You asked. We answer. Here's an easy-to-read, illustrated guide to heart disease.

When you think of heart disease in men, usually people think of coronary artery disease and heart attack.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over 40 years old, especially after menopause.

Most heart attacks are the end result of coronary heart disease, a condition that clogs coronary arteries with fatty, calcified plaques.

Atherosclerosis -- hardening of the arteries -- occurs when your blood vessel walls thicken due to deposits of fat and plaque.

Find out the differences between atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis, and discover the signs, treatments, and health effects.

Heart palpitations are a feeling that your heart is beating too hard or too fast, skipping a beat, or fluttering.

Your doctor may be tracking your homocysteine level. Click here to find out why.

Your doctor may also be tracking your CRP level. Click here to find out why.

This cluster of risk factors increases the risk of heart disease. Read more and see how you can improve your heart health.

Certain aspects of coronary artery disease (CAD) can be different for women compared with men. Here’s what you need to know.

Here's where to learn how to deal with heart disease risk factors so you can have the best chance at avoiding heart disease.

Good HDL cholesterol, bad LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol: Here's where to find out what they mean for heart disease.

Click here to learn why you need to keep track of your blood pressure -- and how to lower high blood pressure.

You know it's bad for your lungs. It hurts your heart, too. Don't click your lighter before clicking here.

Stress itself isn't so bad -- it's all in how you handle it. Here are some helpful tips.

What's the buzz on booze? The news isn't bad for moderate drinkers. Here's why.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant -- one of those substances that fight dangerous free radicals. Can they help you avoid heart disease?

Here's a fast, easy-to-understand guide to the symptoms of each type of heart disease.

An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) can have various causes. But it's usually caused by hypertension or coronary artery disease.

Irregular heart rhythm -- arrhythmia -- is when your heart doesn't keep up a good beat. Learn what it means here.

You may not know what a heart valve is -- until it stops working right. It's a common form of heart disease.

This is the cause of half of all heart disease deaths. Find out why here.

Not everyone gets heart disease. Some are born with it. Here are the facts on congenital heart disease.

Heart muscle disease -- what doctors call cardiomyopathy -- is as serious as it sounds. Here's a brief overview.

ATTR-CM is a long-term, progressive heart condition where the amyloids build up in the heart. Vyndamax was the first once-daily medicine for ATTR-CM that helps slow the progression of the disease and improve your quality of life.

HCM -- hypertrophic cardiomyopathy -- is a thickening of the walls of the heart. Here's a brief overview.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart condition where the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick. Camzyos was the first medicine specifically made to target the main cause of obstructive HCM. 

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is the rarest form of heart-muscle disease. Here's an overview.

Fluid around the heart can be caused by various types of infection/inflammation or cancer, kidney disease or heart surgery.

Why does pericarditis recur? There are many causes of recurrent pericarditis. Here are some of them, along with recurrent pericarditis symptoms.

This inherited genetic defect weakens connective tissues, including those in the heart. Click here to learn more.

A heart murmur is an extra sound in the heartbeat that is caused by turbulent blood flow through the heart valves.

Coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease are dangerous but treatable conditions that take a toll on blood vessels.

Coronary artery disease is a serious condition caused by a buildup of plaque in your arteries.

Atherosclerosis can create life-threatening blockages in the arteries of your heart, without you ever feeling a thing.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke are two of the deadliest health problems in the U.S.

Find out what you need to know about medications for coronary artery disease, and discover the risks and side effects.

Find out some basic tips for preventing heart attacks and living a healthy and full life with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Peripheral artery disease narrows arteries in your legs, limiting blood flow. Are you one of 8 million Americans affected by PAD?

What's the link between peripheral artery disease and diabetes? Find out why diabetes increases your risk for this condition.

Lifestyle changes, medication, and more can slow PAD's progression and even reverse symptoms. Learn more about how to manage PAD.

Medicine and lifestyle changes aren’t always enough to treat PAD. Learn about the types of surgery you might need.

While peripheral artery disease is a serious condition, lifestyle and foot care tips can help you prevent problems.

There are several variations on the echocardiogram, or "echo." Learn about these ultrasound-like tests of the heart.

Why get a chest X-ray? What happens? Click here for quick answers.

Does your heart respond well to exertion? That's what a stress test looks for. Here's a straightforward description.

The head-up tilt table test is used to help find the cause of fainting spells. Here's what you need to know.

Cardiac catheterization -- also called a coronary angiogram -- means running a catheter into your heart.

Computed tomography (CT scan) of the heart can visualize your heart’s anatomy.

A myocardial biopsy is when a doctor uses a special catheter to remove a piece of your heart tissue for examination.

Pericardiocentesis -- also called a pericardial tap -- means using a needle to get a sample of the fluid in the heart's sac.

A cardiac perfusion test tells your doctor if the muscles of your heart are getting enough blood. Here's how it works.

Get information about why they’re used and what types are available.

If you need to have bypass surgery, you’ll have lots of questions about how it works and how it can help.

When your heart valve disease needs attention, it can be treated by traditional surgery or by balloon valvuloplasty.

A pacemaker is a small device that sends electrical impulses to the heart muscle to keep up a suitable heart rate and rhythm.

An ICD, or implantable cardioverter defibrillator, can treat abnormal heart rhythms.

A pacemaker or ICD delivers energy to your heart muscle through wires. A lead extraction is when one or more of those are removed.

The left ventricular assist device, LVAD or VAD, is a kind of mechanical heart pump. It's placed inside a person's chest.

A heart transplant is the replacement of a person's diseased or damaged heart with a donor's healthy heart.

Find out what you need to know about drug-eluting stents, the procedure, its risks, benefits, and how it may affect health.

Do you know the symptoms of a heart attack? This is a life-threatening emergency that requires quick action.

ACE inhibitors are meds that widen blood vessels to raise the amount of blood your heart pumps and lower your blood pressure.

Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are a type of drug your doctor may prescribe to help treat your heart disease.

These drugs treat abnormal heart rhythms caused by irregular electrical activity of your heart.

Antiplatelet drugs are a group of powerful medicines that prevent blood clots.

Since the 1970s, aspirin has also been used to prevent and manage heart disease and stroke.

Beta-blockers are one of the most widely prescribed class of drugs to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).

These relax blood vessels and increase the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart. They also reduce the heart's workload.

Also called thrombolytic therapy, these are a type of heart medication given in the hospital to break up blood clots.

Nitrates treat angina in people with CAD. They also help ease chest pain caused by blocked blood vessels of the heart.

There are things you should know when you or someone you love comes back from heart surgery.

Here are steps you can take after a heart attack to ensure a full recovery.

It's very likely your doctor will encourage you to get involved in a cardiac rehab program.

Got heart disease? Nothing is more important than eating heart-friendly foods. See what heart-healthy cooking is all about.

What exercises are best for those diagnosed with heart disease? Read more.

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help prevent coronary artery disease. Learn which foods can set you on track.