Heart murmur: An abnormal sound heard when listening to the heart with a stethoscope.If severe, valve disease can cause congestive heart failure. Heart valve disease: There are four heart valves, and each can develop problems.Pulmonary embolism: Typically a blood clot travels through the heart to the lungs.Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation: Abnormal electrical impulses in the atria cause an irregular heartbeat.Pericardial effusion: Fluid between the lining of the heart (pericardium) and the heart itself.Viral infections, kidney failure, and autoimmune conditions are common causes. Pericarditis: Inflammation of the lining of the heart (pericardium).Myocarditis: Inflammation of the heart muscle, most often due to a viral infection.As a result, the heart's ability to pump blood is weakened. Cardiomyopathy: A disease of heart muscle in which the heart is abnormally enlarged, thickened, and/or stiffened.Shortness of breath and leg swelling are common symptoms. Congestive heart failure: The heart is either too weak or too stiff to effectively pump blood through the body.Some arrhythmias are benign, but others are life-threatening. Arrhythmia (dysrhythmia): An abnormal heart rhythm due to changes in the conduction of electrical impulses through the heart.Starved of oxygen, part of the heart muscle dies. Myocardial infarction ( heart attack): A coronary artery is suddenly blocked.This is an emergency situation as it can precede a heart attack, serious abnormal heart rhythm, or cardiac arrest. Unstable angina pectoris: Chest pain or discomfort that is new, worsening, or occurs at rest.The blockages prevent the heart from receiving the extra oxygen needed for strenuous activity. Stable angina pectoris: Narrowed coronary arteries cause predictable chest pain or discomfort with exertion.The narrowed arteries are at higher risk for complete blockage from a sudden blood clot (this blockage is called a heart attack). Coronary artery disease: Over the years, cholesterol plaques can narrow the arteries supplying blood to the heart.Surrounding the heart is a sac called the pericardium. A web of nerve tissue also runs through the heart, conducting the complex signals that govern contraction and relaxation. The coronary arteries run along the surface of the heart and provide oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. The left ventricle’s vigorous contractions create our blood pressure. The left ventricle (the strongest chamber) pumps oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body.The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the left ventricle.The right ventricle receives blood from the right atrium and pumps it to the lungs, where it is loaded with oxygen.The right atrium receives blood from the veins and pumps it to the right ventricle.The heart pumps blood through the network of arteries and veins called the cardiovascular system. The heart is a muscular organ about the size of a fist, located just behind and slightly left of the breastbone.
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