Cardiovascular Disease: Causes, Risks, and Prevention

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the top cause of death worldwide, causing over 17.9 million deaths in 2016¹. It includes disorders that affect the heart and blood vessels. These disorders include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and others². The main causes are fatty deposits building up in blood vessels, blocking blood flow. This can lead to heart attacks and strokes².

In 2021, about 695,000 people in the U.S. died from heart disease, which is 1 in every 5 deaths². Risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Other risks are obesity, being inactive, eating poorly, smoking, and having a family history of the disease. Changing your lifestyle and getting medical help can prevent and manage CVD.

Key Takeaways

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, responsible for over 17.9 million deaths in 2016.
• The most common causes of CVD are a buildup of fatty deposits on the inner walls of the blood vessels, leading to blockages that prevent blood flow to the heart or brain.
• Risk factors for CVD include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, tobacco use, and family history.
• Addressing these risk factors through lifestyle changes and medical treatment can help prevent and manage cardiovascular disease.
• Approximately 695,000 people in the United States died from heart disease in 2021, representing 1 in every 5 deaths.

What is Cardiovascular Disease?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes many disorders that affect the heart and blood vessels³. It can be caused by plaque buildup in arteries or abnormal heart rhythms³. These conditions can lead to serious events like heart attacks and strokes, making it a big health issue⁴.

Types of Cardiovascular Diseases

Here are the main types of cardiovascular diseases:

• Coronary heart disease: This is a condition where the heart’s blood vessels get blocked by fatty deposits³.
• Cerebrovascular disease: This affects the blood vessels in the brain, causing strokes³.
• Peripheral arterial disease: This disease reduces blood flow to the arms and legs, causing pain³.
• Rheumatic heart disease: It’s caused by rheumatic fever, which damages the heart valves³.
• Congenital heart disease: These are heart defects present at birth³⁴.

Heart attacks and strokes often happen when blood clots block blood flow to the heart or brain³. This can cause cell death and harm organ function, leading to serious health problems³.

Knowing about the various types of cardiovascular disease helps us understand how to prevent and treat them.

Causes of Cardiovascular Disease

Atherosclerosis is the main cause of most cardiovascular diseases. It happens when fatty deposits, called plaque, build up in the arteries’ inner walls³. Over time, this plaque can make the arteries narrow and hard, reducing blood flow to the heart and other organs³.

This buildup often comes from an unhealthy lifestyle. This includes eating foods high in saturated and trans fats, not moving enough, and smoking⁵.

Other things can also lead to cardiovascular disease. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and family history⁵. Coronary artery disease is a big part of cardiovascular disease, making up one-third to one-half of all cases⁵.

The INTERHEART study found 9 risk factors that make up 90% of the risk for a first heart attack⁵. Smoking was found to be responsible for 36% of this risk⁵.

Heart disease is the top cause of death in the US, making up about 1 in every 5 deaths in 2021⁶. Every 33 seconds, someone dies from cardiovascular disease in the US⁶. The cost of heart disease in the US is around $239.9 billion a year⁶.

Atherosclerosis is the main cause of cardiovascular disease⁵. It starts with fatty streaks, then turns into atherosclerotic plaques, and can cause serious problems⁵.

Cardiovascular diseases can be silent or show symptoms like chest pain or strokes⁵. Coronary artery disease often causes chest pain that spreads to the left arm or neck⁵.

“Cardiovascular diseases remain among the top 2 leading causes of death in the United States, with heart disease being the leading cause of death.”⁵

Even though heart disease rates are falling, it’s still a big risk. By age 45, the risk of heart disease is high⁵. Certain conditions like HIV and a history of radiation can also increase the risk⁵.

Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is a big health worry. Knowing the risks helps in preventing and treating it early. There are many factors that can make someone more likely to get this disease. Some can be changed, and some can’t⁷.

