Heart Disease

Most heart valve problems are first noticed with the detection of a heart murmur. When a health care provider can hear the blood whooshing or a valve clicking as blood moves from one chamber to the next, it is called a heart murmur. Many heart murmurs... Full Answer

Because healthy heart valves are critically important to a healthy circulatory system, a heart valve problem can either be the cause or the effect of several other related problems. Taking a few minutes to learn more about these conditions can help you... Full Answer

The most common tests to evaluate heart valve function and related conditions are: Auscultation (listening with a stethoscope) Chest X-ray Echocardiography Electrocardiogram Cardiac catheterization These help evaluate the valve itself and also examine:... Full Answer

There are two main types of heart valve problems: Regurgitation (or leakage of the heart valve) means the valve does not close completely, causing the blood to flow backward through the valve. This leakage can result in the heart having to work harder... Full Answer

Older people are more likely to develop heart valve disease. It's estimated that 1 in 8 people age 75 or older have at least moderate heart valve disease. People who have a history of endocarditis, rheumatic fever, heart attack, or heart failure—or... Full Answer

Some heart disease is congenital -- meaning you're born with it. Other types, like coronary heart disease, may be hereditary in part, but also influenced by your lifestyle choices. You can decrease your risk for heart disease by lowering your... Full Answer

Commonly known risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and family history. Furthermore, we now know that obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and stress also all play a role in the development... Full Answer

It is especially important that women -- particularly as they get older and reach menopause -- avoid gum disease. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a woman’s risk of heart disease rises 70 percent if she doesn't... Full Answer

Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Heart disease, in all its forms, is responsible for more than 400,000 deaths a year among women -- more than all forms of cancer combined. And although new... Full Answer

During the nine months of gestation, women can develop preeclampsia (the development of high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy -- a leading cause of preterm births) and gestational diabetes. These may put them at... Full Answer