When
we commonly refer to ‘heart disease’
we mean ‘coronary heart disease’,
which happens when blockages build up in the
coronary arteries.
These blockages are
called atherosclerotic plaque and the process
by which they build up is called atherosclerosis.
This is also called ‘coronary artery disease’.
Other forms of heart
disease include, valvular heart disease, heart
failure, and disorders of heart rhythm (see article
on ‘sudden cardiac death’)
