Cardiovascular Disease: Types, Symptoms, Risks & Lifestyle Changes

“About 659,000 people in the United States die from heart disease each year—that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.” (Heart disease facts, 2022)

About Cardiovascular Disease  Cardiovascular disease is also known as heart disease which is an umbrella term for all heart related conditions.  According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number one cause of death in the United States in men and women is cardiovascular disease.  Dr. Supreeti Behuria states, 80% of heart disease is preventable. It is important to be educated on common types, symptoms, risks and lifestyle changes.

Four Common Types

1. Coronary artery disease- The most common type of cardiovascular disease which is in result to decreased blood flow to the heart due to plaque buildup.
2. Arrhythmia- A change in the heart beat can include fast beats (tachycardia), slow beats (bradycardia) or irregular beats (palpations).
3. Heart valve disease- A heart has four valves which open and close to release and block backflow of blood.  Heart valve disease occurs due to improper functioning of a valve.
4. Heart failure- A chronic condition where the heart becomes unable to pump the proper amount of blood resulting in fluid buildup within the lungs.

Symptoms

The World Heart Federation refers to cardiovascular disease as the “silent killer”.  This is because not all people experience  symptoms.  The following list released by the Mayo Clinic is the most common symptoms.

• Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest discomfort.
• Shortness of breath.
• Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms.
• Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back.

Risk Factors 

Dr. Nakela Cook from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute states there are two types of risks; those we can control and those we cannot control.  It is important to alter changeable risks to minimize our chance in developing the potentially deadly disease. 

Lifestyle Changes

• The Mayo Clinic suggests eating a healthy diet such as more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and poultry and staying away from red meat, soda, processed meat, potato chips, sugar, sodium and trans-fat is beneficial.  Foods that are not so great for our body’s trigger other conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. 
• Exercise is important in keeping our heart healthy.  Per the CDC, it is recommended to exercise for at least 150 minutes per week.  Exercise helps with our cardiovascular system improving oxygen supply and strengthening our heart and lungs.  
• Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death.  The CDC found that approximately one of every four deaths results from heart disease.  When you stop smoking, your heart starts to rebound right away.  Smoking causes a number of problems to our bodies some being  reducing oxygen and blood flow and the build up of plaque within blood vessels.

Bottom Line …           

Being educated on cardiovascular disease, symptoms, risks and lifestyle changes can keep you and your heart healthy helping to stay clear of this life threatening disease.  After researching comparing articles and videos the information provided within this blog is factual from reliable sources. 

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, September 27). About heart disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm

Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin “Heart Disease (Supreeti Behuria, MS): Every Day Health 2022” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFGV9JBdKIY

Heart Foundation NZ “Heart Attack Warning Signs” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1kI9e9L7aw

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, January 14). Top strategies to prevent heart disease. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-disease-prevention/art-20046502

Medical icon heartbeat symbol. royalty free SVG, cliparts, vectors, and stock illustration. image 142736626. 123RF. (n.d.). Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://www.123rf.com/photo_142736626_medical-icon-heartbeat-symbol-.html?vti=n1c9zzzhxqpk5jpf9f-1-25

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute “Controlling and Preventing Heart Disease Risk” Factorshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRsLryQ57R4

What is cardiovascular disease? www.heart.org. (2022, May 4). Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease

Welch, A., Upham, B., Rapaport, L., Welch, A., & Staff, E. H. (n.d.). Treatment and prevention of heart disease. EverydayHealth.com. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from

World Heart Day. World Heart Federation. (2022, April 21). Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://world-heart-federation.org/