The term heart disease encompasses a huge amount of cardiovascular territory. That’s because it’s not a single disease but one that refers to all sorts of heart-related health conditions, many of them chronic, that impact how well your heart functions.

Some of the more common forms of heart disease include:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Heart attack
• Congestive heart failure
• Heart valve disease
• Atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat)
• Stroke

Heart disease accounts for more deaths each year than any other health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 650,000 people die of heart disease annually. That’s about one death every 37 seconds—a shocking number, to be sure. And heart disease does not discriminate: Whether you are a man or a woman of any race or ethnicity, cardiovascular disease is your number-one health threat.

The good news? You can do a lot to prevent heart disease. And, if you already have some form of this condition, there are medications, lifestyle-management tips, and other strategies to help protect you and your ticker.