Cardiovascular conditions are a group of disorders that affect the heart and blood vessels in your body. Early detection, diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment are essential for managing these conditions and reducing the risk of complications.
At BKLYN Cardio, our approach to treating cardiovascular conditions goes beyond just medications and surgical interventions. Our team believes in providing minimally invasive procedures and lifestyle management guidance to improve the overall health of your heart.
A person with cardiovascular conditions can be symptomatic (physically experiencing the disease) or asymptomatic (not feeling anything at all).
At BKLYN Cardio, we offer diagnostic testing and comprehensive treatment to address these symptoms of cardiovascular diseases.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, it may be an indication of a cardiovascular condition.
Angina, or chest pain, feels like pressure or squeezing in your chest. You may also experience discomfort in the neck, jaw, back, shoulders, or arms. It is often a symptom of an underlying heart condition.
Chest pain may result from your heart muscle not receiving enough oxygen-rich blood. Health conditions that can cause chest pain include:
Not all causes of chest pain are related to cardiovascular problems. When having a heart attack or another heart-related condition, you may also experience shortness of breath, dizziness, and cold sweats, along with chest pain.
Leg pain can indicate heart problems or another serious medical condition. Leg pain can take many forms, such as:
Leg pain can indicate a serious blood vessel or heart problem requiring immediate medical attention. Heart-related leg pain can be a symptom of the following conditions:
Shortness of breath is a feeling that you can’t get enough air into your lungs. It is common to experience shortness of breath. However, if you’ve been having shortness of breath regularly along with other symptoms, you may be suffering from a heart condition.
Shortness of breath may feel like:
Shortness of breath may be indicative of the following medical conditions:
Heart palpitations are when you feel like your heart is beating abnormally. It is typically harmless, but it can also indicate serious heart conditions that may require prompt treatment.
Sensations that you may experience include:
Cardiovascular conditions can include a wide range of disorders that affect the heart and blood vessels. Here are some common types:
Congestive heart failure is a condition that occurs when your heart muscle does not effectively pump enough blood to vital organs. Although your heart is still working, it cannot handle the amount of blood as it normally does, leading to blood build-up in other body parts. Typically, blood collects in your lungs, legs, and feet.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when the coronary arteries that supply blood to your heart become hard and narrow due to the deposit of plaque due to cholesterol, calcium, and other substances. Narrowed arteries mean reduced blood flow to the heart, leading to a heart attack, heart muscle damage, heart failure, or stroke.
Adult congenital heart disease is a group of cardiovascular conditions you are born with that affect your heart’s structure. It can affect any of the structures of your heart. The common types of adult congenital heart disease are blood vessel defects, valve defects, and holes in the wall of heart chambers.
Cardiac amyloidosis occurs when abnormal protein deposits in the heart muscle, causing it to become thick and stiff. It may result in congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythm. Cardiac amyloidosis can be inherited or developed on its own.
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular, rapid heart beating that can lead to blood clot formation. In this condition, the heart's upper chambers do not synchronize with the lower chambers.
Cardiovascular genetic diseases, or inherited heart conditions, are passed on through families. These conditions can affect people of any age. If left untreated, some of these conditions can be life-threatening.
While some people with an inherited heart condition have no symptoms, others may develop symptoms such as dizzy spells, palpitations, blackouts, and shortness of breath.
The most common inherited heart conditions are cardiomyopathies (which cause the heart to lose its ability to pump blood) and channelopathies (which can cause abnormal heart rhythms).
A heart arrhythmia occurs when the heart's electrical signaling, which regulates its rhythm, becomes disrupted, causing the heart to beat irregularly. It beats either too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or with an inconsistent pattern. With heart arrhythmias, you may experience sensations like a fluttering, pounding, or racing heartbeat.
Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of the heart's valves fail to function properly. The heart consists of four valves that maintain blood flow through the heart. Sometimes, a valve may not open or close fully, leading to alterations in blood flow through the heart and to the rest of the body. There are two primary types of problems associated with heart valve disorders:
Pericardial disease affects the pericardium or the double-layered sac that surrounds the heart and helps protect it. It can involve various disorders, including inflammation (pericarditis), fluid accumulation (pericardial effusion), and thickening or stiffening of the pericardium.
Pulmonary hypertension impacts the lung arteries when the blood pressure in your lungs is higher than average, causing the heart to work harder than normal to pump blood into the lungs. This extra effort causes the heart muscle to become weak and fail. This condition is caused when blood vessels in the lungs become narrow or blocked.
Certain lifestyle habits and health conditions can increase your vulnerability to cardiovascular disease. These risk factors can be divided into modifiable and non-modifiable categories.
Non-modifiable risk factors include:
Modifiable risk factors include:
Diagnostic testing of cardiovascular conditions typically involves a combination of medical history review, physical examination, and various tests.
Common diagnostic approaches can include:
Treatment for cardiovascular conditions depends on the specific condition, its severity, and individual factors. It encompasses a multifaceted, comprehensive approach aimed at improving your health and reducing the risk of complications.
Treatment for heart-related conditions may include:
At BKLYN Cardio, we understand the significant role a healthy heart plays in your overall well-being. Our team offers comprehensive, cutting-edge, and personalized treatment for cardiovascular conditions.
To schedule an initial appointment with our interventional cardiologist, Dr. Matthew Jones, please call 718-237-4067 or request one online. You can also visit our practice in Brooklyn, NY.
