Diseases
Aortic valve stenosis
Narrowing (stenosis) of the heart valve between the left ventricle of the heart and the aorta. This narrowing impedes the delivery of blood through the aorta to the body and makes it tough for the heart to carry out this Herculean task. A normal aortic valve has three leaflets or cusps, but a stenotic valve may have only one cusp (unicuspid) or two cusps (bicuspid), which are thick, stiff, and stenotic.
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease whereby certain risk factors increase the propensity for cholesterol accumulation and/or scar tissue formation within the walls of the artery. Atherosclerosis may involve virtually any blood vessels in the body including coronary arteries, carotid arteries, cerebral arteries, aorta, mesenteric (GI tract) arteries, kidney arteries, and those involving the lower extremities.
Atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is a potentially life-threatening condition if it is allowed to persist. It causes the upper heart chamber (atrium) and/or chambers (atria) to beat at 500-600 times per minute. This is not compatible with normal mechanical function of the atrium. As a results, the atrium or atria quiver like a bag of worms rather than function as they should moving blood flow in a coordinated fashion by contracting immediately prior to the larger chambers (ventricles).
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a disease that weakens and enlarges your heart muscle. There are three main types of cardiomyopathy (dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive) all of which affect your heart muscle. Cardiomyopathy makes it harder for your heart to pump blood and deliver it to the rest of your body. There are many causes of cardiomyopathy, including coronary artery disease and valvular heart disease. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure.
Carotid artery disease
Carotid artery disease occurs when fatty deposits called plaques clog your carotid arteries. Your carotid arteries are a pair of blood vessels that deliver blood to your brain and head.
Chest pain
Chest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen.
Coronary artery disease
Coronary artery disease develops when your coronary arteries (the major blood vessels that supply your heart with blood, oxygen and nutrients) become damaged or diseased. Cholesterol-containing deposits (plaques) on your arteries are usually to blame for coronary artery disease. When plaques build up, they narrow your coronary arteries, causing your heart to receive less blood.
Dyslipidemia (suboptimal lipid profile)
Dyslipidemia is an abnormal amount of lipids (e.g. cholesterol and/or fat) in the blood. In developed countries, most dyslipidemias are hyperlipidemias; that is, an elevation of lipids in the blood, often due to diet and lifestyle. The prolonged elevation of insulin levels can lead to dyslipidemia.
Hypertensive heart disease/Hypertension
Hypertensive heart disease is a heart condition characterized y thickening of the heart muscle in response to an elevated blood pressure that is must endure on a minute-to-minute, day-to-day basis. As the heart muscle squeezes blood forward, it must push against an increased blood pressure in the setting of hypertension. In an effort to respond to this increased stress load upon the heart, the heart muscle thickens.
Impaired diastolic compliance
In response to a chronically elevated blood pressure, the heart muscle decreases its compliance (relaxation ability).
Left bundle branch block
In response to a chronically elevated blood pressure, the heart muscle decreases its compliance (relaxation ability).
Lightheadedness/dizziness
In response to a chronically elevated blood pressure, the heart muscle decreases its compliance (relaxation ability).
Mitral valve regurgitation (leakage)
Mitral valve regurgitation is a condition characterized by leakage of the mitral valve. The mitral valve functions in directing blood flow into the heart from the lungs which are just delivered oxygenated blood. Leakage of the mitral valve causes blood flow to reenter the lungs and simultaneously causes the heart muscle itself to become overworked.
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breathing difficulties during sleep, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
Palpitations (irregular heart rhythm)
A palpitation is an abnormality of heartbeat that causes a conscious awareness of its beating, whether it is too slow, too fast, irregular, or at its normal frequency.
Peripheral artery disease
Pulmonary hypertension is a condition characterized by elevated pressures within the lungs and right side of the heart. The significance of pulmonary hypertension is that in its advanced stages it may cause increased size involving the atria (upper heart chambers) and right ventricle (right sided heart pumping chamber which functions in delivering and oxygenated blood to the lungs). These structural alterations in the right side of the heart result in an increase tendency for heart rhythm disorders to occur.
Pulmonary hypertension (elevated pressure in the lungs and right side of the heart)
Pulmonary hypertension is a condition characterized by elevated pressures within the lungs and right side of the heart. The significance of pulmonary hypertension is that in its advanced stages it may cause increased size involving the atria (upper heart chambers) and right ventricle (right sided heart pumping chamber which functions in delivering and oxygenated blood to the lungs). These structural alterations in the right side of the heart result in an increase tendency for heart rhythm disorders to occur.
Renal insufficiency
Renal insufficiency occurs when the kidneys no longer have enough healthy tissue to function properly: They can no longer store electrolytes and filter out waste products into urine. Other similar terms include “renal failure” and “kidney failure.” The term “renal insufficiency” is usually used in cases of chronic renal insufficiency, when the kidneys are affected by a long-term condition (as opposed to acute kidney failure, where the kidneys suddenly fail because of an infection, reaction to a drug, or an injury). With chronic renal insufficiency, the kidneys slowly fail over time and continue to worsen even with outside treatment.
Tricuspid valve regurgitation (leakage)
Tricuspid regurgitation is a disorder in which the heart’s tricuspid valve does not close properly, causing blood to flow backward (leak) into the right upper heart chamber (atrium) when the right lower heart chamber (ventricle) contracts.
Vasovagal syncope
Vasovagal syncope is the most common cause of fainting. Vasovagal syncope occurs when your body overreacts to triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. The trigger results in vasovagal syncope (a brief loss of consciousness caused by a sudden drop in your heart rate and blood pressure), which reduces blood flow to your brain.