Heart Lung Vascular Institute

Angina is chest pain or discomfort you feel when there is not enough blood flow to your heart muscle. Your heart muscle needs the oxygen that the blood carries. Angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. It may feel like indigestion. You may also feel pain in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Not all chest pain or discomfort is angina. If you have chest pain, you should see your health care provider.

An aneurysm is a bulge or "ballooning" in the wall of an artery. If an aneurysm grows large, it can burst and cause dangerous bleeding or even death. Most aneurysms are in the aorta, the main artery that runs from the heart through the chest and abdomen. Most aneurysms are found during tests done for other reasons. Screening is recommended for people between the ages of 65 and 75 if they have a family history, or if they are men who have smoked (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

An arrhythmia is a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat. It means that your heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or with an irregular pattern. Many factors can affect your heart's rhythm, such as having had a heart attack, smoking, congenital heart defects, and stress. Some substances or medicines may also cause arrhythmias (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung disease. It affects your airways, the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. When you have asthma, your airways can become inflamed and narrowed. This can cause wheezing, coughing, and tightness in your chest. When these symptoms get worse than usual, it is called an asthma attack or flare-up. The exact cause of asthma is unknown. Genetics and your environment likely play a role in who gets asthma (MedlinePlus.gov).

Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib or AF, is one of the most common types of arrhythmias. If you have AFib, your heart beats irregularly and sometimes much faster than normal. Also, your heart's upper and lower chambers do not work together as they should. This can cause symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, and a pounding heartbeat. It's very important to treat it, since AFib can put you at risk for stroke and other heart conditions (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Cardiomyopathy is the name for diseases of the heart muscle. These diseases enlarge your heart muscle or make it thicker and more rigid than normal. In rare cases, scar tissue replaces the muscle tissue. Some people live long, healthy lives with cardiomyopathy. Some people don't even realize they have it. In others, however, it can make the heart less able to pump blood through the body. Heart attacks, high blood pressure, infections, and other diseases can all cause cardiomyopathy (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Chronic bronchitis is a type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Chronic bronchitis is inflammation (swelling) and irritation of the bronchial tubes. There is no cure for chronic bronchitis. However, treatments can help with symptoms, slow the progress of the disease, and improve your ability to stay active (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are problems with the structure of the heart. "Congenital" means that that the problems are present at birth. These defects happen when a baby's heart doesn't develop normally during pregnancy. Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect. There are many types of congenital heart defects. They can happen in one or more parts of the heart (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe and get worse over time. Most people with COPD have both emphysema and chronic bronchitis, but how severe each type is can be different from person to person. Since smoking causes most cases of COPD, the best way to prevent it is to not smoke. It's also important to try to avoid lung irritants such as secondhand smoke, air pollution, chemical fumes, and dusts (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It is the leading cause of death in the United States in both men and women. CAD happens when the arteries that supply blood to heart muscle become hardened and narrowed. This is due to the buildup of cholesterol and other material, called plaque, on their inner walls. Over time, CAD can also weaken the heart muscle and contribute to heart failure and arrhythmias (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease of the mucus and sweat glands. It affects mostly your lungs, pancreas, liver, intestines, sinuses, and sex organs. CF causes your mucus to be thick and sticky. The mucus clogs the lungs, causing breathing problems and making it easy for bacteria to grow. This can lead to repeated lung infections and lung damage. Treatments may include chest physical therapy, nutritional and respiratory therapies, medicines, and exercise (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body. Most deep vein clots occur in the lower leg or thigh. A deep vein thrombosis can break loose and cause a serious problem in the lung, called a pulmonary embolism. Sitting still for a long time can make you more likely to get a DVT. Some medicines and disorders that increase your risk for blood clots can also lead to DVTs. Treatment includes medicines to ease pain and inflammation, break up clots and keep new clots from forming (MedlinePlus.gov).

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause serious problems. It can damage your eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Diabetes can also cause heart disease, stroke and even the need to remove a limb. Pregnant women can also get diabetes, called gestational diabetes. Blood tests can show if you have diabetes (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases).

Emphysema is a type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The cause of emphysema is usually long-term exposure to irritants that damage your lungs and the airways. There is no cure for emphysema. However, treatments can help with symptoms, slow the progress of the disease, and improve your ability to stay active (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart suddenly becomes blocked. Without the blood coming in, the heart can't get oxygen. If not treated quickly, the heart muscle begins to die. But if you do get quick treatment, you may be able to prevent or limit damage to the heart muscle. That's why it's important to know the symptoms of a heart attack and call 911 if you or someone else is having them. You should call, even if you are not sure that it is a heart attack (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Heart disease is a general term that includes many types of heart problems. It's also called cardiovascular disease, which means heart and blood vessel disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but there are ways to prevent and manage many types of heart disease. The causes of heart disease depend on the type of disease. Some possible causes include lifestyle, genetics, infections, medicines, and other diseases (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Heart failure means that your heart can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to meet your body's needs. Heart failure doesn't mean that your heart has stopped or is about to stop beating. But without enough blood flow, your organs may not work well, which can cause serious problems. Heart failure can start suddenly after a medical condition or injury damages your heart muscle. But in most cases, heart failure develops slowly from long-term medical conditions (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Heart valve disease happens when one or more of your heart valves don't work well. If one or more of your heart valves doesn't open or close correctly, it can affect your blood flow and strain your heart. Fortunately, treatment helps most valve diseases. Some people are born with heart valve disease. Heart valve disease can also develop over time as you get older or have certain conditions that affect the heart (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Most kidney diseases attack the nephrons. This damage may leave kidneys unable to remove wastes. Causes can include genetic problems, injuries, or medicines. You have a higher risk of kidney disease if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a close family member with kidney disease. Your doctor can do blood and urine tests to check if you have kidney disease. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases).

There are many kinds of liver diseases. Symptoms of liver disease can vary, but they often include swelling of the abdomen and legs, bruising easily, changes in the color of your stool and urine, and jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes. Sometimes there are no symptoms. Tests such as imaging tests and liver function tests can check for liver damage and help to diagnose liver diseases (MedlinePlus.gov).

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of your lungs. It causes the air sacs of your lungs to fill up with fluid or pus. Pneumonia can range from mild to severe, depending on what caused it, your age, and your overall health. Bacteria are the most common cause. Bacterial pneumonia can occur on its own. It can also develop after you've had certain viral infections such as a cold or the flu. The symptoms can vary for different groups (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a sudden blockage in a lung artery. It usually happens when a blood clot breaks loose and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs. PE is a serious condition that can cause permanent damage to the lungs, low oxygen levels in your blood, and damage to other organs in your body from not getting enough oxygen. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing up blood. Symptoms of a blood clot include warmth, swelling, pain, tenderness and redness of the leg (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial disease that usually attacks the lungs. But it can also attack other parts of the body, including the kidneys, spine, and brain. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria (germs) becomes sick. TB is found in the U.S., but it is more common in certain other countries. Anyone who is near a person with TB disease can get infected with the germs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).