Dr. Bryan A. Whitson, MD, PhD, Interim Co-director, OSU Heart and Vascular Center

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. This includes coronary artery disease, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and congenital heart disease. Some conditions, such as genetics, cannot be controlled. But there are many other things one can do to lower their risk for heart disease. Controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing or stopping smoking, exercising more and losing weight if needed, and eating a diet low in sodium can all protect the heart.

Angina is a squeezing type of chest pain that happens when the muscles around the heart don't get enough oxygen. It can be regular or infrequent. Usually, angina is caused by coronary heart disease. However, not all chest pain is angina. Chest pain can also be caused by a lung infection or panic attack, for example, so it is important to have any sudden pain checked.

Arrhythmia is the word for when the heart beats too fast, too slow, or irregularly with skipped beats. It can feel frightening, and depending on the type it can be dangerous, but in most cases arrhythmia is not serious and can be treated. It is very common, especially in older adults.

Heart valve problems can happen in any one of the the heart's four valves that keep blood flowing where it needs to go. Babies can be born with problems in their heart valves, or valves can be damaged by infections. The valves can stiffen and become less mobile, or they can stop closing properly and 'leak' when the heart beats. Valve problems can usually be repaired surgically.

Asthma is a chronic disease where swollen, inflamed airways make it hard to breathe. It is often brought on by specific triggers. While asthma is a common condition, affecting millions of people, it can also be serious and even fatal in severe cases. Treatment involves avoiding triggers and using inhaled corticosteroid medications.

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is the name given to two illnesses that both cause difficulty breathing: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In emphysema, the air sacs of the lungs become damaged, while with bronchitis they become clogged with mucus. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. It is almost always caused by breathing irritants into the lungs, such as smoking or heavy pollution.

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by bacteria, a virus, or fungi. Most healthy people recover from pneumonia in a week or two, but for some people pneumonia can be fatal. There are treatments available for pneumonia, but the best treatment is to prevent getting sick in the first place. People who are at risk should make sure they get a flu shot every year. There is also a vaccine available for the type of bacteria that causes pneumonia.

Lung cancer occurs when abnormal cells inside the lung grow into a tumor, destroying healthy tissue. Because it is so difficult to detect lung cancer in early stages when it has few symptoms, it is the deadliest form of cancer, responsible for the most cancer deaths both in the U.S. and worldwide. Most lung cancer is caused by exposure to tobacco smoke, but between 10-15% of cases are not linked to smoking.

Some problems with the lungs are minor and are not cause for concern. However if symptoms have lasted for a month or more, even if they are minor, it is worth checking with a healthcare professional. A cough, shortness of breath, or excess mucus production that lingers for weeks are all worth getting looked at.

Contrary to popular belief, lung transplant is rarely used to treat lung cancer. It is a more common treatment for patients with other advanced lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lung transplant is a serious operation and is generally used as a last resort for patients who have only a short time to live without surgery.

During a transplant, an incision is made on the side of the chest (for a single lung) or in the middle (for both lungs). Patients may be hooked up to a heart-lung bypass machine, which will do the work of moving blood and oxygen through the body during the procedure. After the diseased lung is cut away from the main airway and blood vessels, the donor lung is stitched into place. Surgery may take as long as twelve hours, and a hospital stay of two to three weeks after surgery is not uncommon. For the first hours or day after surgery, patients use a ventilator, or a machine to help them breathe. Tubes will be inserted into the chest to help drain excess air and fluid. During recovery, physical therapy and breathing exercises are used to help the new lung work as well as possible.

Lung capacity is carefully monitored for several months after surgery. Patients who have had a transplant will also have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their lives. These drugs stop the body's immune system from attacking the new lung. The main risks after a transplant are infection and rejection (when the immune system attacks the 'foreign' lung). A healthy lifestyle, including maintaining a diet high in vegetables and lean protein, not smoking, and getting enough exercise, is important to keeping the lungs functioning as well as possible. With proper care, many patients can live ten or even twenty years after a lung transplant.