Millions of people diagnosed with heart disease enjoy active, satisfying lives. Instead of looking on their diagnoses as sentences to be invalids, they have used them as catalysts to make positive changes in their lives.

The way you respond to a heart attack can make a profound difference in what happens to you in the future.

When choosing a treatment, it's essential to check out all your options, make sure you have enough information to make an informed choice.

It's important to get regular checkups and periodic exams, especially when you have cardiovascular disease.

Part of the treatment for chronic conditions involves adopting the same healthy lifestyle habits that are important for everyone.

Children with congenital heart disease often grow and develop more slowly than other children.

Many children with congenital heart disease can play and participate in activities with friends, but may tire faster and will naturally stop when they are tired.

A child's emotions can be affected by the way his/her family members cope with the illness, as well as other issues including the stress felt by the family.

If you have CHF, it's important to stick with your treatment, even when you're feeling better. You also need to maintain healthy habits.

It’s important to ask your provider questions during your visit to make sure you understand your condition and what your treatment involves.

Here’s how you can stay healthy and prevent the problems that lead to a stay in the hospital.

Heart failure makes it hard for oxygen to get into the blood, causing shortness of breath.

If you have congestive heart failure, you may wonder if physical activity is good for you.

How many different medicines do you take? Most people with heart failure or other cardiovascular illnesses take several.

Dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke can be a concern for people with heart trouble—especially heart failure.

If you have congestive heart failure, knowing your body can help you manage your condition.

If you have COPD, it may be difficult to tell whether you also have heart failure (HF). This is because the two diseases have similar symptoms and common risk factors.

Over the long term, your quality of life is tied to how severe your heart attack was and how it was treated. Beyond that, any change will depend largely on you.

Most Americans survive a first heart attack. By taking action, however, they can significantly reduce their chances for a second heart attack.

A rehabilitation program often can help heart patients live better with their disease and recover from medical procedures like surgery and angioplasty. But experts say that only 25 percent of those who could benefit from cardiac rehab are getting it.

Working out when you have a serious illness or health problem can be challenging. But for most people who have health issues, exercising can improve their prognosis and well-being. In fact, exercise can play an important role in helping you cope with or recover from a health challenge or accident.

For some people with coronary heart disease, high doses of statins, a commonly prescribed, potent medication to lower cholesterol, can reverse or decrease the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries. This can reduce the risk for heart attack.

Recent research shows a clear link between heart disease and certain stress-related emotions.

Participating in a disease management program gives you the chance to ask questions about exercise, medication, diet, and other treatment options.