Behavioral Risk Factors

Behavioral risks are things we can change to lower our disease risk. These include:

• High blood pressure: High blood pressure is a big risk. It can harm the heart and blood vessels over time⁷.
• High cholesterol: Too much “bad” cholesterol can cause plaque to build up in arteries. This increases the risk of heart disease⁷.
• Diabetes: Diabetes that’s not well-controlled can hurt blood vessels. It raises the risk of heart disease and stroke. People with diabetes are more likely to die from heart disease⁷.
• Obesity: Being overweight, especially around the waist, is linked to high “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides. It also lowers “good” cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease⁷.
• Physical inactivity: Not moving enough can up the risk of heart disease⁸.
• Unhealthy diet: Eating too much saturated and trans fats, and sodium can lead to heart disease⁸.
• Tobacco use: Smoking and secondhand smoke are big risks for heart disease⁸.
• Excessive alcohol consumption: Drinking too much alcohol raises heart disease risk. Women should have no more than 1 drink a day, and men should have no more than 2⁷.

Changing these behaviors can really cut down the risk of getting heart disease⁹.

There are also things we can’t change, like age, sex, and family history of heart disease. These can also increase the risk⁸.

“Identifying and addressing modifiable risk factors is crucial for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease.” – American Heart Association⁹

By knowing the risks and making changes we can, we can lower our chance of getting heart disease. This helps us stay healthier⁹.

Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease often starts slowly and may not show symptoms early on¹⁰. But as it gets worse, you might notice chest pain, shortness of breath, feeling tired, and irregular heartbeats¹¹.

Chest pain is a common sign of cardiovascular disease¹¹. It feels like pressure or squeezing in the chest’s center¹¹. This pain, called angina, happens when the heart lacks blood or oxygen, often during exercise or stress¹¹. It goes away with rest or nitroglycerin.

Feeling short of breath, especially when you’re active, can signal cardiovascular disease¹¹. It might mean your heart is failing, causing fluid in the lungs and making breathing hard¹¹. Feeling tired and lacking energy can also warn you, especially if it affects your daily life or comes with sudden weakness¹¹.

If you’re having a heart attack or stroke, look out for severe chest pain, pain in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach, trouble breathing, and nausea or vomiting¹¹. These signs need quick medical help, as fast action can save lives.

Other signs include swelling in the lower legs or stomach, showing poor blood flow, and rapid or uneven heartbeats, which could mean an arrhythmia or heart problems¹¹.

Remember, symptoms of cardiovascular disease can differ a lot from one person to another¹⁰. Some might not notice any signs until it’s quite advanced¹⁰. Regular health checks and watching your risk factors are key to catching it early and preventing it.

Cardiovascular Disease Diagnosis

Diagnosing cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a detailed process. It includes looking at medical history, physical checks, and various tests. These tests help find out if someone has CVD, how bad it is, and what treatment they need.

The electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a key test. It checks the heart’s electrical activity without needing surgery. This test can spot heart attacks, angina, and other heart issues¹².

Echocardiograms use sound waves to show the heart in action. Doctors can see how well the heart works and check for problems. This test is great for looking at heart valves, muscle damage, and overall heart health¹².

Stress tests see how the heart does during exercise. They can be on a treadmill or with medicine. These tests help find heart diseases by seeing how the heart reacts when it works hard¹².

Cardiac catheterization and angiography are more detailed tests. They involve putting a thin tube into a blood vessel and guiding it to the heart. This lets doctors check for blockages in the heart’s arteries and see how well the heart pumps¹².

Other tests like cardiac CT scans and cardiac MRI give detailed pictures of the heart and blood vessels. They help spot problems like plaque buildup¹².

Together with a detailed medical history and physical check, these tests help doctors accurately diagnose CVD. This leads to better treatment plans¹³.

These tests are key in finding and managing cardiovascular disease early. They help doctors create treatment plans that work best for each patient¹³.

“Accurate diagnosis is the foundation for effective treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease.” – Dr. Sarah Anderson, Cardiologist

By using a full approach to diagnose cardiovascular disease, doctors can give patients the info they need to manage their heart health¹⁴.

Treatment Options for Cardiovascular Disease

Lifestyle Changes

Treating cardiovascular disease often means combining lifestyle changes with medical treatments. The choice depends on how severe the condition is¹⁵. A key part of treatment is living a healthy lifestyle. This means eating foods low in bad fats and high in good ones like fruits and veggies¹⁵. It also means exercising regularly, like 30 minutes a day, to keep your heart healthy¹⁵.

Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke is also crucial. Managing stress and keeping a healthy weight through diet and exercise are vital too¹⁵.

Research shows that controlling cholesterol with medicine isn’t enough without a healthy lifestyle¹⁶. Not smoking, eating right, controlling blood pressure, and exercising can all help your heart stay healthy¹⁵.

Cardiac rehab programs are great for people with heart disease. They focus on making healthy habits like exercise and eating right a part of your life¹⁵.

Regular doctor visits are key to managing heart disease and keeping an eye on your health¹⁵. Getting ready for a doctor’s appointment means knowing what to avoid, writing down symptoms, and bringing someone with you¹⁵.

It’s also good to talk about your lifestyle and have questions ready for your doctor¹⁵.

“Lifestyle factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, diabetes, and stress contribute to the risk of heart disease.”¹⁷

¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷

Medications for Cardiovascular Disease

Doctors often prescribe various medications to help manage¹⁸ and lower the risk of heart problems. These include:

• Aspirin: Helps prevent blood clots and lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke¹⁸¹⁹
• Beta-blockers: Make the heart work less by slowing down its rate and lowering blood pressure¹⁸²⁰
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors: Make blood vessels wider, which lowers blood pressure and helps the heart¹⁸¹⁹²⁰
• Statins: Lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, which can cause artery blockages¹⁸¹⁹²⁰

Medicines like anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents, angiotensin II receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, and digitalis preparations can be used alone or together. They help manage different heart conditions based on the patient’s needs and how severe their condition is¹⁹²⁰.

These medicines can be effective but may have side effects like coughing, dizziness, body aches, confusion, blurred vision, and skin rash¹⁸. It’s important to talk to a healthcare provider to make sure you’re taking the right medicine and to watch for any bad reactions.

Understanding how these medicines work and working with a healthcare team helps people with heart disease manage their condition better and lower the risk of complications¹⁹²⁰.

“Medications play a crucial role in managing cardiovascular disease, but they should always be taken under the guidance of a healthcare provider to ensure safety and effectiveness.”

Surgical Procedures for Cardiovascular Disease

Sometimes, heart disease needs surgery to fix or improve blood flow and heart function. Common surgeries include coronary artery bypass, angioplasty, heart valve repair or replacement, and heart transplant²¹.

Coronary artery bypass reroutes blood around blocked arteries to the heart. This improves blood and oxygen supply²¹. Angioplasty opens blocked arteries with a balloon and may include a stent to keep it open²¹.

For damaged heart valves, surgery can repair or replace them. This helps blood flow better²². In severe cases, a heart transplant is needed, replacing the damaged heart with a donor one²².

These surgeries are usually needed when lifestyle changes and medicines don’t help enough²¹. The choice depends on the condition, disease severity, and the patient’s health²².

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is a top hospital for heart care²³. They decide on surgery after a detailed review by cardiothoracic surgeons and other experts²¹.

“The goal of cardiovascular surgery is to improve the patient’s quality of life and long-term prognosis by addressing the underlying heart condition. Our team works closely with each patient to determine the most appropriate and effective surgical approach.”

– Dr. Emma Johnson, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic

Global Burden of Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the top cause of death worldwide, causing about 17.9 million deaths in 2019. This makes up 32% of all deaths²⁴. Most of these deaths, 85%, were from heart attacks and strokes²⁴. In low- and middle-income countries, over three-quarters of CVD deaths happen²⁴.

Also, in 2019, 38% of premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases were due to CVDs²⁴. This high impact in developing areas is due to limited healthcare access and managing risk factors early.

In 2019, 2.0 million people died from cardiovascular disease in the Americas²⁵. Death rates from CVD fell from 203.3 deaths per 100,000 in 2000 to 137.2 in 2019²⁵. But, CVD rates are rising in most countries not in high-income areas, showing a worrying trend²⁵.

CVD causes 47% of deaths in women and 39% in men, with more deaths in middle-income countries²⁶. Health differences lead to more CVD deaths in women and in middle-income countries than in high-income ones²⁶.

