Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most prevalent causes of death worldwide [1]. They affect every population without any discrimination. These diseases could be deadly; therefore, adopt preventive measures, change your lifestyle to escape them. There are several types of heart diseases affecting different members of the population. Some disorders are more common in childhood, while others prevail in adulthood. This article will discuss different types of heart diseases, their symptoms, causes, and treatment briefly.

 

What are the Types of Cardiovascular Diseases?

Several diseases and disorders come under the category of heart disease. Following is a brief account of all [2]:

• Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): also known as ischemic heart disease,
• Atherosclerosis: hardening of the blood vessels due to plaque deposits is called atherosclerosis.
• Arrhythmia: An abnormal heart rhythm is called arrhythmia. It is a common disorder.
• Congenital heart diseases: these are the diseases a child is born with. A number of different cardiac diseases are common at birth.
• Cardiomyopathy: in cardiomyopathy, the cardiac muscles weaken, and the heart function deteriorates.
• Cardiac infections: bacterial, viral, and parasitic heart infections can also occur.  

 

What are their Symptoms?

Different cardiovascular diseases manifest different signs and symptoms. However, some symptoms are common to all heart diseases. Following are some common signs and symptoms of heart diseases [3]:

• Lightheadedness
• Slow or rapid pulse
• Chest pain
• Weakness
• Racing heartbeat
• Dizziness
• Numbness
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Blue colored skin
• Fainting
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• A feeling of pressure on the chest
• Indigestion
• Feeling of flatulence
• Bloating
• Coughing, fever, chills, and skin rashes in case of cardiac infection

 

What are the causes of Cardiovascular Diseases?

 Different cardiovascular diseases are associated with different underlying pathology. Some of the causes might be the same, but there are several other causes too. Causes of various heart diseases are mentioned below [4]:

• Diabetes
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Hypertension
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Unhealthy eating habits
• Genetics
• Alcohol abuse
• Caffeine overuse
• Smoking
• Medications
• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Parasites
• Developmental disorders

 

What are the Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases?

A huge number of risk factors are associated with cardiac diseases. Fortunately, we can control many of them. Here is a list of some common risk factors which can be controlled:

• Smoking
• Alcohol abuse
• Obesity
• Hypertension
• Cholesterol
• Physical inactivity

On the other hand, uncontrollable risk factors are following:

• Age
• Sex
• Genetics
• ethnicity

 

What are the Treatment Options?

As several diseases come under the category of cardiovascular diseases; therefore, treatment options vary with each condition. Here is a general guideline for the treatment [5]:

• lifestyle changes: lifestyle changes are an easy escape from various diseases, medications, and surgeries. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, quitting smoking, and alcohol consumption are all healthy life takes.
• Medications: sometimes, when the lifestyle changes do not bring about desired results, drugs become essential.  
• Surgery: it is the final and invasive option when nothing else works. Some conditions can be treated by surgery only as no other method work for them.

 

 

 

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11767/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535419/#:~:text=Cardiovascular%20disease%20generally%20refers%20to,for%20primary%20prevention%20of%20CVD.
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4000924/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11767/#:~:text=The%20major%20risk%20factors%20for,in%20these%20known%20risk%20factors.
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535419/

 

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