What is Heart Disease?

Heart disease is a general term for medical conditions involving the heart. The heart is the organ within the body which pumps blood throughout the arteries and veins of the body.

What causes Heart Disease?

Heart disease often refers to a gradual and long-term reduction in the amount of blood and oxygen supplied to the heart. The most common cause is atherosclerosis of the arteries that normally supply blood to the heart, reducing the volume of blood which can pass through them. The result can be temporary or permanent damage to the heart.

If one or more of the arteries supplying blood to the heart is blocked, the condition is called heart attack or myocardial infarction.

Further Reading:

• Article : "VASCULAR DEMENTIA"
• Article : "ARRESTING MEMORIES"

by Catherine E. Myers. Copyright © 2006 Memory Loss and the Brain