Cardiovascular diseases include all illnesses affecting both heart and blood vessels. These pathologies can be caused by a variety of factors ranging from viral infections to chromosomal abnormalities and may arise as secondary complications to other diseases or conditions within the body. In most cases, the cause of a cardiac disease is not known.
However it is possible to make a quite comprehensive list of the most frequent and well known illnesses that affect the human cardiovascular system.
The incidence and the prevalence of the cardiovascular diseases depend on the individual condition of health, life style and diet. Ageing has also a big influence on the functionality of the cardiovascular system.

Congenital defects and inherited disorders - Congenital heart disease is a type of defect or malformation in one or more structures of the heart or blood vessels that occurs before birth. Congenital heart defects may produce symptoms at birth, during childhood and sometimes not until adulthood.

Coronary heart disease – This disorder is caused by the atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. Atherosclerosis is when the arteries become clogged and narrowed, restricting blood flow to the heart. Without adequate blood, the heart becomes starved of oxygen and vital nutrients it needs to work properly. This condition can frequently lead to an heart attack.

Hypertension - People who suffer from hypertension have blood pressure higher than usual. The effects of hypertension can be felt throughout the entire cardiovascular system, and people with this disease are at risk of damaging their heart, kidneys, eyes, and even brain.

Cardiac dysrhythmias - Cardiac dysrhythmias, or arrhythmias are disorders of the regular rhythmic beating of the heart. They are quite common and they can occur in a healthy heart and be of minimal consequence. However, sometimes the cardiac dysrhythmias may also indicate a serious problem and lead to heart disease, stroke or sudden cardiac death.

Cardiomyopathy – This pathology, also known as heart muscle disease, is a type of progressive heart disease in which the heart is abnormally enlarged, thickened and/or stiffened. As a result, the heart muscle's ability to pump blood is weakened, often causing heart failure and the backup of blood into the lungs or rest of the body. The disease can also cause abnormal heart rhythms.

Heart valve disease – It occurs when your heart's valves do not work the way they should. There are several types of valve disease that can lead to different dysfunctions.

Vascular disease – In this category is included any condition that affects your circulatory system. This ranges from dysfunction of your arteries, veins and lymph vessels to blood disorders that affect circulation. Illness such as stroke, pulmonary embolism and thrombosis are considered vascular disease.

Congestive heart failure – When your heart is unable to supply enough oxygen and nutrients to meet the body's needs you experiment an heart failure. It means that the heart's pumping power is weaker than normal, blood moves through the heart and body at a slower rate, and pressure in the heart increases.

Pericardial disease – Pericardial disease, or pericarditis, is inflammation of any of the layers of the pericardium, the thin fibrous membrane sac that surrounds the heart.

Retour