- Heart disease is also known as Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) or Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and includes illnesses associated with the heart and vessels.
- Heart disease does not just refer to one illness. It refers to several problems related to the arteries (in charge of transporting oxygenated blood to our whole body), which become narrower and narrower when plaque accumulates around their walls. This makes it harder for the blood to be transported and increases a person’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
- There are many types of heart disease which include:
- hypertension (high blood pressure)
- coronary heart disease (heart attack)
- cerebrovascular disease (stroke)
- Heart disease is the main cause of death in the world. More people die annually from Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) than from any other cause.
- It is predicted that by 2030, almost 23.6 million people will die from a type of heart disease globally.
- Often, those who suffer from heart disease do not experience any specific symptoms. However, a person who is about to have a heart attack may exhibit these particular symptoms:
- Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest
- Pain or discomfort in the arms, the left shoulder, elbows, jaw, or bacck
- Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath
- Feeling sick or vomiting
- A person who is about to have a stroke usually experiences:
- Sudden weakness of the face, arm, or leg, most often on one side of the body
- Confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding speech
- Difficulty seeing with one or both eyes
- Difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Fainting or unconsciousness
- Feeling sick or vomiting
- Fainting or unconsciousness
- Heart attacks and strokes CAN be avoided. 80 percent of them are preventable by:
- Avoiding tobacco use: The risk of heart attack and stroke starts to drop immediately after a person stops using tobacco products, and can drop by as much as half after one year.
- Regular physical activity: At least 30 minutes of exercising daily helps improve cardiovascular fitness.
- Having a healthy diet: Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish and restrict salt, sugar and fat intake.
- Checking regularly for unusual levels of: Blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids.
- 600,000 people die from heart disease every year in the US. That’s 1 in 4 Americans.
- Alcohol and stress can also increase cardiovascular risk.
- The following people are more prone to heart disease:
- 65 year-olds (or older)
- Males
- Children of parents with heart disease
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Sources: American Heart Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization
