Common cardiovascular Hardening of the arteries,...
2
Common cardiovascular diseases The four most common types of cardiovascular disease are: ˘ high blood pressure ˘ coronary heart disease ˘ stroke ˘ rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease Other forms include: ˘ arrhythmias ˘ diseases of the arteries, arterioles and capillaries ˘ bacterial endocarditis ˘ congenital cardiovascular defects ˘ congestive heart failure ˘ valvular heart disease ˘ hypertensive disease ˘ diseases of pulmonary circulation ˘ diseases of veins and lymphatics Hardening of the arteries, or atheroscelerosis, is when the inner walls of the arteries become more narrow due to a buildup of plaque. Blood clots form, so less blood can get through. This can cause heart attacks and strokes. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, means the pressure in your arteries is consistently above the normal range. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. It is written as two numbers, such as 122/78 mm Hg. The top (systolic) number is the pressure when the heart beats. The bottom (diastolic) number is the pressure when the heart is at rest. High blood pressure is a consistently elevated pressure of 140 mm Hg systolic or higher and/or 90 mm Hg diastolic or higher. The great danger is that you usually can’t tell you have high blood pressure. There are no signs, so you must see a doctor every year. Also, no one knows exactly what causes it. High blood pressure can lead to hardened arteries, stroke or heart attack. Heart attacks occur when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, often by a blood clot. If this clot cuts off the flow completely, the part of the heart muscle supplied by that artery begins to die. Heart failure means that your heart isn’t pumping blood as well as it should. It keeps working, but the body doesn’t get all the blood and oxygen it needs. See a doctor if you notice either of these symptoms: ˘ swelling in the feet, ankles and legs, called edema ˘ fluid build up in lungs, called “pulmonary congestion” Stroke and TIA (Warning Stroke) happens when a blood vessel that supplies oxygen to the brain gets clogged or bursts. Then that part of the brain can’t work and neither can the part of the body it controls. Major risk factors of stroke are uncontrolled high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, carotid artery disease and heart disease.
Transcript of Common cardiovascular Hardening of the arteries,...
Common cardiovasculardiseases
The four most common types ofcardiovascular disease are:
Æ high blood pressure
Æ coronary heart disease
Æ stroke
Æ rheumatic fever/rheumatic heartdisease
Other forms include:
Æ arrhythmias
Æ diseases of the arteries, arterioles andcapillaries
Æ bacterial endocarditis
Æ congenital cardiovascular defects
Æ congestive heart failure
Æ valvular heart disease
Æ hypertensive disease
Æ diseases of pulmonary circulation
Æ diseases of veins and lymphatics
Hardening of the arteries, oratheroscelerosis, is when the inner wallsof the arteries become more narrow due toa buildup of plaque. Blood clots form, soless blood can get through. This can causeheart attacks and strokes.
High blood pressure, also calledhypertension, means the pressure in yourarteries is consistently above the normalrange. Blood pressure is the force ofblood pushing against blood vessel walls.It is written as two numbers, such as122/78 mm Hg. The top (systolic) numberis the pressure when the heart beats. Thebottom (diastolic) number is the pressurewhen the heart is at rest. High bloodpressure is a consistently elevatedpressure of 140 mm Hg systolic or higherand/or 90 mm Hg diastolic or higher. Thegreat danger is that you usually can’t tellyou have high blood pressure. There areno signs, so you must see a doctor everyyear. Also, no one knows exactly whatcauses it. High blood pressure can lead tohardened arteries, stroke or heart attack.
Heart attacks occur when the blood flowto a part of the heart is blocked, often by ablood clot. If this clot cuts off the flowcompletely, the part of the heart musclesupplied by that artery begins to die.
Heart failure means that your heart isn’tpumping blood as well as it should. Itkeeps working, but the body doesn’t getall the blood and oxygen it needs. See adoctor if you notice either of thesesymptoms:
Æ swelling in the feet, ankles and legs,called edema
Æ fluid build up in lungs, called“pulmonary congestion”
Stroke and TIA (Warning Stroke)happens when a blood vessel that suppliesoxygen to the brain gets clogged or bursts.Then that part of the brain can’t work andneither can the part of the body it controls.Major risk factors of stroke areuncontrolled high blood pressure,smoking, diabetes, carotid artery diseaseand heart disease.
Know the warning signs of a heartattack and stroke
Warning signs of heart attack:
Æ Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezingpain in the center of chest that lasts morethan a few minutes or goes away and comesback
Æ Pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck, andarms
Æ Chest discomfort with lightheadedness,fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness ofbreath.
Less common warning signs of heart attack:
Æ Atypical chest, stomach or abdominal pain.
Æ Nausea and dizziness
Æ Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing(without chest pain)
Æ Unexplained anxiety, weakness or fatigue
Æ Palpitations, cold sweat or paleness
Not all of these signs occur in every attack.Sometimes they go away and return. If someoccur, get help fast. If you notice one or more ofthese signs in another person, call 911.
Warning signs and symptoms of stroke:
Æ Sudden weakness or numbness of face, armor leg especially on one side of the body
Æ Sudden confusion, trouble speaking orunderstanding
Æ Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Æ Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss ofbalance or coordination
Æ Sudden severe headache with no knowncause
Women and strokeStroke is a woman’s problem too. Stroke is thethird leading cause of death for American womenafter diseases of the heart and cancer. It claimsmore than twice as many lives as breast cancer.Get more statistical facts about women andstroke from:
http://www.americanheart.org
Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLifeExtension Service are open to all people without regard torace, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origin.The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Departmentof Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of
Texas Cooperating
Women and HeartDisease
Understanding the risks and symptoms of
cardiovascular disease.
