The human heart is a lot more than just a beating organ. It performs several functions, from supplying blood to body organs to regulating blood pressure and providing nutrients to the body. Thus, promptly diagnosing and treating heart conditions is essential to ensuring overall physical well-being. Unfortunately, heart disease has emerged as the leading cause of death in the country today. So, here are some common heart diseases and their symptoms that one shouldn’t ignore:

1. Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease is characterized by the accumulation of fatty substances in the coronary arteries, which block blood supply from the heart to other bodily organs. High blood pressure and cholesterol levels are common causes of this disease. The disease’s symptoms, such as severe chest pain, nausea, light-headedness, and shortness of breath, can be debilitating. Besides seeking timely treatment, individuals with this condition should make major lifestyle changes, such as avoiding processed foods, maintaining a nutrient-balanced meal plan, and exercising regularly.

2. Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia involves irregularities in the rate or rhythm of one’s heartbeat. In other words, one’s heart may either beat too fast or too slowly or have an erratic rhythm, even when not engaging in physical activity. High blood pressure, narrowing of the arteries, and heart surgery are common causes of arrhythmia. An irregular or ill-paced heartbeat may accompany chest pain and shortness of breath.

3. Heart attack
A heart attack, one of the acute coronary syndromes, is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart, typically caused by a blood clot. Certain symptoms of a heart attack include chest tightness, chest pain, fatigue, and lightheadedness. One may also experience severe pain in either or both shoulders or arms. It is estimated that over 8,00,000 individuals nationwide have a heart attack each year, making it a highly prevalent heart condition.

4. Unstable angina
Unstable angina is characterized by insufficient flow of blood and oxygen to the heart and is one of the acute coronary syndromes. It usually involves symptoms such as chest pain, tightness, sweating, shortness of breath, and discomfort even when resting. Untreated, unstable angina may lead to a heart attack.

5. Valve disease
Valve disease is caused when any valves in one’s heart are damaged. Some of the common types of valve disease are as follows:

• Stenosis
  Stenosis involves the stiffening of valve flaps in one’s heart, causing one’s valve opening to narrow down and leading to decreased blood flow. Shortness of breath, chest pain, and a rapid heartbeat are some symptoms of aortic stenosis.
• Prolapse
  The enlargement or stretching of heart valves causes this condition, triggering symptoms like dizziness, an irregular heartbeat, and fatigue.
• Regurgitation
  Sometimes, the heart valve flaps may not close tightly, causing blood leakage backward across the valve. Severe regurgitation may involve a lack of blood supply to the other body organs, leading to symptoms like shortness of breath, extreme tiredness, and swelling of one’s hands and feet.
• Atresia
  Atresia is a congenital disease in which the valve that regulates blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body does not develop. Pulmonary and tricuspid atresia are the two types of this condition, involving symptoms like blue or gray skin and lips, breathing difficulty, and extreme fatigue.