Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for 17.9 million deaths annually, making them the leading cause of death. Heart and blood vessel illnesses together, referred to as CVDs, include rheumatic heart disease, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease.
What is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease affects the heart and blood arteries. Heart and blood vessels may be affected in one or more locations by these diseases. A person may have physical symptoms of the illness or not exhibit any symptoms at all.
Heart illnesses are fundamentally related to different types of atherosclerosis, which is a blood vessel malfunction that results in reduced blood flow, low body oxygenation, deteriorating blood vessels, and diminished heart function.
Cardiovascular diseases included,
- constriction of blood vessels in the heart and blood vessels.
- Heart and blood vessel problems present at birth.
- Heart valves that aren’t working right.
- Irregular heart rhythms.
Numerous conditions can be referred to as cardiovascular disease:
Atherosclerosis is the thickening of arteries due to the formation of plaque, which is made up of fatty deposits, cholesterol, and cellular debris. It ultimately reduces blood flow to the heart muscle and decreases oxygen level and heart function.
Numerous causes, including high LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in relation to HDL cholesterol, poor fat metabolism, immune system dysfunction and chronic inflammation, electrolyte imbalances, inactivity, and more, can lead to heart-related illnesses.
What conditions are cardiovascular diseases?
Cerebrovascular deficiency:
A number of disorders known together as “cerebrovascular disease” impact the brain’s blood arteries and blood flow.
- The narrowing of blood vessels is called (stenosis),
- clot formation (thrombosis),
- artery blockage (embolism),
- Blood vessel rupture (hemorrhage) can result in problems with blood flow.
Ischemic stroke
The formation of blood clots in the brain reduces the oxygen supply to the brain, known as ischemic stroke.
One of the three types of stroke is ischemic stroke. A blockage in an artery supplying blood to the brain is the cause of it. If brain damage is not immediately fixed, there may be irreversible brain damage.
Brain ischemia and cerebral ischemia are other names for ischemic stroke. Because of the blockage this stroke causes, the brain receives less blood and oxygen, which causes damage to brain cells. Approximately 87% of strokes are ischemic strokes.
Hemorrhagic stroke
Hemorrhagic strokes are another kind of large stroke in which there is bleeding from a ruptured blood vessel in the brain. Brain tissue is compressed by the bleeding, which may cause death.
Hemorrhagic stroke mostly occurs in uncontrolled hypertension. Blood vessels within the brain burst.
Transient ischemic attack
Transient ischemic attack (TIA), sometimes referred to as a mini stroke, is the third category of stroke. This kind of stroke is brought on by a transient obstruction or reduction in blood supply to the brain. Symptoms typically disappear on their own.
Heart failure:
When heart muscles fail to pump enough blood to meet the demands of the body is known as heart failure. Heart failure does not indicate that the heart has stopped beating. Rather, the heart continues to beat, but the body isn’t getting the blood and oxygen it needs. If heart failure is not treated, it may worsen. Observe your physician’s instructions if one has heart failure.
Symptoms may include
- Shortness of breath with activity or in a resting position
- Fatigue n weakness
- Peripheral swelling( swelling in legs, ankles, and feet), irregular or rapid heartbeat
- Chest pain
Cardiac arrhythmia
Any abnormality in the rate or rhythm of an individual’s heartbeat is referred to as an arrhythmia. An irregular heartbeat is caused by electrical impulses that are too fast, too slow, or irregular. The heart cannot pump blood effectively when it is not beating correctly, which impairs the function of the brain, lungs, and other organs and may even cause them to shut down or suffer damage.
It is known as abnormal heart rhythm. The heart may beat with an irregular rhythm may be too slow or maybe too fast.
Bradycardia:
It means slow heart rate, less than 60 beats per minute is known as bradycardia
Tachycardia:
Tachycardia means a fast heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute is known as tachycardia. 60 to 100 beats per minute is the normal heart rate.
