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Heart health information -

But sometimes, they develop slowly — hours, days, or even weeks before a heart attack happens. Talk to your doctor if you feel unusually tired for several days, or if you develop any new health problems like pain or trouble breathing. An ambulance is the best and safest way to get to the hospital.

People who call an ambulance often get treated faster at the hospital. And when you call , the operator can tell you what to do until the ambulance gets there. High cholesterol and high blood pressure can cause heart disease and heart attack.

If your cholesterol or blood pressure numbers are high, you can take steps to lower them. Some people will need to get it checked more or less often. Learn more about cholesterol testing. High blood pressure has no symptoms.

Get the facts about blood pressure testing. Your family history affects your risk for heart disease. Share the information with your doctor or nurse. Talk with your doctor to find out if taking aspirin is the right choice for you. Use these questions to talk with your doctor about statins.

Learn more about eating healthy. Heart-healthy items include high-fiber foods whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and certain fats like the fats in olive oil and fish. Use this shopping list to find heart-healthy foods.

For example, ask for a side salad instead of chips or french fries. Get heart-healthy tips for dining out [PDF — 3 MB]. That means 1 drink or less in a day for women and 2 drinks or less in a day for men.

Learn more about drinking alcohol only in moderation. Getting regular physical activity can help prevent heart disease. Adults need at least minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week.

Try fitting a quick walk into your day. Learn more about getting active. For example, if you weigh pounds, that would mean losing 10 to 20 pounds.

Find out how to control your weight. Call QUIT-NOW for free support and to set up your plan for quitting. Get more information about quitting smoking. Avoiding secondhand smoke is important, too — so keep your home smoke-free. If you have guests who smoke, ask them to smoke outside.

Managing stress can help prevent serious health problems like heart disease, depression, and high blood pressure. Deep breathing and meditation are good ways to relax and manage stress. Get more ideas for how to manage stress.

This content on heart disease was adapted from materials from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Reviewed by: Paula T. Einhorn, M. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by ODPHP or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.

gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Heart disease is a general term that includes many types of heart problems. It's also called cardiovascular disease, which means heart and blood vessel disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but there are ways to prevent and manage many types of heart disease.

There are many different types of heart disease. Some you may be born with, called congenital heart disease. Other types develop during your lifetime. Coronary artery disease also called coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease.

It happens slowly over time when a sticky substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply your heart muscle with blood.

The plaque narrows or blocks blood flow to the heart muscle and can lead to other heart problems:. Other types of heart diseases may affect your heart valves or heart muscle cardiomyopathy.

The causes of heart disease depend on the type of disease. Some possible causes include lifestyle, genetics, infections, medicines, and other diseases. There are many different factors that can make you more likely to develop heart disease. Some of these factors you can change, but others you cannot.

Your symptoms will depend on the type of heart disease you have. You may not have symptoms at first. In some cases, you may not know you have heart disease until you have a complication such as a heart attack.

In some cases, your provider may refer you to a cardiologist a doctor who specializes in heart diseases for tests, diagnosis, and care. Treatment plans for heart disease depend on the type of heart disease you have, how serious your symptoms are, and what other health conditions you have.

Possible treatments may include:. You may be able to lower your risk of certain heart diseases by making heart-healthy lifestyle changes and managing any other medical conditions you have. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice.

Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Heart Diseases Also called: Cardiac diseases. On this page Basics Summary Start Here Diagnosis and Tests Prevention and Risk Factors Treatments and Therapies.

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What is heart disease? What are the types of heart disease? The plaque narrows or blocks blood flow to the heart muscle and can lead to other heart problems: Angina - chest pain from lack of blood flow Heart attacks - when part of the heart muscle dies from loss of blood flow Heart failure - when your heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs Arrhythmia - a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat Other types of heart diseases may affect your heart valves or heart muscle cardiomyopathy.

What causes heart diseases? Who is more likely to develop heart diseases? Your risk of heart disease goes up as you get older. Some factors may affect heart disease risk differently in women than in men.

Family history and genetics. A family history of early heart disease raises your risk of heart disease. And research has shown that some genes are linked to a higher risk of certain heart diseases.

Certain groups have higher risks than others. Lifestyle habits. Over time, unhealthy lifestyle habits can raise your risk heart disease: Eating a diet high in saturated fats , refined carbohydrates, and salt. Not getting enough physical activity.

Drinking too much alcohol. Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke. Too much stress. Having other medical conditions can raise your risk of heart diseases.

These conditions include: High blood pressure. High cholesterol levels.

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