Conditions & Services / Heart Disease Prevention

Heart disease isn’t just one condition, but many, including coronary artery disease (CAD) and congestive heart failure (CHF). If you have heart disease, the experienced cardiologists at HeartPlace offer expert diagnoses and cutting-edge treatments at their 30 locations across North Texas. To benefit from the team’s experience in heart disease prevention, call the HeartPlace office nearest you or schedule an appointment online today.

What is heart disease?

Heart disease is a term for disorders affecting your heart. There are numerous types of heart disease, including:

Coronary artery disease (CAD)

CAD is among the most common kinds of heart disease. It develops when you have high cholesterol levels in your blood that forms plaque and stick to the inside of the arteries serving your heart.

The arteries narrow and harden, limiting blood flow and potentially leading to chronic total occlusion (blockage of the artery) and heart attack (myocardial infarction).

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathies are diseases affecting the heart muscle and reducing the organ’s ability to pump blood around your body.

Congenital heart disease

Congenital heart diseases are abnormalities that develop before birth, such as septal defects (holes in the heart), pulmonary valve stenosis, and coarctation of the aorta, where the heart’s main artery is too narrow.

Heart murmurs

Heart murmurs are unusual whooshing and swishing sounds in your heart that may be congenital or develop in later life. Some heart murmurs are innocent and cause no concern, while others are abnormal and require treatment.

Endocarditis and pericarditis

Endocarditis is an infection of your endocardium (the inner lining of your heart). Pericarditis affects the pericardium (a protective sac around your heart).

Cardiogenic shock

Cardiogenic shock is when your heart suddenly stops being able to pump blood in high enough quantities to meet your body’s needs. It’s often due to a severe heart attack, but not all heart attack patients have a cardiogenic shock.

Cardiac arrest could also result from heart disease. Your heart abruptly stops working and is likely to be fatal without immediate medical treatment with cardiac arrest.

What symptoms does heart disease cause?

Common symptoms of heart disease include:

• Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Fatigue
• Chest pain (angina)
• Swollen ankles or legs
• Reduced ability to exercise

Severe chest pain could indicate the onset of a heart attack, requiring emergency medical attention to prevent permanent damage to your heart.

What is heart disease prevention?

Heart disease prevention includes taking steps to lower your risk of a heart attack. This could include dietary changes and lifestyle changes. Your doctor may also prescribe medications to help control any chronic conditions. 

What treatments might heart disease require?

The treatment you need for your heart disease depends on the cause of your condition and how advanced it is. Some of the methods HeartPlace uses include:

• Advanced EP (electrophysiology) treatment
• Cardiac ablation and cryotherapy
• Alcohol septal ablation
• ASD (atrial septal defect) closure and PFO (patent foramen ovale) closure
• Balloon valvuloplasty
• CardioMEMS implantation
• Electrical cardioversion
• ICD (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) and pacemaker implantation
• LVAD (left ventricular assist device) and percutaneous LVAD
• Mitral valve repair (MVR) and percutaneous MVR
• TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement)
• Watchman™ left atrial appendage occlusion procedure

You can also improve your heart health by eating a nutritious diet, avoiding animal fats, losing weight, quitting smoking, and getting more exercise.

If you want to learn more about heart disease prevention, call HeartPlace or schedule an appointment online today.