Strong Heart and Vascular Center
Division of Cardiac Surgery
Conditions & Diseases
As Western New York's leading provider of cardiac
care, the Strong Heart and Vascular Center treats every kind
of heart condition. Below are brief descriptions of the most
common,
in
alphabetical
order.
Each
includes a link
to surgical-related treatment procedures. About 75% of all heart
patients have one of these conditions.
In order to better understand your cardiac condition or disease,
you may want to learn about the normal functioning of
the heart. Read more about understanding the heart.
Arrhythmia (Dysrhythmia)
An abnormal (too fast, too slow, or irregular) heartbeat rhythm
may be a very minor problem—or may indicate a serious condition.
There are many types of arrhythmias with a variety of causes,
detection methods and treatments. Learn more about arrhythmia
Surgical treatment for arrhythmia
Bradycardia
With this condition the heart rate is too slow.
A slow heart rate may cause fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness
or fainting
spells. Bradycardia can be easily corrected by implanting
an electronic pacemaker to regulate the heart rhythm. Learn more about bradycardia
Heart-assist devices for bradycardia
Cardiomyopathy
This disease damages the heart muscle, weakening
its ability to pump blood and sometimes causing arrhythmias.
There are
various types of cardiomyopathy with various causes,
including viral
infections. Some forms strike younger people. Learn more about cardiomyopathy
Heart-asist devices for cardiomyopathy
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
CHF means the heart doesn't pump as well as
it should, causing the patient to retain fluids, often leading
to swollen legs
and ankles and congestion in the lungs. It's usually
caused by a gradual weakening of the heart brought on by various
conditions, such as clogged arteries or high blood pressure. Learn more about congestive heart failure
Surgical treatment for congestive heart failure
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) refers to
the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries. When narrowing
or blockage occurs in one of the coronary arteries, the portion
of the heart that the coronary artery leads to fails to receive
enough oxygenated blood. The lack of oxygenated blood may cause
the individual to experience chest pain (angina pectoris). This
pain may occur when the heart must work harder, causing the heart's
oxygen demand to be greater than the oxygen supply as in times
of physical or emotional stress.
As an artery continues to narrow and become more rigid, blood
supply to that area of the heart becomes less and less adequate
and the chest pain may become more frequent. The blood supply
to the heart may become inadequate to sustain life, especially
if a blockage (thrombus or clot) occurs in the vessel. Therefore,
an area of the heart may not receive enough oxygenated blood and
the tissue may die. This is known as a heart attack or myocardial
infarction. Learn more about coronary artery disease
Surgical
treatment for coronary artery disease
Neonatal / Congenital Heart Disease
These include a wide range of malformations that affect the
structure of the heart and major vessels. Congenital heart defects
are present at birth because of the way the heart forms during
the fetal stage. Genetic and environmental influences can affect
the heart as it develops and cause a defect. Some medications,
diabetes, and alcohol or illicit drug use duringpregnancy can
increase the risk of a congenital heart defect. Learn more about congenital heart disease
Surgical treatment for congential
heart disease
Valvular Heart Disease
This includes any dysfunction or defect of one
or more of the heart's four valves. In a normally functioning
heart, the
valves act as gates that open and close to keep blood flowing
in one
direction, at the right time. There are a number of different
types of valvular heart disease including valvular stenosis,
valvular regurgitation, mitral valve prolapse, heart valve
procedures, minimally invasive heart valve surgery, and artifical
heart valve. Learn more about valvular heart disease
For more information, or to schedule a consultation, please
contact us at 585-275-5384. For pediatric patients, call 585-275-2735.
