The most common cause of heart disease is a narrowing of or blockage in the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle (coronary artery disease). Some heart diseases are present at birth (congenital heart disease).
Review Date:
10/5/2008 Reviewed By:
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc.is accredited by URAC, also known as the
American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's
accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of
quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online
health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial
policy, editorial process and privacy
policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health
on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).