Heart Health: Complete Guide to a Healthy Heart
Learn how the heart works, recognize common heart symptoms, explore cardiovascular conditions, understand heart tests and treatment options, and discover practical ways to support long-term heart health.
Medical information reviewed by healthcare professionals • Updated regularly
About
What Is Heart Health?
Heart health refers to the health and function of your heart and cardiovascular system, including the heart muscle, heart valves, blood vessels and circulation.
Maintaining healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, body weight, physical activity and other risk factors can help support cardiovascular health. Heart problems can range from abnormal heart rhythms and valve conditions to coronary artery disease and heart failure.
Why Is Heart Health Important?
A healthy heart helps:
- Pump blood throughout the body
- Deliver oxygen and nutrients to organs
- Support physical activity and energy
- Maintain normal circulation
- Keep other organs functioning properly
How Does Your Heart Work?
The heart works with the lungs and blood vessels to move oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood through the body.
Key Parts of the Heart
Click each part to understand its role in keeping blood moving through the heart and body.
Common Heart Conditions
A Heart Health page should internally link to individual disease pages.
Coronary Artery Disease
Occurs when the arteries supplying blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked.
Heart Attack
Occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle becomes severely reduced or blocked.
High Blood Pressure
Persistently high blood pressure can put extra strain on the heart and blood vessels.
High Cholesterol
High levels of certain types of cholesterol can contribute to plaque buildup in arteries.
Heart Failure
A condition in which the heart cannot pump blood as effectively as the body needs.
Arrhythmia
An abnormal heart rhythm that may cause palpitations, dizziness or other symptoms.
Heart Valve Disease
Problems involving one or more of the heart's valves can affect normal blood flow.
How to Keep Your Heart Healthy
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Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet
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- Vegetables and fruits
- Whole grains
- Beans and pulses
- Nuts and seeds
- Healthy sources of protein
Stay Physically Active
Regular physical activity can help support healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and overall cardiovascular fitness.
- Walk Daily
- Exercise Regularly
- Avoid Long Sitting
- Choose Activities You Enjoy
- Make Movement a Daily Habit
Avoid Tobacco
Smoking damages blood vessels and significantly increases cardiovascular risk.
- Do Not Smoke
- Avoid Tobacco Products
- Protect Your Heart
- Avoid Secondhand Smoke
- Make Movement a Daily Habit
Get Enough Sleep
Good-quality sleep is an important part of overall cardiovascular health. Try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
Manage Stress
Long-term stress can affect sleep, eating habits, blood pressure and overall health.
Relaxation, physical activity, hobbies and spending time with family or friends may help you manage everyday stress.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Carrying excess body weight can increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and other conditions that affect heart health.
What Heart Symptoms Are You Experiencing?
Chest Pain or Pressure
Learn about possible causes of chest discomfort and when urgent evaluation is needed.
Heart Palpitations
A feeling of racing, pounding, fluttering or skipped beats.
Shortness of Breath
Breathing difficulty can have many causes, including heart and lung conditions.
Unusual Fatigue
Persistent or unexplained fatigue may sometimes occur with cardiovascular problems.
Dizziness or Fainting
Some heart rhythm or circulation problems can cause dizziness or fainting.
Swelling
Swelling in the legs or ankles can have several causes, including some heart conditions.
Fast or Irregular Heartbeat
May occur with different types of arrhythmia.
Reduced Exercise Tolerance
Difficulty doing activities that were previously comfortable may warrant medical evaluation.
When Is a Heart Symptom an Emergency?
- severe or persistent chest pain/pressure
- severe difficulty breathing
- fainting or loss of consciousness
- sudden weakness or numbness
- sudden difficulty speaking
- sudden confusion
- symptoms suggesting a heart attack or stroke
Common Heart Conditions
Explore common heart and cardiovascular conditions, their key features, and when medical evaluation may be appropriate.
Atrial Fibrillation
An irregular heart rhythm that can affect heart rate and increase the risk of blood clots and stroke.
Learn about Atrial Fibrillation →Heart Failure
A condition in which the heart cannot pump blood as effectively as the body needs.
