Types of Heart Disease
Your heart beats about 3 billion times between birth and age 90 — here’s what can go wrong along the way, and what to look out for.
The heart is a muscular pump that keeps blood flowing around the body. It takes in blood from the organs and tissues and sends it to the lungs to pick up oxygen. That oxygen-rich blood then returns to the heart and is pumped out to the rest of the body, while blood carrying carbon dioxide and waste is carried away to be cleaned.
Many things can go wrong along the way — with the heart muscle itself, with the valves that control blood flow, with the heart’s electrical rhythm, or with the blood vessels that carry blood to and from the heart. Diseases affecting the heart and these blood vessels are together known as cardiovascular disease (CVD). They can be caused by genetic factors, lifestyle choices, birth defects, infections, or a combination of these.
Heartbeats by age 90
Conditions covered below
Global cause of death
Ischaemia happens when there isn't enough oxygen-rich blood reaching an organ or tissue. In the heart, this is caused by hardened, narrowed arteries (atherosclerosis) restricting blood flow to the heart muscle. Without enough oxygen and nutrients, this can result in angina or a heart attack — which is why ischaemic heart disease is also called coronary heart disease.
A heart attack happens when the heart muscle is starved of oxygen and nutrients, typically because its blood supply from the coronary arteries is cut off or significantly reduced. This is usually caused by coronary heart disease, where arteries narrow and build up with plaque. A piece of plaque can break off and form a blood clot that completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle.
A heart attack is a life-threatening medical emergency. If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, phone an ambulance immediately.
Heart failure is a reduced ability of the heart to pump blood efficiently — it doesn't mean the heart is about to stop completely. It can result from damage caused by a heart attack, high blood pressure, a viral infection, alcohol damage, valve problems, or congenital heart disease.
When the heart can't pump efficiently, it beats faster and gradually enlarges to cope, which weakens it further and restricts the blood reaching the body. Typical symptoms include shortness of breath (especially on exertion or lying flat), swelling around the ankles and legs, fatigue, poor appetite, a dry cough, and unusual weight gain from fluid retention.
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating altogether, or its rhythm becomes so chaotic it can't pump effectively. Without circulation, brain damage begins after about four minutes, and death usually follows after about ten. It can happen after a heart attack, though not everyone who has a heart attack goes into cardiac arrest.
Other causes include heart rhythm disorders, electric shock, drowning, drug overdose, suffocation, and trauma. This is an extreme emergency — immediate CPR and defibrillation are needed for any chance of survival. Call for an ambulance and start CPR right away.
Arrhythmia covers a range of abnormal heartbeats, including tachycardia (too fast), bradycardia (too slow), and palpitations (a racing or irregular heartbeat). Not all of these are linked to heart disease, but symptoms like dizziness, light-headedness, or fainting alongside palpitations should always be checked by a doctor.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common serious arrhythmia worldwide. It causes the heart's upper chambers to quiver instead of beating properly, so blood pools instead of being fully pumped out — which can lead to clots that travel to the brain and trigger a major stroke. AF increases the risk of a clot-related stroke by nearly 500%.
Angina is chest pain or discomfort caused by coronary artery disease, occurring when not enough blood reaches the heart muscle. It's usually felt as a constricting pain or tightness in the centre of the chest, which may spread to the arms, neck, jaw, or back and can restrict breathing.
Stable angina is triggered by exertion and usually eases with rest or medication. Unstable angina happens at rest and can worsen progressively — if your angina is becoming more frequent or severe, contact your doctor. If you've never had angina before and experience chest pain, treat it as a possible heart attack.
Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty material inside the arteries — the underlying condition behind most heart attacks and strokes. This build-up (plaque) forms under the artery's inner lining, hardening and narrowing the vessel and restricting blood flow.
Plaque can also break open, triggering a blood clot that blocks the artery completely. This process happens gradually over decades and typically has no symptoms until it's severe or causes a heart attack or stroke. The good news: atherosclerosis can be largely prevented and improved through healthy living.
The heart has four chambers, and its valves separate blood between them while directing flow in the right direction. When a valve is damaged or starts working poorly, it affects how well the heart functions and can lead to heart failure over time.
Valve problems can be caused by inherited abnormalities or birth defects, rheumatic fever, infections, cardiomyopathy, or damage following a heart attack.
Cardiomyopathy refers to a group of diseases affecting how the heart muscle itself functions. The muscle can become abnormally enlarged, too rigid, or weakened — which can lead to heart failure, an abnormal rhythm, or in some cases cardiac arrest.
