Cardiovascular Disease

What is Cardiovascular Disease?

Cardiovascular disease, sometimes abbreviated as CVD, is the leading cause of death worldwide. It’s a catchall term for heart problems and problems with your blood vessels.

Heart disease and cardiovascular disease have almost the same meaning. However, heart disease specifically refers to conditions affecting the heart, while cardiovascular disease is a broader term referring to conditions that affect the heart or blood vessels.

Strokes or heart attacks cause more than 80% of cardiovascular disease deaths. Both of these conditions are strongly linked to lifestyle habits.

The good news is many types of cardiovascular disease are preventable by adopting good lifestyle habits like exercising regularly and eating well.

Types of Cardiovascular Disease

There are many types of cardiovascular disease. Some of these conditions can be minor, while others can be life-threatening.

Coronary Artery Disease 

Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease. It’s strongly linked to:

• Obesity

• High cholesterol 

• Smoking

• Chronic stress

Coronary artery disease develops when the arteries that supply your heart become clogged with a fatty substance called plaque. The build-up of plaque is also called atherosclerosis.

Plaque can limit the supply of blood and oxygen to your heart tissue. Many people with early coronary artery disease don’t have any symptoms. If your heart doesn’t get enough oxygen, you might develop chest pain (angina). 

When the blood flow to your heart is blocked entirely, it can lead to a heart attack.

Arrhythmia

An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat that occurs due to a problem with the electrical activity of your heart. Types of arrhythmia include:

• Tachycardia. A faster-than-normal heart rate.

• Bradycardia. A slower-than-normal heartbeat.

• Atrial fibrillation (A-fib). An irregular and often very fast heart rate.

• Premature ventricular contraction (PVC). When the bottom chambers of your heart beat too early.

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a group of conditions that cause problems with your heart muscles. Some types of cardiomyopathy are inherited from your parents, while others develop throughout your life.

• Dilated cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy is when the muscle walls of your heart become stretched and can’t pump blood properly. It can be caused by inherited genes, chronic conditions, and unhealthy lifestyle habits.   

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy develops when the walls of your left ventricle become thicker than normal. It’s the most common cardiomyopathy caused by inherited genes.

• Restrictive cardiomyopathy. Restrictive cardiomyopathy is when the chambers in your heart become overly stiff over time. This stiffness makes it difficult for your heart to fill with blood. It can be caused by your genetics or conditions like diabetes and cancer. 

Stroke

A stroke is when part of your brain loses its blood supply. Strokes are a type of cerebrovascular disease affecting the blood vessels in your brain. The main types of stroke are:

• Ischemic stroke. This is a stroke caused by a blockage, which happens in about 85% of strokes.

• Hemorrhagic stroke. This happens when a blood vessel in your brain bursts.

You may be at an increased risk of stroke if you engage in certain lifestyle habits, like excessive alcohol consumption or regular tobacco use. Other stroke risk factors include:

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Heart disease

• Diabetes

• Obesity

• Sickle cell disease

• Not exercising regularly 

• A sedentary lifestyle

Valvular heart disease

Your heart valves control the way blood flows in and out of your heart and through the four chambers of your heart.

Valvular heart disease occurs when any of the valves in your heart are damaged. It affects about 2.5% of people in the United States.

Causes can include:

• Rheumatic heart disease (a condition that can occur when the bacteria that causes strep throat isn’t treated with antibiotics)

• Endocarditis (an infection of the inner lining of your heart)

• Congenital heart disease (valve abnormalities that you may be born with)

Peripheral arterial disease

Peripheral arterial disease is a blockage in the arteries that carry blood away from your heart. It usually develops in your legs. The strongest risk factors are diabetes and smoking.

Heart failure

Heart failure occurs when your heart can’t pump blood well enough to supply all of your body’s tissues. It’s referred to as chronic heart failure when it develops slowly over time or acute heart failure when it develops quickly.

Heart failure can be a complication of any condition that causes damage to your heart tissues, such as an infection, heart attack, or valve disorder. 

Heart failure is categorized by a measurement known as ejection fraction. Ejection fraction is the amount of blood that the left ventricle of your heart pumps out each time it contracts. 

It’s possible to have heart failure even when your ejection fraction falls in the normal range. This is known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Congenital heart disease

Congenital heart disease happens when part of your heart doesn’t develop properly from birth. The underlying cause often isn’t clear, but risk factors include:

• Down’s syndrome

• Infections during pregnancy, such as rubella

• Possibly taking certain medications during pregnancy, such as statins

• Possibly smoking or drinking during pregnancy

• Poorly controlled diabetes during pregnancy

• Certain genetic syndromes

Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease 

Symptoms of cardiovascular disease can vary depending on the type and severity of your condition. Some people don’t experience any symptoms at all. 

Symptoms common in several types of cardiovascular disease include:

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain

• Fatigue

• Dizziness

• Fainting

• Fever

• Irregular heartbeat

• Weight gain

• Heart palpitations

Heart attack

A heart attack occurs when the blood flow to your heart is blocked. The most common cause is coronary artery disease.

Heart attacks are medical emergencies that require immediate medical attention, although some heart attacks can be “silent” and go undetected.

A heart attack can cause symptoms such as:

• Chest pain that often radiates to your left shoulder, neck, or arm

• Abdominal pain

• Shortness of breath

• Fatigue

• Pressure or heaviness in your chest

• Sweating

• Nausea or vomiting

• Dizziness

Pain caused by a heart attack usually persists for more than 20 minutes.

