Cardiac Diseases

 
A specific cardiac disease may impose a varying set of symptoms and clinical findings in a given patient. This is dependent upon the severity of disease, its duration and the presence or absence of associated diseases.
For example, a diabetic patient with severe coronary artery disease may have little or no symptoms. On the other hand, another patient with milder disease may be incapacitated by recurring chest pain.
Similarly, another patient with heart failure or "weakened heart muscle" may be able to lead a relatively normal life despite having severe disease because the heart has had a chance to compensate or adapt to the disease. In contrast, another patient with milder disease may have severe shortness of breath that may occur during usual daily activities or even at rest.
To help understand this confusing relationship and the way cardiac diseases progress and create symptoms, we have devoted a special part of this web site to the understanding of cardiac diseases. Pictures, graphic illustrations and animations are used to explain conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart attack, CHF (heart failure), etc.

However, before we begin review of the various diseases, let us first go through the evaluation process that the physician or care-giver goes though to help suspect or make a specific diagnosis. All this begins with the patient's history that can be reviewed by clicking the next button on the right corners of this page

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