Neurology Medicine

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), the heart and blood vessels, are:

“Coronary heart disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle (myocardium);
“Cerebrovascular disease – disease of 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 due to rheumatic fever, a disease caused by streptococcal bacteria;
“Congenital heart disease - heart defects present at birth, and
-Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots (thrombus) in the veins of the legs, which can break off (embolus) and lodge in the vessels of the heart and lungs.
“Heart attack and stroke (CVA) are usually acute events that are mainly due to blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart or brain. The most common cause is the formation of fatty deposits on the walls of blood vessels supplying the heart or brain. Strokes can also be caused by bleeding from the cerebral vessels or blood clots.

CARDIOVASCULAR DATA
CVDs are the leading cause of death worldwide. Every year more people die from CVD than from any other cause.
It is estimated that in 2005 died from 17.5 million people, representing 30% of all deaths in the world, 7.6 million of those deaths were due to coronary heart disease and 5.7 million to stroke.
CVD deaths equally affect both sexes, and over 80% occur in low-income countries and media.
It is estimated that in 2015 will die nearly 20 million people by CVD, mainly from heart disease and stroke is projected to remain the leading cause of death.

CAUSES OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
The causes of CVD are well established and well known. The most important causes of heart disease and stroke are called “modifiable risk factors”: unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and consumption of snuff.
The effects of unhealthy diet and physical inactivity may appear as “intermediate risk factors” increase in blood sugar and blood pressure and blood lipids, overweight and obesity.
The major modifiable risk factors are responsible for approximately 80% of cases of coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease.
There are also a number of underlying determinants of chronic diseases, ie “the causes of the causes”, which are a reflection of the major forces driving social, economic and cultural rights: globalization, urbanization and aging population. Other determinants of CVD are poverty and stress.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
The underlying disease of blood vessels often produces no symptoms, and its first manifestation can be a heart attack or stroke.
The symptoms of heart attack are pain or discomfort in the chest, arms, left shoulder, jaw or back. There may also be difficulty breathing, nausea or vomiting, dizziness or fainting, cold sweats, and pallor.
Shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting and pain in the jaw, or back are more common in women.
The most common symptom of a stroke is sudden, usually unilateral, muscle strength in the arms, legs or face. Other symptoms include sudden onset unilateral numbness of the face, arms or legs, confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech; difficulty seeing with one or both eyes, trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, severe headache of unknown cause, and weakness or loss of consciousness.
People experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.