According to Medical News Today – Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 cause of death in the world. The cardiovascular system, which involves the heart and blood vessels, functions to circulate blood throughout the body.
However, if there is a disturbance, it can affect blood circulation which can potentially cause disease. This disease has several types that can endanger the life of the sufferer.
Therefore, it is important for you to know what the meaning and types of cardiovascular system disorders are. Check out the full explanation below.
Types of cardiovascular disease
According to the National Health Service, cardiovascular diseases are diseases that occur due to disorders of the heart and blood vessels.
This condition is usually related to the build-up or deposits of fat in the arteries, increasing the risk of blood clots.
Not only that, health problems in the cardiovascular system are also related to damage to the arteries in organs, such as the brain, heart, kidneys, and eyes.
The most common cardiovascular or heart diseases include:
1. Heart attack
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked by blood clots.
Blood clots can cause the heart muscle to die because it does not get enough blood supply. Without immediate medical attention, a heart attack can be fatal, leading to death.
Symptoms that can occur from this type of cardiovascular disease are left chest pain like a heavy load, pain radiating to the neck, jaw and arms as well as shortness of breath and sweating.
2. Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is an inflammation of the blood vessels that occurs when plaque forms along the walls of the blood vessels. This can make the blood vessels narrow and restrict blood flow, causing various problems in the body.
You need to be careful as cardiovascular disorders such as narrowed blood vessels can lead to stroke, pulmonary embolism and heart attack.
3. Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is a condition where the heart has an abnormal rhythm. The heart may beat too slowly, too fast, or irregularly.
Not only that, but arrhythmia can also affect how well your heart works. If the heartbeat is irregular, the heart cannot pump enough blood to fulfil the body’s needs.
4. Coronary heart disease
Another cardiovascular disease is coronary heart disease, which occurs due to blockage or narrowing of the coronary arteries due to plaque build-up.
This condition can cause the blood supply to the heart to be reduced so that the body does not get enough oxygen and essential nutrients. The biggest cause of coronary heart disease is smoking.
5. Stroke
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain becomes blocked. This disease usually occurs due to blood clots. When the blood supply to the brain is cut off, some of the brain cells are damaged or die.
The cut-off of blood flow can be caused by two things, namely the rupture of a blood vessel (haemorrhagic stroke) or blockage of a blood vessel (ischaemic stroke).
This condition can eliminate certain functions controlled by the brain, resulting in limb weakness and even loss of speech.
6. Heart valve disease
Heart valve disease is a disease that occurs due to problems or disorders in one or more of the four heart valves. Problems that can occur include the heart valves not opening enough to drain blood, not closing properly, causing blood to leak, swelling or others.
7. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Deep vein thrombosis or DVT occurs due to the formation of blood clots in the veins, usually in the legs. In severe cases, the blood clot can travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism.
This cardiovascular disease can be life-threatening and should be treated immediately.
8. Heart failure
Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to contract and relax normally and thus fails to pump blood around the body as it should.
The condition of one of these cardiovascular diseases can cause you to experience swelling and shortness of breath. If left untreated, heart failure will certainly be very dangerous.
9. Congenital heart disease
Congenital heart disease is a disease that occurs due to abnormalities in the structure of the heart since the womb. Some may show symptoms at birth, but others may only show symptoms during childhood.
The cause of this type of cardiovascular disease disorder is largely unknown. A typical symptom that can be seen is blueness of the face when the child cries.
However, this does not occur in all congenital heart diseases. For other diseases, doctors can detect it by listening to heart sounds using a stethoscope.
10. Peripheral artery disease
Peripheral artery disease is a condition where the blood flow to the legs is blocked due to narrowing of the arteries. The narrowing is caused by plaque build-up in the arteries.
This condition can make the legs lack blood supply, causing pain, especially when walking.
11. Peripheral vein disease
Peripheral vein disease occurs when there is damage to the veins that function to transport blood from the legs and arms back to the heart. This condition can cause swelling in the legs and the appearance of varicose veins.
How to prevent cardiovascular disease
You are more at risk of cardiovascular disease if you have an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, smoking, frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.
However, there are several preventive measures you can take to prevent cardiovascular disease, namely:
1. Control your weight
Having a normal body weight can lower your chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is important for you to control your weight so that you are not over or underweight.
2. Exercise regularly
The American Heart Association recommends moderate to intense exercise for 150 minutes per week as a way to prevent cardiovascular disorders.
Be sure to warm up and cool down before and after exercise.
3. Adopt a heart-healthy diet
In preventing cardiovascular disease, it is important that you adopt a heart-healthy diet. Eat foods that contain polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
Along with this, consume healthy fruits and vegetables. Avoid excessive consumption of processed foods, salt and saturated fats.
4. Quit smoking
Smoking is linked to the risk of many dangerous diseases. Although it is difficult to quit, you should keep trying. Quitting smoking can drastically reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and make your body healthier.
5. Regular pregnancy check-ups every month
Those of you who are pregnant are required to have a pregnancy check-up every month. Doctors do not only look at the sex or weight of the foetus. The doctor will also check other organs such as the fetal circulatory system, kidney organs, urinary tract, etc.
This is done to detect diseases in the future baby early so that it will be easier to handle.
By taking these simple steps, your chances of developing cardiovascular disease will be reduced. So, get used to a healthy lifestyle for the sake of your future.
When to see a doctor?
You need to seek emergency medical care immediately if you have signs and symptoms of cardiovascular or heart disease, such as:
Chest pain;
Shortness of breath, and
Fainting;
Heart disease is easier to treat if detected early. So, consult your doctor about your overall heart health.
Talk about what measures are appropriate to reduce the risk of cardiovascular system disorders. This is especially important if you have a family history of heart disease.
