Cardiovascular disease is also known as heart disease. It is inclusive of several different illnesses that include: heart failure, heart attack, coronary artery disease, vascular disease, aorta disease, heart valve disease, pericardial disease, and abnormal heart rhythms. Some of these illness are more prevalent than other, such as heart attack, high blood pressure, and congestive heart failure. Cardiovascular disease is a malady that can be very detrimental if the patient is not properly cared for. From here on out, cardiovascular disease will be referred to as CVD. .
Definition of CVD.
The cardiovascular system includes the heart and blood vessels. The heart is a muscle that drives blood throughout the circulatory system. According to the In Family Medical Guide, "To function properly, your heart requires a constant supply of blood, which provides oxygen and other nutrients to the heart muscle" (Wiley, 2004). As the heart pumps blood it uses blood vessels to circulate blood throughout the entire body. The arteries go through a cycle of carrying blood away from the heart to tissues and organs and then returns back to the heart where the cycle of circulation begins again. There are three major coronary arteries that transport the blood supply throughout the body. When these coronary arteries become constricted it can reduce or block the flow of blood back to the heart. For some individuals this could potentially cause the block of blood flow to the heart and the reduction of oxygen. When this happens it could potentially lead to CVD (Wiley, 2004). .
Prevalence1.
CVD is a deadly killer among men and women. This disease is more harmful to humans than many other diseases. For women, their risk increases to acquire CVD after they go through menopause. CVD is a disease that results from the things that men and women do to themselves. The things that people do to themselves that fall into this category are: not exercising enough, poor eating habits, and substance abuse (Wiley, 2004).
