flow of blood to the lungs is blocked by a blood clot, bringing oxygen levels extremely low.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – Thickening of the heart muscle obstructs flow of blood causing cardiac arrest.
- Cyanotic congenital heart disease – This is a group of defects that affect oxygenation of blood, causing heart failure when left untreated.
Which Type Of Congenital Heart Disease Can Be Diagnosed Early?
Many types of heart disease belonging to the category of congenital heart diseases can be diagnosed early. This can also be detected during pregnancy or immediately after birth. Conditions that can be detected early include the following:
- Tetralogy of Fallot – through prenatal ultrasound, or distinct symptoms like cyanosis and heart murmurs.
- Transposition of the Great Arteries – through tell-tale symptoms like severe cyanosis and imaging studies.
- Atrioventricular Septal Defect – through prenatal scans or symptoms like heart murmurs.
- Ventricular Septal Defect – through physical examination and echocardiography.
- Coarctation of the Aorta – through difference in blood pressure levels in the arms and legs, and imaging studies.
- Pulmonary Stenosis – through physical examination or echocardiography.
What Are The Different Coronary Heart Disease Types?
Also known as coronary artery disease, these types of heart disease refer to conditions that affect the coronary arteries. The different types in this category include the following:
- Stable angina – This is predictable when the person undergoes exertion or stress. The condition is relieved with rest or medicines. Symptoms include pain or discomfort in the chest.
- Unstable angina – This is unpredictable in nature and can be experienced even when at rest or when there has been very little exertion. Symptoms include intense pain in the chest, sweating, and difficulty breathing.
- Myocardial infarction – Commonly known as heart attack, this happens when blood flow to the heart is blocked for a longer period. This damages the heart muscle, and is due to formation of blood clot. Symptoms include intense pain in the chest that radiates to the arm, difficulty breathing, and breaking into a cold sweat.
- Coronary artery spasm – A temporary tightening of the muscles in the coronary arteries, either stops or reduces flow of blood to the heart muscle. Symptoms include pain in the chest, even when at rest, and is often linked to smoking, or substance abuse.
- Silent ischemia – Reduced flow of blood to the heart muscle with atypical symptoms of angina. This rare condition does not present any symptoms, making it a very dangerous condition.
- Microvascular angina – In this condition, the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle are affected in women. This is attributed to conditions such as diabetes or hypertension. Symptoms include pain in the chest during or after exertion, without any relief with rest.
Which Heart Condition Is A Very Rare Heart Disease?
While there are many types of heart disease, some are regarded as rare. It is always advisable to be aware of such conditions, to ensure treatment at the right time. A few notable examples include the following:
- Kawasaki disease – This refers to an inflammatory condition in the arteries, especially among children of Asian descent. Symptoms include fever, outbreak of rashes, swollen lymph nodes, and reddish appearance of the eyes.
- Eisenmenger syndrome – This is another rare condition with increased flow of blood to the lungs, among people with untreated congenital heart defects. Symptoms include bluish appearance of skin, difficulty breathing, weakness, and irregular heartbeats.
- Brugada syndrome – This genetic disorder affects heart rhythms in men, and exposes the person to risk of sudden cardiac death. Symptoms include fainting or palpitations.
- Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia – This genetic heart disease affects the heart muscle, causing arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Symptoms include abnormal heart beats and fainting.
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Shetty B s a cardiologist in Chennai, with extensive experience in the field. He completed his MBBS from Madurai Kamaraj University, followed by an MD in General Medicine and a DM in Cardiology from The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University (TNMGRMU).