Heart Conditions

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Angina Pectoris

Angina pectoris is the medical term for chest pain or discomfort due to heart disease. Symptoms often occur when you have experienced physical exertion, emotional stress or sudden temperature changes; however, they can also occur when you are resting.

Aortic Regurgitation

The aortic valve is between the heart's left ventricle and the aorta, the large artery that receives blood from the heart's left ventricle and distributes it to the body. Regurgitation means the valve doesn't close properly and blood leaks backward through it. As a result, the left ventricle must pump more blood than normal and will gradually get bigger because of the extra workload.

Aortic Stenosis (AS)

The aorta is the large artery that originates in the left ventricle (lower chamber) of the heart. Aortic stenosis is the narrowing or obstruction of the heart's aortic valve, which prevents it from opening properly and blocks the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta.

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmias are abnormal rhythms of the heart caused by disturbances in the movement of electrical impulses through the heart.

Atherosclerosis

Sometimes referred to as the “hardening of arteries,” atherosclerosis is the buildup of fatty substances - cholesterol, cellular waste, calcium and other materials - in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF)

Atrial fibrillation is a disorder found in about 2.2 million Americans. The heart's atria (two small upper chambers) quiver instead of beating normally. Blood isn't pumped completely out of them, so it may pool and clot. If a piece of a blood clot leaves the heart and becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke results. About 15 percent of strokes occur in people who have atrial fibrillation.

Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)

The septum is a wall that separates the heart's left and right sides. When there is a defect in the septum, it is called a 'hole' in the heart. A hole in the heart that is located between the heart's two upper chambers (the atria) is called an atrial septal defect (ASD). This is a congenital heart defect, meaning it is present at birth.

AV Block

A first-degree heart block or AV block occurs when the heart’s electrical impulse moves through the AV node (a small group of cells located between the atria and the ventricles) more slowly than normal. The time it takes for the impulse to get from the atria to the ventricles should be less than about 0.2 seconds. If it takes longer than this, it's called first-degree heart block. Heart rate and rhythm are normal and there may be nothing wrong with the heart.

Bundle Branch Block

In the heart is a natural pacemaker - a specialized group of cells in the heart's right atrium - that sends out an electrical impulse between 60 and 100 times a minute. As this impulse travels throughout the heart on its specific route, the heart muscle contracts (beats).

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a serious disease in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed and doesn't work as well as it should. There may be multiple causes, including viral infections.

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