Heart Disease FAQ

What the heck is it?

It is a disease of the blood vessels and the heart.

What are the symptoms?

- Excessive, acute shortness of breath
- Angina

WAIT. What is angina??!?!?!?

Angina is a fancy word for chest pain. It usually occurs suddenly, or during exercise.

I heard female-bodied people experience heart disease differently than male-bodied people. Is that true?

Yes! Female-bodied people might experience

- shortness of breath
- nausea
- vomiting
- back or jaw pain

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack is when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the heart through the coronary arteries.

What are.... coronary arteries? D:

Coronary arteries are the arteries that deliver oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Just like any other organ, your heart needs blood too!

What causes a heart attack?

One of two things:

Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
Atherosclerosis (plaque build up in the arteries)

What is plaque?

Plaque is made of cholesterol deposits. Just like the plaque on your teeth, it builds up in your arteries over time, and without a routine "cleaning", it narrows the arteries.

What can I control to prevent heart disease?

Here are some risk factors. Try to aim for doing 2 or less of these activities:

- Smoking
- Poor diet
- Excessive alcohol use
- Being physically inactive

Are there any uncontrollable risk factors of heart disease?

Sadly, yes:

- A family history of heart disease
- Being over the age of 55