General Information
Heart disease kills more people that any other disease in the U.S. according to the American Heart Association.  The following information is designed to help you understand your heart and heart related problems. Use this information to determine what you can do to take part in keeping a healthy heart, but don't use it as a substitute for asking questions. Heart Diseases are also known as Cardiac Diseases. There are many different forms of heart disease. The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself. This is called Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and happens slowly over time. It's the major reason people have heart attacks.

Understanding the various terms and how they're often used - sometimes incorrectly - can help you sort through the morass. And if you know more about the various types of cardiovascular disease, and the havoc they can wreak on your body, you may be more inclined to take steps to prevent them. You'll also know more about the ways all of the different manifestations of cardiovascular disease interact to affect your health, and you'll learn how you can best control your risks.

Other kinds of heart problems may happen to the valves in the heart, or the heart may not pump well and cause heart failure. Some people are born with heart disease.

Symptoms of Heart Diseases
Symptoms of heart disease vary according to the type of heart disease.  Unfortunately, some heart diseases cause no symptoms early in its course. When symptoms occur, they vary from person to person. But, there are some signs to watch for:

• Abnormal heartbeats, or feeling very tired
• Chest or arm pain or discomfort can be a symptom of heart disease and a warning sign of a heart attack.
• Dizziness, Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach)
• Lightheadedness, and fainting, or feeling about to faint
• Palpitations (the sensation of the heart beating in the chest)
• Shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air)

Talk with your doctor if you're having any of these symptoms. Your doctor will take a medical history, do a physical exam, and may order tests.

Diagnosis of Heart Diseases
An accurate diagnosis is the first step in treating any sort of heart abnormality or disease. The following methods are available for diagnosing heart disease:

• Cardiac Catheterization
• Computerized Tomography Scan (CT or CAT)
• Echocardiogram (ECHO)
• Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
• Electrophysiology Study (EPS).
• Laboratory Tests
• MUGA Scan/Viability Scan
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
• Stress Tests
• Tilt-Table Test
• Tran esophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)

Negative points about Heart Diseases

• Heart attacks and strokes could be an early form of scurvy.
• Heart disease kills more women each year than all forms of cancer, chronic lung disease, pneumonia, diabetes, accidents and AIDS combined.
• Individuals suffering from heart disease are at risk of having a stroke.
• Individuals who suffer from depression are three to four times more likely to die of cardiac causes than individuals who do not suffer from depression.
• Menopause increases a woman's risk for heart disease. 
• When a woman has a heart attack, she has a poorer chance of survival than a man does. The poorer chance of survival is largely because women usually have vague symptoms that can result in delayed care.

How to Prevent Heart Diseases
You can help reduce your risk of heart disease by taking steps to control factors that put you at greater risk:

• Check Cholesterol Levels: High blood cholesterol can clog your arteries and keep your heart from getting the blood it needs. This can cause a heart attack. If your cholesterol or triglyceride levels are high, talk to your doctor about what you can do to lower them. You may be able to lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels by eating better and exercising more. 
• Check Diabetes: People with diabetes have high blood glucose. People with high blood sugar often have no symptoms, so have your blood sugar checked regularly. Having diabetes raises your chances of getting heart disease. If you have diabetes, your doctor will decide if you need diabetes pills or insulin shots. 
• Cope with Stress: Lower your stress level by talking to your friends, exercising, or writing in a journal.
• Maintain a Healthy Weight: Being overweight raises your risk for heart disease. Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) to see if you are at a healthy weight. Eat a healthy diet and exercise at a moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Start by adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet. Take a brisk walk on your lunch break or take the stairs instead of the elevator. 
• Maintain your Blood Pressure: Your heart moves blood through your body. If it is hard for your heart to do this your heart works harder, and your blood pressure will rise. People with high blood pressure often have no symptoms, so your doctor may suggest you to make some lifestyle changes, such as eating less salt and exercising more. He/She may also prescribe medicine to help lower your blood pressure. 
• Quit Drinking: If you drink alcohol, quit it or limit it to no more than one drink a day. 
• Quit Smoking: If you smoke, try to quit. If you're having trouble quitting, there are products and programs that can help. Ask your doctor or nurse for help.

Both men and women have heart attacks, but more women who have heart attacks die from them. Treatments can limit heart damage but they must be given as soon as possible after a heart attack starts. Ideally, treatment should start within one hour of the first symptoms.