Heart Disease Prevention Strategies

As plaque builds up it narrows your coronary arteries, decreasing blood flow to your heart. This decreased blood flow can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations and sweating. A complete blockage can lead to a heart attack.

Atrial fibrillation is also called arrhythmia. Congestive heart failure is a chronic heart condition that occurs when your heart muscle is ineffective at pumping blood. While the term "heart failure" is often used used, congestive heart failure is the stage in which fluid builds up around the heart, causing it to pump inefficiently.

Arrhythmia (also known as atrial fibrillation) can increase your risk of heart failure, stroke, blood clots and other heart conditions.

Treatment for heart disease depends on your condition, and may include antiplatelet drugs, anticoagulants, beta blockers, nitrates, calcium channel blockers and others.

In many cases, heart disease can be prevented by controlling risk factors. Risk factors for heart disease include obesity, high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol and diabetes.