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This article will discuss one of the most common lifestyle disorders – cardiovascular diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
- Diseases of the heart and those related to blood vessels are termed as cardiovascular disorders.
- Cardiovascular diseases are divided into four categories: coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease and aortic disease.
a. Coronary heart disease occurs when flow of oxygen-rich blood to the coronary arteries (blood vessels that supply blood to the heart) is obstructed due to the build-up of atheroma (fatty deposit within the internal lining of arteries). Build-up of atheroma over a long period can cause atherosclerosis, a condition that leads to complete blockage and hardening of the artery.
b. Stroke is a medical condition when blood supply to a part of the brain is stopped. This can lead to rapid death of brain cells and needs immediate treatment.
c. The peripheral arterial disease (also known as peripheral vascular disease) occurs when blood supply to the limbs is restricted due to the presence of fatty deposits in the arteries.
d. Aortic disease – The most common type of aortic disease is aortic aneurysm wherein the wall of the aorta (largest blood vessel in the human body) becomes weak and starts to bulge.
3) Causes for CVD are obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, high blood pressure, family history of heart disease and high levels of cholesterol.
4) Diagnosis of CVD is done using various procedures like electrocardiogram, stress testing, chest X-ray, blood tests, echocardiogram and coronary angiography.
5) Depending on the severity of symptoms the treatment options vary between oral medications to surgeries. Class of medicines like diuretics (helps eliminate excess sodium hence lower blood pressure), beta blockers (reduces heart rate), aspirin (blood thinners), nitrates (relieves angina- chest pain due to less oxygen supply to the heart) and Calcium channel blockers (relaxes muscles of blood vessels) along with dietary and lifestyle changes will help in dealing with CVD.
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