CV disease

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD)

  A general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels, usually associated with a build-up of fatty deposits inside the arteries (atherosclerosis) and an increased risk of blood clots
• CVD can also be associated with damage to arteries in organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys and eyes
• CVD is one of the main causes of death and disability
• Causes of CVD


  • Hypertension
  • Smoking
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetes
  • Inactivity
  • Being overweight or obese
  • Family history of CVD
• Coronary heart disease

  Occurs when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle is blocked or reduced
• Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

  • Caused by atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries, can lead to heart attacks and heart failure
• Main symptoms of coronary heart disease


  • Chest pain (angina)
  • Shortness of breath
  • Pain in neck, shoulders, jaw or arms
  • Feeling faint
  • Feeling sick (nausea)
• Heart failure

  Occurs when the heart muscle doesn't pump blood as well as it should, often causing blood to back up and fluid to build up in the lungs
• Types of heart failure

  • Left-sided heart failure -Systolic failure, Diastolic failure
  • Right-sided heart failure - usually result of left-side failure
  • Congestive heart failure - edema
• Congestive heart failure

  • Usually occurs as a result of left-sided failure, causes congestion in the body's tissues and often leads to swelling (edema)
• Cardiomyopathy

  Any disorder that affects the heart muscle, can cause the heart to lose its ability to pump blood well and lead to arrhythmias
• Most types of cardiomyopathy are inherited, but the cause is unknown for some people
• Heart attack (myocardial infarction)

  Occurs when one of the arteries leading to the heart becomes blocked, cutting off blood flow and causing the heart muscles to start dying
• Stroke

  Happens when the supply of blood to the brain is interrupted, causing brain damage and possibly death
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA or "mini-stroke")

  Similar to a stroke, but the blood flow to the brain is only temporarily disrupted
• Main symptoms of a stroke or TIA (FAST)

  • Face - drooping on one side
  • Arms - unable to lift both arms
  • Speech - slurred or garbled
  • Time - call emergency number immediately
• Types of stroke

  • Ischemic stroke
  • Hemorrhagic stroke

  
• Ischemic stroke

  Most common type, occurs when a blood vessel that feeds the brain gets blocked, usually from a blood clot
• Hemorrhagic stroke

  Occurs when a blood vessel within the brain bursts, often caused by uncontrolled high blood pressure. Can happen in two ways: bleeding inside the brain, bleeding into the subarachnoid space (between your brain and its outer covering)
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

  A stroke that lasts only a few minutes, a warning sign that a more serious stroke may occur
• Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)

  Occurs when there's a blockage in the arteries to the limbs, usually the legs, often caused by atherosclerosis
• Symptoms of PAD


  • Painful muscle cramping in the hips, thighs or calves when walking, climbing stairs or exercising
• Aortic disease

  Broadly defined as conditions affecting the aorta, the main and largest artery in the body that supplies oxygenated blood
• Types of aortic disease

  • Aortic aneurysm - ballooning of the aorta
  • Aortic dissection - false channel for blood flow and another type is TAAA
• Diagnostic tests for coronary artery disease

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
  • Echocardiogram
  • Exercise stress test
  • Cardiac catheterization and angiogram
  • MR angiogram or CT angiogram
  • Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Cardiac computerized tomography (CT)
  • Ultrasound
• Treatments for cardiovascular disease

  • Lifestyle changes
  • Medications
  • Procedures or surgeries
  • Cardiac rehabilitation
  • Active surveillance
• Heart attacks and strokes are both medical emergencies caused by a sudden cut-off in blood flow
• Hemorrhagic stroke is due to bleeding into the brain by the rupture of a blood vessel
• Both PAD and coronary artery disease are caused by atherosclerosis
• The most common symptom of PAD is painful muscle cramping
• Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle is unable to maintain a strong blood flow