- The term heart disease covers a wide range of heart conditions. The most common of these is coronary heart disease, and this is the heart disease that is the leading cause of death in the United States. CHD can lead to two main types of heart conditions that cause death: heart attacks and heart failure.
CHD is very common among people afflicted with heart disease. It is caused by the buildup of plaque (fatty substances) in the coronary arteries, which are the suppliers of blood to the heart. These arteries become narrow or even blocked, slowing or completely halting the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart, causing a heart attack or heart failure and possibly death. - Heart attacks occur when the blood and oxygen supply to the heart is slowed or stopped because of blocked arteries. This causes the cells in the heart to die. The more the heart goes without blood, the weaker it becomes and the more cells are damaged. The damaged cells can cause the heart to beat irregularly or even to stop completely, which usually results in death if not immediately treated.
- Heart failure, sometimes called chronic or congestive heart failure, refers to the fact that the heart is too weak to pump enough blood to get oxygen to the other body organs. The heart is working, but it is not working good enough. Usually, heart failure is a result of a weak heart caused by CHD, but in rare cases, it can be congenital, or occurring in the womb. It can also be caused by serious illnesses. The only cure for heart failure is a heart transplant. If a transplant is not an option, a patient can die.
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