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Causes of Heart Disease

by Rashmi Gulati, MD

Coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes are the primary causes for weakening the heart and developing heart failure. Heart failure is not the heart stopping, as in a heart attack, but the failure of the heart to pump enough blood to the rest of the body. Treating these problems when first detected can prevent or reduce the risk of heart failure.

High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure blood exerts against the walls of the arteries as it flows through the body. A blood pressure reading greater than 140/90 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) is considered "high." If blood pressure stays at or over this level for a period of time blood vessels can stiffen and the heart must work harder to force blood to flow. Without treatment and over time, the heart may be damaged maintaining the elevated level of pressure.

Diabetes

Diabetes occurs when blood glucose (sugar) levels are excessively high on a chronic basis. To convert blood sugar into energy that the body can use, the body produces a hormone called insulin. If the body does not produce enough insulin, or is unable to use its insulin efficiently, insulin resistance arises, causing sugar to build up in the bloodstream. Diabetes is responsible for a wide array of complications, including heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage, and amputation.

Other Causes

Heart failure can result from the following conditions or diseases:

Heart muscle disease, such as cardiomyopathy, may be a congenital condition (present at birth), or develop as the result of injury or infection.
Heart valve disorders may be congenital, or may result from infection, heart attack, or damage from other types of heart disease.
Arrhythmias are irregular heartbeats. They may be congenital, or develop as the result of heart disease or defects of the heart.
Congenital heart defects may appear at birth and prevent the heart from developing normally.

The heart muscle is vulnerable to damage that can lead to disease or heart failure from:

Cancer treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy
Thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism, under-activity of the thyroid gland, or hyperthyroidism, over-activity of the thyroid)
Alcohol abuse
HIV/AIDS
Cocaine and other illegal drug use

Obstructive sleep apnea may cause, or worsen, existing heart disease. In obstructive sleep apnea, an individual's breathing stops or becomes very shallow while sleeping. This can deprive the heart of oxygen and increase its workload. Treating sleep apnea reduces the risk of heart disease.

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