What is heart disease?
Heart disease is a term to cover all conditions that affect your heart. It includes heart defects, heart rhythm problems, and coronary artery disease.
You can often prevent heart disease by making sensible life choices. Speak with Dr. Khan about simple changes you can implement that can make a significant difference.
What are the different types of heart disease?
There are many types of heart disease, including:
Heart arrhythmia
Heart arrhythmia is a condition that causes abnormal heart rhythms.
Valvular heart disease
Valvular heart disease affects your heart valves.
Heart infection
You can develop a heart infection when a virus or bacteria reaches your heart muscle.
Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease refers to any condition that inhibits blood flow from and to the heart. It affects blood vessels, arteries, and veins.
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy describes the abnormal thickening of the heart muscle. This often occurs when the heart has to work harder to deliver blood around the body.
Congenital heart defects
Congenital heart defects commonly occur in the womb during gestational development. However, they can also develop in adulthood as your heart structure changes.
Who is at risk of heart disease?
Anyone can get heart disease, but those most at risk tend to follow a specific set of characteristics or have existing medical conditions. These include:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol levels
- Poor diet
- Older age
- Poor fitness levels
- Poor hygiene
- Gender (men are more at risk than women)
- Medication, particularly cancer medication
- Obesity
- Family history
Dr. Khan uses your lifestyle data to determine your risk of developing heart disease. This allows her to build preventive treatment plans to stop the onset of a serious condition.
How is heart disease treated?
Millennium Park Medical Associates takes a conservative, evidence-based approach to treating heart disease. Their treatment programs may involve medication specific to the type of heart disease you have and a plan to implement lifestyle changes.
Heart disease can be life-threatening if missed, ignored, or inadequately managed. Dr. Khan has training in diagnosing and treating heart disease. Call Millennium Park Medical Associates or book an appointment online today.
