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BACKGROUND REPORT MARCH 19, 2009
Cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular diseases, also known as
heart disease, often involve the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels
that can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Heart disease also includes
high blood pressure, conditions that affect the heart's muscle, valves
or function, as well as malformations of the heart's structure that
exist at birth.
The most common type is coronary heart disease, which occurs when the
coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart become hardened and narrowed,
which can cause heart attacks. Cerebrovascular disease affects the blood
vessels that supply the brain and can cause stroke.
Cardiovascular diseases are the No. 1
cause of death in the world. An estimated 17.5 million people died from
heart disease in 2005, representing 30 percent of all global deaths.
About 80 percent of these deaths occurred in poor and middle-income
countries, according to the World Health Organization.
Heart attacks and strokes are the biggest
contributors to deaths from heart disease.
Cardiovascular diseases can take a significant
financial toll on populations and countries due their prevalence and
often huge out-of-pocket health expenses for many families.
Blockages that prevent blood from flowing
to the heart or the brain are the primary causes of heart disease, heart
attack and strokes. Fatty deposits can build up on the inner walls of
arteries, which are blood vessels that carry blood, oxygen and nutrients
to the heart, brain and the rest of the body. The buildup of fatty plaques
narrows the blood vessels and makes them less flexible. Over time, this
can cause hardening of the arteries.
When a blood vessel becomes blocked by
a clot, it can't deliver blood, which could cause damage to the heart
or the brain.
Major risk factors in cardiovascular
disease include an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, being overweight
and smoking.
There are often no symptoms that accompany
cardiovascular disease until the onset of a serious incident such as
a heart attack or stroke.
Lifestyle changes can help prevent cardiovascular disease, including quitting smoking, exercising regularly, eating healthy foods and reducing stress.
Cardiovascular disease can be treated
with medication or medical procedures, but often involves bringing lifestyle
habits in line through a low-fat, low-sodium diet and regular exercise.
Medications can be prescribed to help lower high blood pressure, or
lower cholesterol.
In more serious cases, surgery may be
recommended to relieve chest pain and open a blockage. Coronary angioplasty,
the most common surgery, is performed by threading a small balloon into
a blocked artery and inflating it to reopen the passageway. A small
metal coil called a stent is often inserted to keep the artery open.
Another common surgery is a coronary
artery bypass, in which the blocked portion of an artery is removed
and replaced with part of a vein from another part of the body.
Sources: National Heart Blood and Lung
Institute, Mayo Clinic, CDC, National Institutes of Health, U.S. National
Library of Medicine and The World Health Organization.
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