In general, Cardiovascular disease describes a range of disorders that affect the heart. Narrowing of the blood vessels is a common form of heart disease. CVD encompasses diseases including coronary artery disease; heart rhythm problems, or arrhythmias; heart infections; and congenital heart defects.
There are a number of factors responsible for an individual to develop heart diseases. Some of them may include being overweight, lack of physical activity, improper nutrient supply in our body. Depression and the feeling of isolation may also contribute to the causes of such heart diseases.
Major causes of cardiovascular diseases are as below:
Smoking
Yes! It is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. Smoking may reduce the amount of oxygen present in our blood due to damaged blood vessels.
Just a couple of cigarettes severely damage the heart.
Not only this, it causes “stickier” artery walls leading to forming of clots which further causes a stroke or a heart attack.
Diabetes
Diabetes also causes damage to blood vessels therefore contributing to cardiovascular diseases. Insulin resistance increases risk of coronary heart disease. Some steps to control and manage your diabetes for a longer period are as below:
Learn about Diabetes
Get routine care to stay healthy
High Total Blood Cholesterol
Anything in excess may be dangerous and this best suits the case here. In certain amount cholesterol is necessary for the normal functioning of the body but in excess is a total disaster for your heart.
If the blood cholesterol reading is high it may lead to high LDL level which is a ‘Bad’ cholesterol build up in arteries. This narrows the arteries and makes it harder for the blood to flow. It further leads to lack of oxygen to the heart. This can cause a heart attack or a brain stroke.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
In women, PCOS is the major cause for heart diseases. If you know you have this risk factor, it is important to take immediate action. Higher level of insulin is associated with PCOS and thus increases the risk for a heart attack and stroke.
High Blood Pressure
Usually hypertension is defined as high blood pressure and is considered severe if untreated and may further cause heart disease and strokes. The excessive pressure on your artery walls is caused by high blood pressure and may further damage your blood vessels as well as other organs in your body. It may further lead to complications as below:
- Heart failure
- Stroke or Heart attack
- Weakened and narrowed blood vessels in your kidneys
- Dementia
What Next?
The first step was to know the causes of cardiovascular diseases. Here comes the next step which is to reduce the chances of developing it.
It is better to consider having healthy diet, physical activity, weight management. These small changes may help support your cardiovascular health. Also seek immediate medical care in case you have below heart symptoms.
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Fainting
- Swollen feet or ankles
- Also, when detected early, heart disease is easier to treat. So take medical consultation without a second thought.
