Heart Health Library

Below is an alphabetical list of some of the many cardiovascular diseases and conditions that One Heart Care diagnoses, treats, and manages.

Aortic Aneurysm

An enlargement of the aorta or aortic root. It can result from longstanding hypertension. Hypertension is chronically elevated blood pressure that puts strain on blood vessels, including the aorta.

Aortic Valve Disease

• Aortic Regurgitation (AR): An incompetent valve allows blood to leak back into the left ventricle during diastole. Causes may include valve degeneration, endocarditis, or aortic root dilation.
• Aortic Stenosis (AS): Narrowing of the aortic valve, often due to age-related calcification or congenital bicuspid valve. This increases pressure in the left ventricle, leading to hypertrophy and eventually heart failure.

Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)

A congenital defect in the atrial septum that causes left-to-right shunting. Over time, this can lead to right heart overload and pulmonary hypertension.

Cardiac Amyloidosis

This is an infiltrative disease that causes restrictive cardiomyopathy due to amyloid protein deposits in the myocardium. It can be due to AL (light-chain, associated with plasma cell disorders) or ATTR (transthyretin, either hereditary or wild-type).

Cardiac Arrhythmias

Cardiac arrhythmias are abnormalities in the rate, rhythm, or conduction of the heart’s electrical impulses. They can cause symptoms ranging from palpitations to syncope or sudden cardiac death. Arrhythmias are classified into two main categories: bradyarrhythmias (slow heart rate) and tachyarrhythmias (fast heart rate).

• Atrial Fibrillation (AF): An irregular, rapid heart rhythm originating in the atria.
• Atrial Flutter: A rapid but more organized rhythm than AF, also originating in the atria.
• Bradycardia: An abnormally slow heart rate, often caused by problems in the heart’s conduction system.
• Heart Block: A delay or complete block in the electrical signal from the atria to the ventricles.
• Long QT Syndrome: A prolonged heart repolarization that increases the risk of dangerous arrhythmias.
• Sick Sinus Syndrome: Dysfunction of the heart’s natural pacemaker, leading to irregular rhythms.
• Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT): Rapid heartbeats that start above the heart’s ventricles.
• Ventricular Fibrillation (VF): A life-threatening, chaotic ventricular rhythm that can lead to cardiac arrest.
• Ventricular Tachycardia (VT): A fast, abnormal heart rhythm originating in the ventricles.
• Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome: The presence of an extra electrical pathway in the heart that causes rapid heartbeats.

Cardiac Sarcoidosis

A condition involving granulomatous infiltration of the heart, which can lead to arrhythmias, heart block, and possible heart failure.

Constrictive Pericarditis

A condition in which a thickened, fibrotic pericardium restricts the heart’s ability to fill properly during diastole, leading to signs of right heart failure despite normal systolic function.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

This condition is caused by the buildup of plaque (atherosclerosis) in the coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. Over time, plaques made up of cholesterol, fat, calcium, and other substances can narrow or block the coronary arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart. This can lead to ischemia (an oxygen shortage) and eventually cause damage to the heart muscle.

Coronary Vasospasm (Prinzmetal Angina)

This is a transient, reversible spasm of a coronary artery that causes chest pain and transient ST elevation. It often occurs at rest and is unrelated to exertion.

Heart Failure

• Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF / Diastolic Dysfunction): The heart contracts normally but is stiff and does not relax properly during diastole, leading to inadequate filling. Symptoms include shortness of breath and fluid retention (edema).
  
• Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF / Systolic Heart Failure): The heart muscle is weak and cannot circulate blood effectively, leading to a reduced ejection fraction (typically less than 40%). Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, and fluid retention. It is often caused by coronary artery disease, prior heart attacks, or cardiomyopathy.

Mitral Valve Disease

• Mitral Regurgitation (MR):
  This is leakage of blood backward into the left atrium due to incomplete valve closure. Causes include mitral valve prolapse, ischemic heart disease, or endocarditis.
  
• Mitral Stenosis (MS):
  Usually caused by rheumatic fever, this condition narrows the mitral valve, obstructing blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle. It can cause atrial enlargement and atrial fibrillation.

Myocarditis

Inflammation of the heart muscle, usually due to viral infection or autoimmune disease.

Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO)

An incomplete closure of the foramen ovale after birth, which may allow right-to-left shunting and paradoxical embolism.

Pericardial Effusion

This refers to the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac. It can be benign or progress to tamponade, which is a life-threatening compression of the heart due to rapid pericardial fluid accumulation, causing obstructive shock.

Pericarditis

Inflammation of the pericardium (the lining around the heart), often related to infection or autoimmune conditions. It can also occur after a heart attack and may cause a pericardial effusion (fluid buildup around the heart).

Pulmonic Valve Disease

• Pulmonic Regurgitation (PR): Often secondary to pulmonary hypertension or previous surgical intervention.
• Pulmonic Stenosis (PS): Usually congenital, this narrowing obstructs blood flow from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery and can lead to right ventricular hypertrophy.

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

A heart muscle disease characterized by impaired ventricular filling due to a stiff, non-compliant myocardium, while systolic function remains preserved.

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

A transient, stress-induced cardiomyopathy that mimics a myocardial infarction. It is characterized by apical ballooning and normal coronary arteries, and is caused by a catecholamine surge leading to myocardial stunning.

Tricuspid Valve Disease

• Tricuspid Regurgitation (TR): The most common tricuspid valve issue, often secondary to pulmonary hypertension or right ventricular dilation.
• Tricuspid Stenosis (TS): A rare condition usually due to rheumatic disease that obstructs blood flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle.