Cardiovascular disease- Facts

Cardiovascular diseases involve the blood vessels, the heart, or both.

The cardiovascular or circulatory system supplies the body with blood. It consists of the heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries.

There are several types of cardiovascular disease, but treatment, symptoms, and prevention often overlap.

Fast facts on cardiovascular disease:

• High blood pressure is a significant risk factor.
• Major cardiovascular disease related to life-threatening events include heart attack, stroke, and aneurysm.
• Prevention includes balanced diet and exercise.
  

Treatment

Treatment will depend on the type of condition the person has.

Options include:

• lifestyle adaptations, such as weight control, exercise, quitting smoking, and dietary changes
• medication, for example, to reduce LDL cholesterol
• surgery, such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
• cardiac rehabilitation, including exercise and counseling

Treatment aims to:

• relieve symptoms
• reduce the risk of the condition recurring or worsening
• prevent complications

Depending on the condition, it may also aim to stabilize heart rhythms, reduce blockages, and widen the arteries to enable a better flow of blood.

Symptoms

There are many different types of cardiovascular disease. Symptoms will vary, depending on the specific type of disease a patient has.

However, typical symptoms of an underlying cardiovascular issue include:

• pains or pressure in the chest, which may indicate angina
• pain or discomfort in the arms, the left shoulder, elbows, jaw, or back
• shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea
• nausea and fatigue
• light-headed or faint
• cold sweat

Overall, symptoms vary and are specific to the condition and the individual, but these are most common.

Prevention

Smoking is a significant risk factor for CVDs. Quitting can help reduce the risk of many other conditions.

The majority of CVDs are preventable. It is important to address risk factors by:

• consuming less alcohol and tobacco
• eating fresh fruit and vegetables
• reducing salt intake
• avoiding sedentary lifestyles, particularly among children

Bad habits during childhood will not lead to cardiovascular disease while the individual is still young; but they can lead to the accumulation of problems that continue into adulthood, resulting in a greater probability of having a cardiovascular disease later in life.

Children who eat a lot of salt have a much higher risk of hypertension when they are adults, as well as heart disease and stroke. Parents should also keep a close eye on how much-saturated fat and sugar a child consumes.

Does aspirin protect from cardiovascular disease?

Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is a medication that is generally used to treat minor pains; it is also used as an antipyretic (to reduce fever) and as an anti-inflammatory.

Aspirin has become popular as an antiplatelet drug - to prevent blood clots from forming. High-risk patients take it in low doses to prevent strokes and heart attacks. Aspirin is also given to patients after a heart attack to prevent cardiac tissue death or heart attack recurrence.

A major problem posed by aspirin therapy for patients at risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular events is major bleeding. A considerable proportion of patients with diabetes have a high rate of major bleeding, regardless of their therapeutic aspirin status.

Statistics

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of deaths globally. More people die from these diseases than from anything else.

In 2015, approximately 17.7 million people died from cardiovascular disease worldwide, and they accounted for 31 percent of all registered premature deaths.

Of these:

• 7.4 million people died from coronary heart disease
• 6.7 million people died as a result of a stroke
• Over 75 percent of deaths from cardiovascular disease occur in low and middle-income countries. They affect men and women equally.
• By 2030, it is predicted that 23.6 million people will die from cardiovascular diseases annually, mostly due to stroke and heart disease.

For women in the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death. In 2013, there were 289,758 fatalities in women due to cardiovascular disease. One in every four female deaths were from heart disease.

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