Heart Problems
Learn about heart problems
Everyone can benefit from learning about heart health. If you or a loved one is living with a heart condition, or if you want to learn how to prevent heart problems in the future, our topics can give you the information you need. From heart defects in babies to heart failure in older people, we cover a wide range of heart problems.
Learn more about heart problems in topics such as:
Health Topics
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Alan's Story: Coping With Change After a Heart Attack
- Anesthesia
- Angioplasty for coronary artery disease
- Angioplasty with stent placement for heart attack and unstable angina
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Aortic Valve Stenosis
- Atherectomy for coronary artery disease
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Beta-Blockers for Systolic Heart Failure
- Blood Thinners for Heart Failure
- Bradycardia (Slow Heart Rate)
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Care at the End of Life
- Carotid Artery Stenting
- Catheter ablation for a fast heart rate
- Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation
- Central Venous Catheters
- Change in Heartbeat
- Chest Problems
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery
- Coronary artery bypass surgery for coronary artery disease
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Determining the Need for Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy
- Drug-Eluting Stents
- Electrical cardioversion (defibrillation) for a fast heart rate
- Electrical cardioversion for atrial fibrillation
- Endocarditis
- Exercise Tips if You Have a Pacemaker or ICD
- Health Problems Associated With Adult Obesity
- Heart Attack and Unstable Angina
- Heart Failure
- Heart Murmur
- Heart Tests: When Do You Need Them?
- Heart transplant
- Heart valve repair or replacement for mitral valve regurgitation or prolapse
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- High Cholesterol Treatment Guidelines Based on Risk Categories
- High Triglycerides
- How Beta-Blockers Treat Diastolic Heart Failure
- How Nitrates Treat Systolic Heart Failure
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)
- Interactive Tool: Are You at Risk for a Heart Attack?
- Interactive Tool: How Does Smoking Increase Your Risk of Heart Attack?
- Interactive Tools
- Joan's Story: Coping With Depression and Anxiety From Heart Failure
- Joyce's Story: Feeling Better With a Pacemaker
- Kawasaki Disease
- Lipid Panel
- Living With More Than One Health Problem
- Low-Dose Aspirin Therapy
- Maze procedure for atrial fibrillation
- Medicines for Heart Failure
- Medicines to Prevent Abnormal Heart Rhythm in Heart Failure
- Mediterranean Diet
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Monitoring and Medicines for Heart Failure
- Organ Transplant
- Pacemaker for atrial fibrillation
- Pacemaker for bradycardia
- Pacemaker placement
- People Who Need Antibiotics to Prevent Endocarditis
- Pericarditis
- Prehypertension
- Preventing Diabetic Heart and Blood Vessel Complications
- Problems Related to Diabetes Complications
- Procedures That May Require Antibiotics to Prevent Endocarditis
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Quick Tips: Taking Charge of Your Angina
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Resuming Sexual Activity After a Heart Attack
- Risks and Benefits of Medicines for Heart Failure
- Scarlet Fever
- Should I Repair or Replace My Mitral Valve?
