Common Heart Conditions and Their

John Macoviak, MD, MBA, spent his career performing heart transplant surgeries and pursuing cardiovascular research. Specifically, John Macoviak, MD, MBA, researched methods to treat various heart conditions, whether by improving existing processes or developing new ones. Here is a look at three common heart conditions and their treatments.

Common Heart Conditions and Their Treatments

San Diego, CA, resident John Macoviak, MD, MBA, spent his career performing heart transplant surgeries and undertaking cardiovascular research. Specifically, John Macoviak, MD, MBA, researched methods to treat various heart conditions, whether by improving existing processes or developing new ones. Here is a look at three common heart conditions and their treatments.

One common heart condition is arrhythmia, which is characterized by heartbeat irregularities. Arrhythmia manifests in multiple ways, including a patient’s heart beating faster than normal or skipping beats. Methods to treat arrhythmia include pacemakers; ablation, a procedure to block electrical signals that disrupt the normal heartbeat; and medication.

Another common type of heart problem is heart valve disease, also called valvular disease. Valvular disease encompasses four subtypes, one for each valve in the heart. Causes include narrowing of valve openings; valves failing to close completely, causing blood leakage between heart chambers; and infections attacking the heart. To treat valvular disease, doctors may prescribe changes in diet and exercise, valve replacements, or widening the valve opening.

A third common heart problem is infection. Caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses, infections attacking the heart may cause inflammation or swelling. They may also damage the pericardium--the double-layered membrane around the heart--or the heart valves. In particular, infections attacking the heart valves may leave a patient vulnerable to one of the types of valvular disease.