The heart is a four chambered, hollow muscle and double acting pump that is located in the chest between the lungs. Heart diseases caused by high blood pressure contributes to hardening of the arteries. High levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) build up in the arteries as a result of uncontrolled diet with high levels of saturated fat and trans fat. All these add to the formation of atherosclerosis lesions and eventually arterial blockage.
There are some major types of heart diseases:

1. Affecting heart chambers
Heart failure caused by the heart not pumping as much blood as it should and so the body does not get as much blood and oxygen that it needs. The malfunctioning of the heart chambers are due to damage caused by narrowed or blocked arteries.

2. Affecting heart muscles
The heart muscles thickens and becomes stiff, increasing the amount of pressure required to expand for blood flows into the heart or the narrowing of the passage as a result of obstructing blood flow out of the heart.

3. Affecting heart valves
These type heart diseases occur when the mitral valve in the heart is narrowing causing the heart to work harder to pump blood from the left atrium into the ventricle. The mitral valve does not close properly and prolapse occurs or narrowing of the aortic in the heart occures.

4. Affecting coronary arteries and coronary veins
The malfunctioning of the heart may be due to damage caused by narrowed or blocked arteries leading to the muscle of your heart as well as blood backing up in the veins, causing a build up leading to swelling in the feet, ankles and legs.

5. Affecting heart lining
Rheumatic heart disease results from inflammation of the heart lining when too much fluid builds up in the lungs leading to pulmonary congestion. It is due to failure of the heart to remove fluid from the lung circulation resulting in shortness of breath, coughing up blood, pale skin and excessive sweating.

6. Affecting electrical system
The electrical system within the heart is responsible for ensuring the heart beats correctly so that blood can be transported to the cells throughout our body. Any malfunction of the electrical system in the heart causes a fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat.

7. Congenital heart disease
There are several heart diseases that people are born with. Congenital heart diseases are caused by a persistence in the fetal connection between arterial and venous circulation.



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