Stroke

Stroke symptoms usually come on suddenly and can include: 

• Confusion

• Numbness or weakness, often on one side

• Severe headache with no known cause

• Trouble seeing from one or both eyes

• Trouble walking or loss of balance and coordination

Cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency when your heart stops beating suddenly. It’s sometimes mistakenly called a heart attack. A person having cardiac arrest may:

• Collapse suddenly and pass out

• Stop breathing or gasp

• Become unresponsive

• Not have a pulse

The main cause of cardiac arrest is two types of arrhythmias called ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia

Other potential causes include:

• Heart tissue scarring from a previous heart attack or other cause

• Cardiomyopathy

• Electrical heart abnormalities

• Blood vessel abnormalities

• Recreational drugs

• A sudden blow to the left side of your chest (commotio cordis)

What Causes Cardiovascular Disease?

Cardiovascular disease can develop due to a combination of:

• Lifestyle habits like lack of exercise, poor diet, or smoking

• Genetics

• Congenital birth defects

• Other underlying health conditions

• Injuries to your heart or blood vessels

Who’s at Risk of Cardiovascular Disease?

Some of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease are preventable and some are out of your control.

The following risk factors aren’t preventable:

• Age. Over 45 for men and over 55 for women

• Family history. Having a family history of early heart disease

• Sex. People born male are at increased risk 

• Congenital defects. Having problems with your heart from birth

• Genetics. Having genes associated with cardiovascular disease

Other risk factors for cardiovascular disease include:

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Diabetes

• Overweight or obesity

• Not exercising regularly

• Smoking or using tobacco

• Consuming large amounts of alcohol

• A history of preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy)

• Unhealthy eating habits

Diagnosing Cardiovascular Disease

Your doctor may order many different tests to help diagnose cardiovascular disease, such as:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG)

• Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)

• Angiogram, a scan that shows blood moving through your blood vessels

• Blood tests

• Blood pressure monitoring

• Coronary computed tomography (CT angiogram)

• Chest X-ray

• MRI

Cardiovascular Disease Treatment 

Treatment for cardiovascular disease depends on which type you have and the severity of your condition.  

Let’s take a look at the different types of cardiovascular disease and what type of treatment you can expect.

Coronary Artery Disease 

Treatment options for coronary artery disease include:

• Changes to your lifestyle habits

• Low-dose aspirin therapy

• Beta-blockers

• Nitroglycerin

• Statins and other cholesterol-lowering drugs

• Calcium channel blockers

• Long-acting nitrates

• Endovascular surgery

• Coronary artery bypass surgery

• Coronary artery stents

Arrhythmia

Not all arrhythmias require treatment, but some can lead to complications such as a heart attack or stroke.

Treatment for arrhythmias can include:

• Medications to control your heart rate

• Lifestyle changes (such as reducing caffeine or alcohol intake)

• A pacemaker

• Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (a device that shocks your heart into a normal rhythm when needed)

• Electric cardioversion (a shock to your heart to restore its rhythm)

• Catheter ablation (a minimally invasive surgery to destroy the abnormal tissue in your heart)

Heart Attack

A heart attack requires immediate treatment to improve blood flow to your heart, relieve your symptoms, and prevent another heart attack. Some treatment options include:

• Medications such as anticoagulants or nitrates administered through an IV

• Coronary angioplasty surgery

• Stent procedure

• Coronary artery bypass surgery

• Heart transplant

• Radiofrequency ablation

When heart arrest occurs outside of a hospital, the main treatment is a shock with an automatic external defibrillator. These defibrillators are commonly installed in public places like train stations, schools, and stadiums.

Cardiomyopathy 

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy doesn’t always need treatment, but doctors often recommend weight loss and may prescribe medications such as:

• Beta-blockers

• Calcium-channel blockers

• Disopyramide

Dilated cardiomyopathy is one of the main causes of heart failure. It occurs in about 1 in 2,500 people. Treatment for dilated cardiomyopathy may involve taking medications or surgery to reduce your symptoms and prevent further heart damage.

Stroke

Strokes require immediate emergency medical treatment. The most common treatments are medications and surgery to repair the damaged blood vessels in your brain. 

Valvular heart disease

Heart valve problems may be treated with medications or surgery.

Peripheral arterial disease

Peripheral artery disease might be treated with:

• Lifestyle changes like increased physical activity and quitting smoking

• Managing diabetes

• Procedures such as angioplasty or stent placement in the affected vessel

Preventing Cardiovascular Disease

The development of cardiovascular disease is strongly associated with your lifestyle habits. You can minimize your chances of developing cardiovascular disease by: 

• Making heart-healthy dietary changes such as:

  • Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables

  • Eating plenty of foods high in fiber

  • Trying to minimize your intake of foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, or cholesterol

  • Taking steps to minimize your sodium intake

  • Consuming alcohol in moderation or not at all

• Getting regular physical activity to support your cardiovascular health — the AHA recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of intense exercise per week

• Avoiding smoking

• Managing your diabetes

• Minimizing stress

• Having your cholesterol levels and blood pressure regularly checked

• Taking your medications as prescribed for treating high blood cholesterol, blood pressure, or blood sugar levels

• Keeping your body weight in a healthy range

• Undergoing regular check-ups with your healthcare provider

Bottomline 

Cardiovascular disease is a catchall term for any condition that affects the heart or blood vessels. It can have many potential causes, including genetics, lifestyle habits, and underlying health issues.

Some types of cardiovascular disease, such as some cardiomyopathies, develop due to factors outside of your control. However, taking steps to support your heart health can help you lower your risk of many types of cardiovascular disease, such as stroke or heart attacks.