Alternative Names
Cardiovascular disorders
Definition of Heart disease
Heart disease is any disorder that affects the heart’s ability to function normally. Various forms of heart disease include:
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The most common cause of heart disease is a narrowing of or blockage in the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle (coronary artery disease). Some heart diseases are present at birth (congenital heart disease).
Review
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 11/14/2010
