Cardiomyopathy
Unlike heart disease due to heart attacks, where there is a problem with adequate blood flow to the heart, cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle itself.
There are many causes of cardiomyopathy, which may include coronary artery disease and heart valve disease.
Cardiomyopathy occurs in three major types—dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive—all of which affect your heart’s ability to pump blood and deliver it to the rest of your body.
Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease, also commonly called coronary artery disease, is a narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the arteries that provide the heart muscle with blood.
The disease occurs when these arteries become hardened and narrowed. The arteries harden and narrow due to buildup of a material called plaque on their inner walls. The buildup of plaque is known as atherosclerosis.
As the plaque increases in size, the insides of the coronary arteries get narrower and less blood can flow through them. Eventually, blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced, and, because blood carries much-needed oxygen, the heart muscle is not able to receive the amount of oxygen it needs.
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