Heart disease
Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease (CVD), is well known in the community with its most common type being coronary heart disease. However, it refers to a group of disorders which are found in different parts of the heart such as the blood vessels, heart muscle, valves or electrical system. Mostly these diseases can be acquired but there are many diseases which are inherited. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Australia and globally.
What are the types of heart disease?
Heart disease falls into five main categories depending on the area in the heart that is impacted.
- Blood vessel disease: coronary heart disease is a common disease that affects the blood vessels that supply the heart. Buildup of cholesterol (plaques) is called atherosclerosis.
- Irregular heartbeats: also known as arrhythmia, these abnormal heart rhythms are caused by problems with your heart’s electrical system.
- Congenital heart disease: is a general term for heart structural problems that you are born with and they are often diagnosed soon after birth or in childhood.
- Disease of the heart muscle: affects how effectively the heart muscle pumps the blood around the body. Cardiomyopathy is a common disease, it can be acquired or inherited.
- Heart valve disease: the heart is made up of four valves, when disease affects a valve it can stop opening and closing effectively. Valvular disease can be acquired or inherited.
What are the symptoms?
Heart disease may go undetected until a heart event such as a heart attack, heart failure, or an arrhythmia.
When these events happen, symptoms may include*:
- Heart attack: chest pain, pain in the upper back or neck, heartburn, nausea, extreme fatigue, dizziness and shortness of breath.
- Arrhythmia: a pounding or racing heart
- Heart failure: fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling in the lower limbs, abdomen or neck veins.
What are the treatments?
Lifestyle changes, medications and surgery are all treatments available depending on the heart issue.
Heart disease treatments may include:
- Lifestyle changes: can include diet, smoking habits and exercise levels.
- Medications: there are a number that work to reduce symptoms of heart disease.
- Surgery or a procedure: can be recommended, this will depend on the type of heart disease and how severe the damage to the heart.
Steps you can take to keep your heart healthy
- Don’t smoke: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease.
- Eat healthy foods: Keep a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Control blood pressure: Regular blood pressure checks are recommended for adults.
- Get a cholesterol test: A baseline cholesterol test will show if you are in a desirable range.
- Manage diabetes: Healthy levels of blood sugar can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Exercise: Physical activity helps you control the risk factors for heart disease.
- Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight increases the risk of heart disease.
- Manage stress: Find ways to help reduce emotional stress.
Our research
Our researchers are focused on a range of cardiovascular diseases. They are looking at mechanisms that cause strokes and heart attacks, and developing novel methods in the regeneration of heart muscle cells. We are working on new drugs that improve vascular treatments and outcomes in a number of blood vessel related diseases. In our world-recognised program we unlock the genes that are associated with causing sudden death in young people, providing clinical resources and public health initiatives.
Our major goal is to reduce human disease by combining basic science research and clinical cardiology. We have developed cohorts and national registries of patients and families with inherited heart diseases. We then utilise the latest in genetic technology in order to form the basis of our novel gene discovery studies.
Our research encompasses basic DNA and stem cell science, clinical research in patients, and public health initiatives. Most importantly, we have the key clinical resources, including studies of individual patients and families, which form the basis of all our genetic studies.
Professor Chris Semsarian AM, Head of Agnes Ginges Centre of Molecular Cardiology leads this research.
Endothelial cells form the lining of blood vessels and they maintain many functions of blood vessels. Cardiovascular diseases, which are linked to age, all show endothelial cell dysfunction. We are investigating the molecular, biological and metabolic changes that are induced in ageing endothelial cells and how these changes could lead to diseases of the age.
Professors Jennifer Gamble and Mathew Vadas AO, Joint Heads of Vascular Biology Program, lead this research.
CAVD is an age-related cardiovascular disease that mostly affects those over aged 65. Interventions are costly and there are no drug therapies available largely due to the limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms that drive calcification. Our focus is to understand how age affects the function of the aortic valve and the process of calcification.
Professors Jennifer Gamble and Mathew Vadas AO, Joint Heads of Vascular Biology Program, lead this research.
Atherosclerosis is a chronic condition in which arteries harden and narrow due to a build-up of fatty plaque on the arterial wall. Although the use of blood cholesterol-lowering medications can be successful in halting or reducing this plaque build-up, atherosclerosis remains the leading cause of cardiovascular disease-related death worldwide. This problem needs a new solution. We are now studying how fat products within blood vessel cells affect vascular fitness and disease progression. This project will open a window for the development of a new class of drugs, targeting blood vessels to treat atherosclerosis.
Dr Qi, Head of Lipid Cell Biology Laboratory leads this research.
