Cardiovascular Diseases: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

What are Cardiovascular Diseases?

Cardiovascular diseases also go by the name “heart diseases.” Cardiovascular or heart disease is the term signifying any disorder related to the heart. As per the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), heart disease or cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of deaths in the entire world. Cardiovascular diseases describe a wide range of conditions affect your heart and the entire cardiovascular system. Diseases that usually fall under the umbrella of the heart or cardiovascular diseases include blood vessel diseases, coronary artery disease, congenital heart defects, heart rhythm problems, and others. 

The term cardiovascular disease is often used interchangeably with the heart disease. Cardiovascular disease usually refers to the health conditions that involve the narrowing down or blockage of the blood vessels. Such conditions could lead to angina (chest pain or discomfort), heart attack, heart failure, and others. The other forms of heart-related conditions that tend to affect the muscles rhythm or valves of the heart are categorized as forms of heart diseases. 

How does Cardiovascular Disease Occur?

Heart or cardiovascular diseases are the results of damage to certain parts of the heart including blood vessels, valves, artery, and others. It could also be caused due to certain other conditions including intake of specific medications, damage to the coronary arteries, poor supply of oxygen, blood, or nutrients to the essential components of the heart, and so more. 

Some of the specific types of heart or cardiovascular diseases including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy tend to be genetic. In addition to other conditions including congenital heart defects could occur since the time the individual is born.

There are several lifestyle habits that enhance the risks of heart diseases. Some of the lifestyle causes of cardiovascular diseases include:

• •    Smoking
• •    Cholesterol or high blood pressure
• •    Obesity or overweight issues
• •    Family history
• •    Diabetes
• •    Age
• •    A regular diet of unhealthy, junk food items
• •    Staying in stationary positions for longer periods like working in the office at a chair & table
• •    A history of “preeclampsia” during the stages of pregnancy

Who is Prone to Cardiovascular Diseases?

Anyone could be under the effect of cardiovascular diseases if leading an unhealthy or sedentary lifestyle. The major risk factors including smoking, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, some chronic health conditions, and others enhance the overall chances of developing cardiovascular diseases. At the same time, factors like age tend to be unavoidable. For instance, a woman who is 55 years or above might be at a greater risk of developing heart or cardiovascular diseases. 

What are the Symptoms of Cardiovascular Diseases? How are Cardiovascular Diseases Diagnosed?

The cardiovascular disease symptoms might depend on the cause and type of heart disease condition affecting the particular individual. However, some of the common cardiovascular disease symptoms include lack of breath, extreme fatigue, chest pain, and heart palpitations. The symptoms related to heart attack could be sometimes linked to angina (chest pain or discomfort), heartburn, indigestion, pain spreading out to forearms, and a heavy, congested feeling in the chest. 

Other common symptoms of cardiovascular disease might include:

• •    Profuse sweating
• •    Pain traveling across the body –from the chest to the forearms, neck, abdomen, back, and jaw
• •    Dizzy or lightheadedness sensations
• •    Nausea & vomiting

In severe cases of the cardiovascular diseases, some of the related symptoms could reflect right from the moment of the birth. However, in most cases, the symptoms might not be reflected until the age of 13 years or above. 

Diagnosis

When you encounter some of the common symptoms associated with cardiovascular or heart diseases, it is high time that you should consult your doctor as soon as possible. Upon checking your symptoms, the doctor might advise some common tests including chest X-rays, MRI or CT scans, blood tests, and others. 

Some of the additional tests as prescribed by the doctor upon checking your heart disease symptoms might include:

• •    ECG (Electrocardiogram)
• •    Echocardiogram
• •    Holter monitoring
• •    Stress test
• •    Cardiac catheterization

What are the Complications of Cardiovascular Diseases?

• •    Heart attack
• •    Heart failure
• •    Stroke
• •    Sudden cardiac arrest

What is the Treatment for Cardiovascular Diseases?

The treatments for the heart or cardiovascular diseases might vary upon the severity and causes. Here are some of the general treatments that your doctor might suggest upon cardiovascular disease:

• •    Lifestyle changes including consuming less unhealthy, junk food, quitting smoking, limiting the intake of alcohol.
• •    Medications as prescribed by the doctor as per the type of the disease
• •    Medical procedures or surgery when medications are not enough to treat the heart conditions. 

Home Remedies for Cardiovascular Diseases

• •    Quit smoking
• •    Eat healthily –include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet
• •    Limit the intake of alcohol
• •    Exercise daily
• •    Control stress 
• •    Manage diabetes and other chronic conditions

Did You Know?

• •    One in every four deaths across the world occurs due to heart or cardiovascular diseases.
• •    Heart diseases could be treated with lifestyle changes and medications.
• •    Adopting a healthier lifestyle could prevent the risks of heart diseases.

Related Links

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