Common Cardiovascular Conditions: Types, Causes, and Symptoms

1. Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)

Blockage of coronary artery → myocardial necrosis. Symptoms: chest pressure, radiation to arm/jaw, diaphoresis, dyspnea.

2. Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident)

Ischemic (clot) or hemorrhagic (bleed) interruption of cerebral blood flow. Symptoms: sudden weakness, speech difficulty, vision loss, ataxia.

3. Heart Failure (Congestive Heart Failure)

Inability of heart to meet metabolic demands. Symptoms: dyspnea, orthopnea, edema, fatigue. Reduced (HFrEF) or preserved (HFpEF) ejection fraction.

4. Arrhythmias

Abnormal heart rhythms: atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, bradycardia. Palpitations, syncope, or sudden cardiac death.

5. Myocarditis

Inflammation of myocardium, often viral. Chest pain, heart failure, arrhythmias. Can mimic MI.

6. Pericarditis

Inflammation of pericardium. Sharp pleuritic chest pain relieved by sitting forward. Pericardial friction rub.

7. Cardiomyopathy

Diseases of heart muscle: dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive. Genetic or acquired. Leads to heart failure, arrhythmias.

8. Valvular Heart Disease

Stenosis (narrowing) or regurgitation (leakage) of aortic, mitral, tricuspid, or pulmonary valves. Murmurs, heart failure.

9. Atherosclerosis

Plaque buildup in arteries → narrowing, reduced flow. Coronary, carotid, peripheral arteries. Risk factors: hypertension, diabetes, smoking, dyslipidemia.

10. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)

Atherosclerosis of limb arteries. Claudication (exertional leg pain), rest pain, ulcers, gangrene. ABI <0.9 diagnostic.