Cardiovascular disease is the common term that deals with a range of heart disorders affecting the heart and its arteries, veins, and capillaries. It includes a bevy of heart issues which are related to a process called atherosclerosis. The cardiovascular system supplies the body with blood and therefore having a high blood pressure is the significant risk factor of all these diseases. Though there are several types of cardiovascular disease, the causes, symptoms, and treatment may overlap which are discussed in this blog.
Causes
The most important cause of cardiovascular diseases includes atherosclerosis, in which fatty deposits accumulate in the arteries. It also involves high blood pressure, while this can be both the cause and result of cardiovascular diseases.
Types
Major types of cardiac or heart-related conditions include:
Angina - Considered both cardiac and vascular disease.
Arrhythmia - Irregular heartbeat or heart rhythm
Congenital heart disease - Problem with heart function right from birth
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) - Affects the arteries that feed the heart muscle
Cardiomyopathy - Failure of heart muscles to pump the blood
Heart attack - Part of the heart gets blocked by a blood clot
Heart failure - The heart does not work properly
Heart valve problems - Impairment in the function of heart valves.
Symptoms
The Symptoms will vary, depending on the specific type of disease a patient has. However, common symptoms of an underlying cardiovascular disease include:
Angina where there is pain or pressure in the chest
A feeling of discomfort or pain in the arms, the left shoulder, elbows, jaw, or back
shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea
nausea and fatigue
light-headedness or faint
cold sweat
Racing heartbeat or slow heartbeat
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of all these heart diseases is made through specific tests and procedures that are performed by our lab specialists. These tests include:
Coronary angiography/arteriography
Computed tomographic angiography
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Electron-beam computed tomography
Exercise stress test
Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Nuclear stress test
Treatments
Treatments for cardiovascular disease may include:
Medications to control blood pressure, diabetes or cholesterol - Examples of treatments for these conditions include ACE inhibitors, aspirin, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, nitrates, and statins.
Surgery - More severe heart disease may be treated by coronary artery bypass surgery, minimally invasive heart surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention.
Lifestyle modifications that include weight control, doing exercise, quitting smoking, and dietary changes
Cardiac rehabilitation, including exercise and counseling
Treatment aims to:
Relieve symptoms
Reduce the risk of the condition worsening
Prevent complications
Prevention
As the majority of CVDs are preventable, you may practice certain healthy habits to keep you away from getting trapped into major risks. Some of the healthy habits include:
Consuming less alcohol and tobacco
Eating fresh fruits and vegetables
Reducing the intake of salt
Avoiding sedentary lifestyles, especially children need to avoid
If you are at a greater risk of developing this disease, consult our reputed and expert heart specialist Dr. Monik Mehta, who help you in conducting the right diagnosis and rendering the right treatment procedure. So book your appointment for a consultation today.