Condition Lookup
Category:
Cardiovascular Conditions
Number of Conditions: 5
Hyperlipidemia (High Cholesterol)
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Category: Cardiovascular Conditions
Symptoms:
typically asymptomatic; xanthomas (yellowish skin deposits in severe cases); chest pain (if related to atherosclerosis)
Root Cause:
Elevated levels of cholesterol or triglycerides in the blood, often linked to diet, genetics, or other diseases.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Blood tests (lipid panel) showing elevated LDL (bad cholesterol), total cholesterol, or triglycerides; low HDL (good cholesterol).
Treatment:
Diet modifications, exercise, medications if necessary.
Medications:
Statins (e.g., atorvastatin , rosuvastatin ), PCSK9 inhibitors (e.g., alirocumab ), bile acid sequestrants (e.g., cholestyramine ), fibrates (e.g., fenofibrate ), omega-3 fatty acids.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Very common, especially in high-income countries; prevalence increases with age.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Poor diet, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, genetic predisposition, diabetes, smoking.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Manageable with treatment; untreated cases increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease.
Angina
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Category: Cardiovascular Conditions
Symptoms:
chest pain or discomfort; pain radiating to arms, neck, or jaw; shortness of breath; fatigue
Root Cause:
Insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle due to narrowed coronary arteries (ischemia).
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Stress test, ECG, echocardiogram, coronary angiography.
Treatment:
Lifestyle changes, medications, possible surgical interventions (e.g., angioplasty).
Medications:
Nitrates (e.g., nitroglycerin ), beta-blockers (e.g., atenolol ), calcium channel blockers (e.g., verapamil ), antiplatelets (e.g., aspirin ), statins.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common in individuals with coronary artery disease; increases with age.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, family history of heart disease.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Manageable with treatment; untreated angina increases the risk of heart attack.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Heart attack, heart failure, arrhythmias.
Heart Failure (Mild to Moderate Management)
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Category: Cardiovascular Conditions
Symptoms:
shortness of breath; fatigue; swelling in legs or abdomen; cough with pink frothy sputum; difficulty exercising
Root Cause:
The heart cannot pump blood efficiently, leading to fluid buildup and insufficient circulation.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical symptoms, echocardiogram, BNP blood tests, chest X-ray.
Treatment:
Lifestyle modifications, medications, treatment of underlying conditions.
Medications:
ACE inhibitors (e.g., enalapril ), beta-blockers (e.g., carvedilol ), diuretics (e.g., furosemide ), aldosterone antagonists (e.g., spironolactone ), SGLT2 inhibitors (e.g., dapagliflozin ).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects about 1–2% of adults worldwide; increases significantly with age.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, obesity, prior heart attack.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Chronic condition with variable outcomes; early intervention improves quality of life and survival.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Fluid overload, kidney failure, arrhythmias.
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Category: Cardiovascular Conditions
Symptoms:
leg pain while walking (claudication); cold or numb extremities; weak pulse in the legs; non-healing sores or ulcers
Root Cause:
Narrowing of peripheral arteries due to atherosclerosis, leading to reduced blood flow to the limbs.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Ankle-brachial index (ABI), Doppler ultrasound, angiography.
Treatment:
Lifestyle changes, exercise therapy, medications, possible surgical interventions.
Medications:
Antiplatelet agents (e.g., aspirin , clopidogrel ), statins (e.g., atorvastatin ), vasodilators (e.g., cilostazol ).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects about 3–10% of the global population, increasing with age.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Smoking, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Manageable; early treatment prevents progression. Severe cases risk amputation.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Critical limb ischemia, ulcers, infection, gangrene.
Venous Thromboembolism (VTE), Including Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Category: Cardiovascular Conditions
Symptoms:
swelling in one leg; pain or tenderness; red or discolored skin; warmth in the affected area; shortness of breath (if pulmonary embolism)
Root Cause:
Formation of blood clots in the veins, often in the legs, that may travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism).
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Ultrasound, D-dimer blood test, CT pulmonary angiography (for suspected pulmonary embolism).
Treatment:
Anticoagulation therapy, compression stockings, physical activity.
Medications:
Anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin , rivaroxaban , apixaban ), thrombolytics in severe cases.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 1–2 per 1,000 people annually; increases with age.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Immobility, surgery, cancer, pregnancy, oral contraceptives, genetic clotting disorders.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with timely treatment; untreated cases can lead to life-threatening complications.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Pulmonary embolism, post-thrombotic syndrome, recurrent clots.