UNIOSUN TEACHING HOSPITAL
HUMAN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
TAMUNOTONYE PAMELA
HND337
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
Overview
What is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease is a group of diseases affecting your
heart
and blood vessels. These diseases can affect one or many parts
of
your heart and/or blood vessels. A person may be symptomatic
(physically experiencing the disease) or asymptomatic (not
feeling anything at all).
Cardiovascular disease includes heart or blood vessel issues,
including:
Narrowing of the blood vessels in your heart, other organs or
throughout your body.
Heart and blood vessel problems present at birth.
Heart valves that aren’t working right.
Irregular heart rhythms.
How common is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide
and in the U.S.
Almost half of adults in the U.S. have some form of
cardiovascular disease. It affects people of all ages, sexes,
ethnicities and socioeconomic levels. One in three women and
people assigned female at birth dies from cardiovascular disease.
What are the symptoms of cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease symptoms can vary depending on the
cause.
Older adults and people assigned female at birth may have more
subtle symptoms. However, they can still have serious
cardiovascular disease.
Symptoms of heart issues
Chest pain (angina).
Chest pressure, heaviness or discomfort, sometimes described as
a “belt around the chest” or a “weight on the chest.”
Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
Dizziness or fainting.
Fatigue or exhaustion.
Symptoms of blockages in blood vessels throughout your body
Pain or cramps in your legs when you walk.
Leg sores that aren’t healing.
Cool or red skin on your legs.
Swelling in your legs.
Numbness in your face or a limb. This may be on only one side
of your body.
Difficulty with talking, seeing or walking.
What conditions are cardiovascular diseases?
There are many different types of cardiovascular diseases,
including but not limited to:
Arrhythmia: Problem with your heart’s electrical conduction
system, which can lead to abnormal heart rhythms or heart rates.
Valve disease: Tightening or leaking in your heart valves
(structures that allow blood to flow from one chamber to
another chamber or blood vessel).
Coronary artery disease: Problem with your heart’s blood
vessels, such as blockages.
Heart failure: Problem with heart pumping/relaxing functions,
leading to fluid buildup and shortness of breath.
Peripheral artery disease: Issue with the blood vessels of your
arms, legs or abdominal organs, such as narrowing or
blockages.
Aortic disease: Problem with the large blood vessel that directs
blood from your heart to your brain and the rest of your body,
such as dilatation or aneurysm.
Congenital heart disease: Heart issue that you’re born with,
which can affect different parts of your heart.
Pericardial disease: Problem with the lining of your heart,
including pericardia and pericardial effusion.
Cardiovascular disease: Issue with the blood vessels that
deliver blood to your brain, such as narrowing or blockages.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): Blockage in your veins, vessels
that bring blood back from your brain/body to your heart.