There are many types and causes, ranging from inherited disorders to cardiomyopathy caused by other illnesses or lifestyle factors. Severity and treatment depend on the specific type.
Peripheral artery disease is a narrowing of the arteries carrying blood to the legs, stomach, arms, and brain, caused by the same gradual plaque build-up (atherosclerosis) seen in the heart's arteries. It most often affects the legs, restricting blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the leg muscles — causing pain, cramping, and weakness, especially during exercise.
As it worsens, it can lead to more serious damage such as gangrene and amputation. Like atherosclerosis elsewhere, it can be prevented and improved through healthy living.
Venous thromboembolism is a blood clot that forms in a vein and can travel through the blood vessel network until it causes a blockage. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a clot blocks a vein, typically in the leg. A pulmonary embolism occurs when a clot travels to the lungs and blocks blood supply there.
Clots can be triggered by medical procedures, other conditions such as cancer or autoimmune disorders, hormone therapy, inherited conditions, increasing age, or long periods of immobility such as a hospital stay or a long flight.
Congenital heart defects occur when the heart or nearby blood vessels develop abnormally before birth. Most either obstruct blood flow through the heart or cause blood to flow in an abnormal pattern, ranging from simple issues to severe malformations that can cause heart failure.
In most cases the cause isn't known, though risk can increase with viral infections like German measles during pregnancy, diabetes, chromosomal conditions like Down syndrome, certain medications, alcohol or drug use in pregnancy, or family history. It's important to note the defect is never the parents' fault.
Watch for signs like bluish lips, tongue, or skin, fast breathing or heartbeat, cold hands and feet, poor weight gain, or getting tired and out of breath easily in older children. Ask your sonographer whether your unborn baby's heart looks normal, and ensure your newborn receives a pulse oximetry screening before leaving hospital — a simple, non-invasive test for low blood oxygen.
Rheumatic heart disease is a preventable condition mainly affecting children and young adults, particularly in lower-income and overcrowded communities. It's rare in high-income countries but still causes hundreds of thousands of deaths a year, mostly across Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia.
It develops when repeated attacks of acute rheumatic fever — an abnormal immune reaction to a common "strep throat" infection — permanently scar and damage the heart valves. Left untreated, it can lead to stroke, heart failure, and death.
The good news: acute rheumatic fever is easily prevented by treating strep throat with common antibiotics. Children with a sore throat, especially alongside fever above 38°C, headache, nausea, or fatigue, should always see a doctor.
Kawasaki disease is a serious illness involving inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body, and is a leading cause of acquired heart disease in children — about 80% of cases occur in children under five. It's not contagious, and its exact cause is unknown, though a virus is suspected.
Early symptoms include a high fever lasting at least 5 days, red lips and eyes, a "strawberry" tongue, a bumpy rash, red palms and soles, swollen hands and feet, joint pain, swollen neck glands, and loss of appetite. Any child with persistent fever alongside these symptoms should see a doctor immediately — without treatment, around 25% develop coronary artery involvement, but early diagnosis and treatment is highly effective at preventing complications.
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium) which can affect the heart’s electrical system and its ability to pump blood. This inflammation is most often caused by a viral infection (including COVID-19, adenoviruses, or enteroviruses), but can also result from bacterial infections, autoimmune diseases, or exposure to certain toxins and medications.
Mild cases may resolve without lasting damage, but severe myocarditis can weaken the heart significantly, leading to heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms, or sudden cardiac arrest. Symptoms can include chest pain, rapid or abnormal heartbeats, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
Pericarditis is the swelling and inflammation of the pericardium — the thin, sac-like tissue surrounding the heart. This inflammation causes the layers of the pericardium to rub against each other, creating a sharp, stabbing chest pain that often worsens when coughing, swallowing, lying down, or breathing deeply.
It is most commonly caused by a viral infection, though it can also follow a heart attack, heart surgery, trauma, or result from inflammatory disorders like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. While most cases are mild and improve on their own with rest and medication, chronic cases can lead to dangerous complications like cardiac tamponade, where excess fluid limits the heart's ability to fill with blood.
Endocarditis is a life-threatening inflammation of the inner lining of the heart's chambers and valves (the endocardium). It usually occurs when bacteria, fungi, or other germs from another part of your body (such as your mouth) spread through your bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in the heart.
If left untreated, the infection can severely damage or destroy the heart valves. People with artificial heart valves, congenital heart defects, or a history of rheumatic heart disease are at higher risk. Prompt treatment with intravenous antibiotics is crucial, and severe valve damage may require surgery.
Many of these conditions share common, preventable risk factors — from blood pressure to diet to smoking.
