What do you think of when you hear the words “heart disease”? I recall overweight men on TV clutching their chests. Or an older woman at a family reunion who can’t get excited because of her "heart condition." These steretoypical scenes may happen for some people with heart disease. But they're not true for everyone with it.

When we say "heart disease," it covers a lot of different heart diseases. Some share causes and treatments. Others are related – having one heart condition can lead to another over time. For instance, my father had a heart attack in his middle age. When he was older, he had another, and it lead to heart failure.

Treating the Types of Heart Disease at UVA Health

Your heart has one of the most important jobs in your body. Any damage to it is serious. If you have heart disease, you should know what kind you have.

If your doctor has told you have heart disease, you’re probably nervous about your future. You have lots of questions. The more you read, the more nervous you might get. But the heart disease experts at UVA Health, like Chad Hoyt, MD, can help. We can answer your questions. And we’ll guide you through lifestyle changes and treatment if you need it.

Who Gets Heart Diseases?

Heart diseases are some of the most common health conditions. All races, genders, and ethnicities are affected by it (but not all equally). In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that someone in the U.S. dies from heart disease every 34 seconds.

You might be more likely to get a heart disease if you have:

• High blood pressure
• High levels of cholesterol (can cause atherosclerosis, a build-up of cholesterol in your blood vessels)
• Diabetes
• Obesity

On top of these risk factors, what you eat and do also makes a difference. If you use tobacco or overuse alcohol, you might get some types of heart disease.

Family history can also play a role. Some people are more likely to get heart disease because of their genes. Genes are like instructions that tell our bodies how to work. You get your genes from your parents.

If you have certain genes, you might be more likely to have problems with your heart. But just because you have those genes doesn't mean you'll definitely get heart disease.

"Many patients come in to see us because they're worried about a strong family history of heart disease," says Hoyt. "They wonder if they have the same disease as their family member and it just hasn’t been detected yet. We like to see these patients early." UVA Health heart experts can use imaging to find and measure plaque buildup in your body. This will help them understand your potential for a heart condition.

Not Everyone's Risk Is the Same

Not everyone has the same level of risk of getting heart disease. And not everyone is affected in the same way. For instance, women often have different symptoms than men when they have a heart attack. Your race or ethnicity also affects how likely you are to get or die from certain heart conditions.

"Many patients don't experience typical heart symptoms. This is especially true in our female population. If you have symptoms that are concerning to you, please do not hesitate to contact us so we can help," says Hoyt.

Learn more about the impact of research and heart health equity.

Social Issues Also Affect Risk

Your health also directly results from your social class and the environment you grew up in. These risk factors are called the social determinants of health. The World Health Organization notes that the "social determinants of health are mostly responsible for health inequities – the unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and between countries.”

The social determinants of health include:

• Where you were born, grew up, and live now
• Whether you were rich or poor growing up and now
• Education level and quality
• How easy it is for you to get quality healthcare

People who don't have a lot of money might not be able to buy healthy food, so they could get sick more easily. Not knowing how to read can hurt your ability to make good choices about your health. Some people might have trouble getting to see a doctor or getting the medicine they need. These issues might have an even bigger impact if you're from a group that has historically faced issues of racism or exclusion.

Types Of Heart Disease: What Are They?

The funny thing about heart diseases is that they share some common symptoms. That can make things confusing when you’re educating yourself. Most heart disease symptoms include:

• Chest pain, pressure, or tightness
• Trouble breathing
• Feeling like you’ll pass out
• Racing or pounding heartbeats

If you or someone you know is having these symptoms, you should call 911.

Despite these common symptoms, heart diseases don’t all affect you in the same way. Let’s look at the different types of heart disease and what to watch out for.