What are cardiovascular diseases?
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and include:
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and include:
- coronary heart disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle
- cerebrovascular disease - disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain
- peripheral arterial disease – disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs
- rheumatic heart disease – damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria
- congenital heart disease - malformations of heart structure existing at birth
deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the leg veins, which can dislodge and move to the heart and lungs.
Heart attacks and strokes are usually acute events and are mainly caused by a blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart or brain. The most common reason for this is a build-up of fatty deposits on the inner walls of the blood vessels that supply the heart or brain. Strokes can also be caused by bleeding from a blood vessel in the brain or from blood clots.
At what age are people affected?
Cerebrovascular disease becomes more common as people get older, and is a common disorder of the elderly. However, it can occur in younger people, affecting some people in middle age. It is slightly more prevalent in men than in women.
What is the cause?
The brain is irrigated by a complex structure of blood vessels, which supply different areas of the brain with the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly. When a blood vessel in the brain bursts or is obstructed by a clot, the brain tissue normally supplied with oxygen by this blood vessel deteriorates. This is often called a stroke. In Cerebrovascular Disease, these strokes may be so small that no one may have noticed their occurrence. However, they can be detected on brain scans.
Is Cerebrovascular disease inherited?
No, not typically. Inherited cases are cerebrovascular disease are extremely rare.
At what age are people affected?
Cerebrovascular disease becomes more common as people get older, and is a common disorder of the elderly. However, it can occur in younger people, affecting some people in middle age. It is slightly more prevalent in men than in women.
What is the cause?
The brain is irrigated by a complex structure of blood vessels, which supply different areas of the brain with the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly. When a blood vessel in the brain bursts or is obstructed by a clot, the brain tissue normally supplied with oxygen by this blood vessel deteriorates. This is often called a stroke. In Cerebrovascular Disease, these strokes may be so small that no one may have noticed their occurrence. However, they can be detected on brain scans.
Is Cerebrovascular disease inherited?
No, not typically. Inherited cases are cerebrovascular disease are extremely rare.
Treatment:
Early treatment of streptococcal sore throat can stop the development of rheumatic fever. Regular long-term penicillin treatment can prevent repeat attacks of rheumatic fever which give rise to rheumatic heart disease and can stop disease progression in people whose heart valves are already damaged by the disease.
There are several treatment options available:
Effective and inexpensive medication is available to treat nearly all CVDs.
People at high risk can be identified using simple tools such as specific risk prediction charts. If people are identified early, inexpensive treatment is available to prevent many heart attacks and strokes.
Survivors of a heart attack or stroke are at high risk of recurrences and at high risk of dying from them. The risk of a recurrence or death can be substantially lowered with a combination of drugs – statins to lower cholesterol, drugs to lower blood pressure, and aspirin.
Operations used to treat CVDs include coronary artery bypass, balloon angioplasty (where a small balloon-like device is threaded through an artery to open the blockage), valve repair and replacement, heart transplantation, and artificial heart operations.
Medical devices are required to treat some CVDs. Such devices include pacemakers, prosthetic valves, and patches for closing holes in the heart.
There is a need for increased government investment through national programmes aimed at prevention and control of CVDs and other noncommunicable diseases.
Early treatment of streptococcal sore throat can stop the development of rheumatic fever. Regular long-term penicillin treatment can prevent repeat attacks of rheumatic fever which give rise to rheumatic heart disease and can stop disease progression in people whose heart valves are already damaged by the disease.
There are several treatment options available:
Effective and inexpensive medication is available to treat nearly all CVDs.
People at high risk can be identified using simple tools such as specific risk prediction charts. If people are identified early, inexpensive treatment is available to prevent many heart attacks and strokes.
Survivors of a heart attack or stroke are at high risk of recurrences and at high risk of dying from them. The risk of a recurrence or death can be substantially lowered with a combination of drugs – statins to lower cholesterol, drugs to lower blood pressure, and aspirin.
Operations used to treat CVDs include coronary artery bypass, balloon angioplasty (where a small balloon-like device is threaded through an artery to open the blockage), valve repair and replacement, heart transplantation, and artificial heart operations.
Medical devices are required to treat some CVDs. Such devices include pacemakers, prosthetic valves, and patches for closing holes in the heart.
There is a need for increased government investment through national programmes aimed at prevention and control of CVDs and other noncommunicable diseases.
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