Arrhythmia affects your heart rate. Arrhythmia leads to improper pumping of blood as per the demand of the body.
Valvular heart disease:
This condition is caused by a thickening or leaking in the heart valve, which prevents the valve from opening or closing normally.
Coronary artery diseases:
Coronary artery disease is the result of blockage in the heart’s blood vessels.
Peripheral arterial disease PAD:
This condition is characterized by blockages in the areas surrounding the arm, leg, and abdominal organs.
Pericarditis:
When an infection called pericarditis affects the lining of your heart,
Deep vein thrombosis:
A condition in which blood arteries become blocked and prevent blood from reaching the brain, the heart
Congenital heart disease:
It refers to heart disease that affects a baby’s heart’s structure and function at birth. Congenital heart disease refers to congenital disabilities that disrupt the normal development and functioning of the heart caused by deformities of the heart anatomy from birth.
Dilated cardiomyopathy:
It is a form of heart failure in which the heart enlarges and becomes less capable of pumping blood;
Heart valve problems:
- Stenosis: It is a problem that occurs when heart valves don’t open enough to let blood pass through as it should.
- Regurgitation is the term for when the heart valves fail to seal properly, allowing blood to leak through.
- Prolapse is the term for the situation where the valve leaflets bulge or prolapse back into the upper chamber. Learn more about the functions of your heart valves in maintaining good circulation.
Symptoms of cardiovascular disease:
- People having hypertension ( high blood pressure.)
- Hyperlipidemia, or high cholesterol.
- Usage of tobacco (including vaping).
- 2nd-type diabetes
- Heart disease in a family’s history.
- Absence of exercise.
- obese /excessive weight
- high diet in sugar, fat and sodium.
- Excess alcohol consumption.
- Preeclampsia (elevated blood pressure during pregnancy)
- diabetes throughout pregnancy.(high blood sugar during pregnancy)
- An ongoing inflammatory illness
- immune system illness
- persistent renal illness
Which heart disease risk factors are beyond my control?
Age: As you grow older, your risk of heart disease rises. There is an increased risk for women and males over the ages of 55 and 45.
Gender. A few risk factors may influence the risk of heart disease in women more than in males. For instance, women are somewhat protected against heart disease by estrogen, but women are more likely than males to develop heart disease as a result of diabetes.
The ethnicity or race. There are larger hazards for some populations than for others. Hispanic Americans are less likely to have heart disease than White people, but African Americans are more likely than White people to have it. While South Asians have greater percentages, some Asian populations, such as East Asians, have lower rates.
When does cardiac rehabilitation begin?
In critical care units, CR starts as soon as possible (but only if the patient’s health is stable). The patient’s status and problems during the acute phase of the disease determine how intense the rehabilitation will be. Early mobilization enhanced physical function (distance walked during the 6-min walking test improved by 54 m) at the discharge of patients following heart surgery, according to randomized controlled studies and systematic analysis. In patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery, a different prospective randomized clinical trial decreased the length of hospital stay, decreased the need for oxygen therapy, and enhanced postoperative functional capacity (6-minute walk test).
How can one prevent himself from cardiovascular disease?
Numerous CVD forms are avoidable. The following actions must be taken to address risk factors.
- Stop smoking and alcohol use.
- Reduce sugar, salt, and saturated fat.
- preventing a sedentary lifestyle,
- Adopting unhealthy lifestyle choices, like eating a diet high in sugar and not exercising much, may not cause CVD in young people because the illness’s consequences build over time.
- Maintain body weight. Get regular exercise and moderate-to-intense physical activity every week.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet: Consuming fruits and vegetables together with meals high in omega-3 and polyunsaturated fats, including fatty fish, can promote heart health and lower the risk of CVD. It has a similar benefit when less processed food, salt, saturated fat, and added sugar are consumed.
By addressing behavioral risk factors such as tobacco use, bad food and obesity, physical inactivity, and problematic alcohol consumption, most cardiovascular illnesses can be prevented, according to WHO.