CVD intro

• Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)


  No. 1 cause of death worldwide
• More people die annually from CVD than from any other cause
• Due to population increase
• An estimated 17.9 million people die annually from CVD
• This represents 32% of all global deaths
• 85% due to heart attack and stroke
• Number of people who die from CVDs will increase to 23.3 million by 2030
• Over 75% of CVD deaths in low- and middle-income countries
• CVDs projected to remain the single leading cause of
• Marked international differences


  In CVD rates
• Mortality rates are more than seven times higher in some Eastern European countries than they are in Japan
• Within Europe there is an almost three-fold difference between France, Spain and Portugal on the one hand and countries such as Finland, Scotland and Northern Ireland
• Low-and middle income countries are disproportionally affected
• Over 80% of CVD deaths in low- and middle-income countries and almost equal in men and women
• Equal rates for men and women


  Due to hormonal differences in individuals, as women go into menopause, they have an increase risk of CVD
• Blood carries oxygen, nutrients, hormones, waste products, and immune cells throughout the body.
• The heart is the most important organ in the body, pumping blood to all parts of the body.
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to diseases affecting the cardiovascular system, including coronary artery disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, congenital heart defects, arrhythmias, and heart failure.
• Arteries carry blood away from the heart.
• The heart pumps blood through arteries to all parts of the body.
• Arteries carry blood away from the heart to other organs and tissues.
• Veins return blood back to the heart.
• Irreversible risk factors for CVD


  • Gender (male)
  • increasing age
  • genetic traits
  • ethinicity
  • body build
• Potentially reversible risk factors


  • Dyslipidaemia
  • Obesity
  • Hypertension
  • Hyperglycaemia, diabetes, insulin resistance
  • Homocysteine levels
  • Inflammation
  • Impaired foetal nutrition
• Geographic risk factors of CVD


  • Climate + season
  • Sanitation and living conditions
  • Natural + physical environment - high air pollution and noise, low green space
  • Drinking water quality
• Psychosocial risk factors 


  • Low economic class
  • Stressful situations
  • Cornary prone behaviour
  • low education
• Modifiable risk factors of CVD


  • Smoking
  • Physical inactivity
  • Alcohol
  • Poor diet - high processed meat, salt, trans fat, low fruits and vegetables, fibre, wholegrain
• CVD is caused by..


  • multiple factors combined, not a single factor
  • The most important risk factors are gender, age, ethnicity, smoking, dyslipidaemia, obesity, hypertension and diabetes