Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death around the world and it is estimated that almost 17.3 million people die as a result of one such disease or another. This figure corresponds to almost 30% of all deaths in the world.
The treatments available, and particularly the drugs, nevertheless make it possible to treat these diseases with varying degrees of efficacy.
That said, the first line treatment for cardiovascular disease remains prevention. It is in fact quite easy to reduce the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease fairly significantly, simply by changing our lifestyles: diet, physical activity, stopping smoking, stopping drinking alcohol...
Cardiovascular disease requires long term management and often has a significant impact on daily life. Do not hesitate to talk with other people concerned so as to exchange practical advice or opinions about the different treatments, or simply to share your story. Patients with cardiovascular disease also have very specific requirements. This is why you must not hesitate to give your opinion – through surveys for example – to improve existing patient management strategies.
Different types of cardiovascular disease
There is no common definition of cardiovascular disease, since we are talking about many different diseases. The most common types are:
Coronary heart disease: the most common heart condition, which affects blood vessels that supply the heart, causing angina and heart attack.
Cerebrovascular disease: affects blood vessels that supply the brain, causing strokes.
Peripheral arterial disease: narrowing of the arteries to the legs, stomach, head and arms, which affects blood supply and thus causes cramps and pain.
Aortic disease: the aortic blood vessel becomes weak and bulges, causing pain in either back, chest or stomach.
Congenital heart disease: heart abnormality present at birth. Often does not cause any symptoms till adulthood, or does not cause symptoms at all.
You can find additional information on the Cardiovascular Disease Forum.
Source: British Heart Foundation
Published 4 Oct 2017