Our ability to read DNA sequence has far exceeded our ability to recognise which genetic variants cause inherited diseases. To address this shortcoming, we develop new computer-based approaches and laboratory-based assays to find disease-causing genetic variants.
Our research focus is to increase the diagnostic yield of genetic testing and to develop new therapeutics for inherited heart diseases. This is achieved by developing improved diagnostic genetic tests and by exploring the therapeutic potential of small molecules in cultures of heart cells that we grow from our patient’s blood.
Our work translates to more families receiving a genetic diagnosis, which improves clinical management. Working to develop novel therapeutic molecules using stem cell technology brings together highly innovative technologies at the cutting edge of human genetics research.
Dr Richard Bagnall, Head of Bioinformatics and Human Genetics Laboratory leads this research.
Directed evolution takes a biomolecule (protein) and makes lots (millions) of different versions to find the one that is the best at doing the task such as making heart cells divide. Using this approach, we have made a major breakthrough specifically tailored to cells that regenerate heart muscle. Based on this discovery, we aim to develop novel treatments that reactivate genes within the heart following injury.
Dr Daniel Hesselson, Head of Directed Evolution Laboratory leads this research.
This page was last reviewed by a Centenary clinician on 30 May, 2023.
* This is a generic guide and symptoms may vary. Always consult with your doctor regarding any health concerns.
Our research
Our researchers are focused on a range of cardiovascular diseases. They are looking at mechanisms that cause strokes and heart attacks, and developing novel methods in the regeneration of heart muscle cells. We are working on new drugs that improve vascular treatments and outcomes in a number of blood vessel related diseases. In our world-recognised program we unlock the genes that are associated with causing sudden death in young people, providing clinical resources and public health initiatives.
Our major goal is to reduce human disease by combining basic science research and clinical cardiology. We have developed cohorts and national registries of patients and families with inherited heart diseases. We then utilise the latest in genetic technology in order to form the basis of our novel gene discovery studies.
Our research encompasses basic DNA and stem cell science, clinical research in patients, and public health initiatives. Most importantly, we have the key clinical resources, including studies of individual patients and families, which form the basis of all our genetic studies.
Professor Chris Semsarian AM, Head of Agnes Ginges Centre of Molecular Cardiology leads this research.
Endothelial cells form the lining of blood vessels and they maintain many functions of blood vessels. Cardiovascular diseases, which are linked to age, all show endothelial cell dysfunction. We are investigating the molecular, biological and metabolic changes that are induced in ageing endothelial cells and how these changes could lead to diseases of the age.
Professors Jennifer Gamble and Mathew Vadas AO, Joint Heads of Vascular Biology Program, lead this research.
CAVD is an age-related cardiovascular disease that mostly affects those over aged 65. Interventions are costly and there are no drug therapies available largely due to the limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms that drive calcification. Our focus is to understand how age affects the function of the aortic valve and the process of calcification.
Professors Jennifer Gamble and Mathew Vadas AO, Joint Heads of Vascular Biology Program, lead this research.
Atherosclerosis is a chronic condition in which arteries harden and narrow due to a build-up of fatty plaque on the arterial wall. Although the use of blood cholesterol-lowering medications can be successful in halting or reducing this plaque build-up, atherosclerosis remains the leading cause of cardiovascular disease-related death worldwide. This problem needs a new solution. We are now studying how fat products within blood vessel cells affect vascular fitness and disease progression. This project will open a window for the development of a new class of drugs, targeting blood vessels to treat atherosclerosis.
Dr Qi, Head of Lipid Cell Biology Laboratory leads this research.
Our ability to read DNA sequence has far exceeded our ability to recognise which genetic variants cause inherited diseases. To address this shortcoming, we develop new computer-based approaches and laboratory-based assays to find disease-causing genetic variants.
Our research focus is to increase the diagnostic yield of genetic testing and to develop new therapeutics for inherited heart diseases. This is achieved by developing improved diagnostic genetic tests and by exploring the therapeutic potential of small molecules in cultures of heart cells that we grow from our patient’s blood.
Our work translates to more families receiving a genetic diagnosis, which improves clinical management. Working to develop novel therapeutic molecules using stem cell technology brings together highly innovative technologies at the cutting edge of human genetics research.
Dr Richard Bagnall, Head of Bioinformatics and Human Genetics Laboratory leads this research.
Directed evolution takes a biomolecule (protein) and makes lots (millions) of different versions to find the one that is the best at doing the task such as making heart cells divide. Using this approach, we have made a major breakthrough specifically tailored to cells that regenerate heart muscle. Based on this discovery, we aim to develop novel treatments that reactivate genes within the heart following injury.
Dr Daniel Hesselson, Head of Directed Evolution Laboratory leads this research.