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC)
- Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) Diet for High Cholesterol
- Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) Diet for High Cholesterol
- Tips for Success with the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) Diet
- Triggers of Sudden Heart Failure
- Using Nitroglycerin for Sudden Chest Pain
- Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) for Heart Failure
- Ventricular Tachycardia
- What You Need to Know Before Exercising With an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)
- Women and Coronary Artery Disease
- Writing an Advance Directive
Medical Tests
- Ambulatory Electrocardiogram
- Angiogram
- Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) Test
- Cardiac Blood Pool Scan
- Cardiac Calcium Scoring
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Enzyme Studies
- Cardiac Perfusion Scan
- Chest X-ray
- Cholesterol and Triglycerides Tests
- Computed Tomography (CT) Scan of the Body
- Computed Tomography Angiogram (CT Angiogram)
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
- Echocardiogram
- Electrocardiogram
- Electrophysiology Study
- Exercise Electrocardiogram
- Home Blood Pressure Test
- Homocysteine
- Pericardial Drainage
Medications
- Adenosine for fast heart rates
- Aldosterone receptor antagonists: Diuretics for heart failure
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) for high blood pressure
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for coronary artery disease
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for heart attack and unstable angina
- Antiarrhythmic medications for atrial fibrillation
- Antiarrhythmic medications for fast heart rates
- Antiarrhythmics for congenital heart defects
- Antibiotics for Lyme disease
- Anticoagulants for aortic and mitral valve regurgitation
- Anticoagulants for coronary artery disease
- Anticoagulants for heart attack and unstable angina
- Anticoagulants for pulmonary embolism
- Antiplatelet medicine for heart attack and unstable angina
- Aspirin for coronary artery disease
- Aspirin for heart attack and unstable angina
- Aspirin for mitral valve regurgitation
- Beta-blockers for atrial fibrillation
- Beta-blockers for coronary artery disease
- Beta-blockers for fast heart rates
- Beta-blockers for heart attack and unstable angina
- Beta-blockers for heart failure
- Beta-blockers for high blood pressure
- Beta-blockers for mitral valve prolapse
- Bile acid sequestrants for high cholesterol
- Calcium channel blockers for atrial fibrillation
- Calcium channel blockers for coronary artery disease
- Calcium channel blockers for fast heart rates
- Calcium channel blockers for heart attack and unstable angina
- Calcium channel blockers for heart failure
- Calcium channel blockers for high blood pressure
- Cardiac glycosides for congenital heart defects
- Cholesterol absorption inhibitors for high cholesterol
- Digoxin for atrial fibrillation
- Digoxin for fast heart rates
- Digoxin for heart failure
- Digoxin for mitral valve regurgitation
- Direct renin inhibitors for high blood pressure
- Diuretics for congenital heart defects
- Diuretics for heart failure
- Diuretics for high blood pressure
- Fibric acid derivatives for high cholesterol
- Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors for heart attack and unstable angina
- Morphine sulfate
- Nicotinic acid for high cholesterol
- Nitrates for coronary artery disease
- Nitrates for heart attack and unstable angina
- Oxygen therapy for heart failure
- Statins and statin combinations for high cholesterol
- Thrombolytics for heart attack and unstable angina
- Vasodilators for congenital heart defects
- Vasodilators for heart failure
- Vasodilators for high blood pressure
- Vasodilators for mitral valve regurgitation
- Warfarin for atrial fibrillation
Make a Wise Decision
- Aortic valve stenosis: Should I have surgery?
- Atrial fibrillation: Should I take anticoagulants to prevent stroke?
- Atrial fibrillation: Should I try electrical cardioversion?
- Heart attack: Should I take daily aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke?
- Heart disease risk: Should I have a coronary calcium scan?
- Heart disease: Should I have an angiogram?
- Heart disease: Should I have angioplasty for stable angina?
- Heart disease: Should I have bypass surgery?
- Heart failure: Should I get a pacemaker?
- Heart failure: Should I get an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)?
- Heart problems: Should I have catheter ablation?
- Heart valve problems: Should I choose a mechanical valve or tissue valve to replace my heart valve?
- High blood pressure: Should I take medicine?
- High cholesterol: Should I take statins?
Take Action
- Heart disease: Eating a heart-healthy diet
- Heart disease: Exercising for a healthy heart
- Heart disease: Walking for a healthy heart
- Heart failure: Activity and exercise
- Heart failure: Avoiding medicines that make symptoms worse
- Heart failure: Avoiding triggers for sudden heart failure
- Heart failure: Checking your weight
- Heart failure: Eating less salt
- Heart failure: Taking medicines properly
- Heart failure: Watching your fluids
- Heart problems: Living with a pacemaker or ICD
- High blood pressure: Checking your blood pressure at home
- High blood pressure: Taking medicines properly
- High blood pressure: Using the DASH diet
- Warfarin: Taking your medicine safely
Last Updated: September 29, 2009
Author: Robin Parks, MS
Medical Review: Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
