So what are the different types of heart disease? Well, if we take a simple analogy like a house, we can say that the heart is like a house. It has plumbing, and there can be a problem with the arteries and veins. It has a structural element, which are the walls, and there can be a problem with the squeezing. And it has an electrical system and there can be a problem with the rhythm or electric conduction.
The artery problem would be a build up of cholesterol for the most part inside the arteries. That can lead to heart attack and damaging of the heart muscle. A muscle problem can consist of many different types of conditions, which weaken or reduce the effect of pumping function of the heart. And a rhythm problem also comes in many different varieties, but for the most part it can lead to either fast or slow heart rhythms, all of which can lead to symptoms.
In addition to having a problem with any one of these particular areas, obviously there’s a pretty complicated interplay between the areas themselves. And so sometimes conditions will involve more than one type of problem. Usually, however, the doctor will focus on one specific area and try to target their efforts to improving that function.
So when you think of the different types of causes of heart disease, it’s helpful to think of, again, of the heart as a whole and how the different causes can interplay with each other. And your doctor will help you do that to help the heart function well again. And those are the four basic types of heart disease.