Learn about Heart Failure →Coronary Artery Disease
A condition involving narrowing or blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
Learn about Coronary Artery Disease →Heart Attack
A medical emergency caused by interrupted blood flow to part of the heart muscle.
Learn about Heart Attack →Arrhythmias
Abnormal heart rhythms that can cause the heart to beat too quickly, too slowly or irregularly.
Heart Valve Disease
Conditions affecting one or more of the valves that control blood flow through the heart.
Cardiomyopathy
Conditions affecting the heart muscle and its ability to function normally.
Hypertension
High blood pressure is an important cardiovascular risk factor.
Learn about Hypertension →How Are Heart Conditions Treated?
Heart conditions can require different approaches depending on the diagnosis, symptoms, severity and individual health needs.
Which Doctor Treats Heart Problems?
Cardiologist
For evaluation and management of many cardiovascular conditions.
Cardiac Electrophysiologist
For certain heart rhythm disorders, including complex arrhythmias and selected AFib cases.
Cardiothoracic / Cardiac Surgeon
For conditions requiring certain surgical procedures.
General Physician / Internal Medicine
For initial evaluation and coordination of care when symptoms are unclear or involve multiple health conditions.
Heart Health FAQs
Find clear answers to common questions about heart health, heart conditions, symptoms, testing, risk factors and treatment.
Heart health refers to how well your heart and blood vessels function and how effectively your cardiovascular system supplies blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. It is influenced by factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, physical activity, diet, smoking, weight, age and family history.
Common signs can include chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, fainting, unusual fatigue, swelling in the legs or ankles and reduced ability to exercise. Symptoms can vary depending on the heart condition, and some heart problems may cause few or no noticeable symptoms.
Common cardiovascular conditions include coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation, heart valve disease, cardiomyopathy and other conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels. High blood pressure is also an important cardiovascular risk factor and can contribute to heart disease.
You may benefit from seeing a cardiologist if you have symptoms such as recurring chest discomfort, unexplained shortness of breath, persistent palpitations, fainting or other concerns related to your heart. A cardiologist may also be involved when you have cardiovascular risk factors or an abnormal heart test that requires specialist evaluation.
Depending on your symptoms and risk factors, a clinician may use blood pressure measurement, blood tests, an ECG or EKG, echocardiogram, heart-rhythm monitoring, stress testing or imaging studies. The appropriate tests depend on your medical history and the specific heart problem being evaluated.
Yes. An ECG, also called an EKG, records the electrical activity of the heart and can help identify certain abnormal heart rhythms, conduction problems and other electrical changes. However, an ECG cannot detect every type of heart problem, so additional testing may sometimes be needed.
Heart disease is a broad term covering many conditions that affect the heart or cardiovascular system. Heart failure is a specific condition in which the heart cannot pump or fill well enough to meet the body's needs. Different types of heart disease can contribute to or cause heart failure.
The causes depend on the type of heart disease. Important contributors and risk factors can include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary patterns, increasing age and family history. Some heart conditions may also result from inherited factors, infections, structural abnormalities or other medical conditions.
You can support heart health by staying physically active, following a heart-healthy eating pattern, avoiding smoking, managing blood pressure and cholesterol, controlling diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight where appropriate and getting adequate sleep. Regular medical check-ups can also help identify cardiovascular risk factors early.
Yes. Diabetes can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. Keeping blood sugar under appropriate control and managing blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, physical activity and other cardiovascular risk factors can help reduce overall risk.
Yes. Long-term high blood pressure can place extra strain on the heart and blood vessels. Over time, uncontrolled hypertension can contribute to problems such as coronary artery disease, heart failure and other cardiovascular complications. Regular blood pressure monitoring and appropriate treatment are important for heart health.
Yes. Some heart conditions can develop without obvious symptoms, particularly in their early stages. Some people may also have subtle symptoms that are easy to overlook. This is why managing cardiovascular risk factors and having appropriate medical evaluation when recommended can be important even when you feel well.
Concerned About Your Heart Health?
Whether you’re experiencing palpitations, chest discomfort, shortness of breath or have been told you have a cardiovascular risk factor, a medical evaluation can help determine what you need next.