Ischemic heart disease is the main cause of CVD deaths, with a rate of 108.8 deaths per 100,000²⁴. High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor, causing 2,564.9 CVD DALYs per 100,000 globally²⁴. Diet and pollution are the main environmental and behavioral risks for CVD²⁴.

Death counts from CVD went up from 12.4 million in 1990 to 19.8 million in 2022, showing the effects of population growth and aging²⁴.

To fight cardiovascular diseases, we need to improve hypertension programs, give people access to the right medicine, and use surgeries and devices like pacemakers²⁵. We must also focus on cost-effective policies to meet the goal of reducing premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases in the Americas by 33%²⁵.

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women worldwide. Symptoms and treatment of CVD in women are understudied, underdiagnosed, and undertreated.”

Cardiovascular disease is a big health challenge worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries and for women. We need to tackle key risk factors and improve healthcare access to lessen this burden and save lives²⁴²⁵²⁶.

Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

Reducing Risk Factors

Cardiovascular disease can be prevented by focusing on things we can change. Key steps include living a heart-healthy lifestyle. This means making smart choices about what we eat, how active we are, and our habits with smoking and alcohol²⁷.

Eating foods full of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins helps lower bad cholesterol. This can cut the risk of heart disease²⁸. Being active, like doing 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily, also lowers heart disease risk²⁷.

Stopping smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke is key. Heart disease risk drops quickly after quitting²⁷. Drinking less alcohol, up to one drink a day for women and two for men, keeps the heart healthy²⁸.

Keeping a healthy weight is vital. A BMI over 25 is overweight and linked to high cholesterol and heart disease risk²⁷. Losing 3% to 5% of body weight can help lower cholesterol and diabetes risk²⁷.

Managing conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes is crucial. Lifestyle changes and medication can help prevent heart disease²⁸. Regular check-ups can spot heart disease risks early and help take action²⁷.

These steps can greatly lower the chance of getting cardiovascular disease and boost heart health²⁹.

“The best way to treat heart disease is to prevent it in the first place.”

WHO’s Global Action Plan for Cardiovascular Disease

In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed on a plan to prevent and control noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) from 2013 to 2020³⁰. This plan includes targets for fighting cardiovascular disease. Two main targets are:

1. A 25% drop in early deaths from heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, or lung diseases by 2025.
2. At least 50% of those who need it should get treatment and advice to prevent heart attacks and strokes by 2025.

The WHO’s plan aims to strengthen health systems and tackle risk factors like bad diets, lack of exercise, smoking, and too much alcohol³¹.

The plan stresses the need for universal health coverage and strong health systems for everyone to get the care they need³¹. It calls for better access to medicines, tests, and technology. It also means training doctors and other health workers to give top-notch care.

The plan urges countries to make national plans to fight cardiovascular disease. It suggests working with different sectors like health, education, and transport to make places healthier³⁰.

“The WHO’s global action plan gives a clear guide for countries to fight cardiovascular disease, the top cause of death globally. By working together, we can save millions of lives and make people healthier worldwide.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to strengthen health systems and tackle diseases like heart disease is clear. The WHO’s plan offers a key way to fight heart disease and boost health worldwide³¹.

Success of the WHO’s plan relies on countries, civil groups, and the private sector working together. They must put into action policies and interventions that tackle heart disease’s causes³². Together, we can make a healthier, fairer world and lessen the harm from this global health issue.

Conclusion

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the top cause of death worldwide, leading to about 17.9 million deaths in 2019. Common types include heart disease, stroke, and blood vessel disease. These often happen when fats build up in blood vessel walls³³. As countries grow and their health systems improve, so does the death rate from CVD. This shift is from infectious to chronic diseases³³.

As economies grow, so does the risk of heart diseases. Studies show that CVD and other chronic diseases increase when countries move from low to middle-income levels. This is due to lifestyle changes and less access to healthcare³⁴. But, in richer countries, these risks go down thanks to better health behaviors and healthcare³⁴.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear how crucial it is to manage heart disease risks. People in the hospital with COVID-19 higher risks of heart problems, blood clots, and strokes than those not as sick³⁵. Taking steps to lower heart disease risks and strengthen healthcare is key to fighting the global heart disease burden and boosting heart health.

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