Cardiovascular Disease Information

Cardiovascular Disease - Cardiovascular Disease refers to several diseases that affect your heart and blood vessels. Types of cardiovascular disease affecting the blood vessels include stroke, high blood pressure, and aortic aneurism. Types affecting the heart include syncope, rheumatic heart disease, and heart attack. Many kinds of cardiovascular disease share common risk factors (such as smoking and obesity), and most can be treated with lifestyle changes and medications.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is a group of different disorders that affect your heart and blood vessels and not just one single disease. Some people are born with it while others develop it during their lifetime. Because there are so many types, it is common to separate them as follows:

Heart (the "cardio" part of cardiovascular) Blood vessels (the "vascular" part of cardiovascular). Statistics - In 2006, 631,636 people died of heart disease. Heart disease caused 26% of deaths-more than one in every four-in the United States. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2006 were women.1 In 2005, 445,687 people died from coronary heart disease.2 Every year about 785,000 Americans have a first heart attack. Another 470,000 who have already had one or more heart attacks have another attack.3 In 2009, heart disease will cost the United States $304.6 billion.3This total includes the cost of health care services, medications and lost productivity.

Data Sources: www.cdc.gov  
  1. Heron MP, Hoyert DL, Murphy SL, Xu JQ, Kochanek KD, Tejada-Vera B. Deaths: Final data for 2006 [PDF-2.3M]. National Vital Statistics Reports. 2009;57(14). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
  2. Heron MP. Deaths: Leading causes for 2004 [PDF-3.2M]. National Vital Statistics Reports. 2007;56(5). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
  3. Lloyd-Jones D, Adams R, Carnethon M, et al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2009 Update. A Report from the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Circulation. 2009;119:e21-e181.
Risk Factors - Some conditions as well as some lifestyle factors can put people at a higher risk for developing heart disease. All persons can take steps to lower their risk of heart disease and heart attack by addressing these risk factors:
  • Inactivity
  • Obesity
  • High blood pressure
  • Cigarette smoking
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetes
To lower your risk on contracting heart disease, you should eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, don't smoke, limit alcohol use and prevent or treat medical conditions. Learn more, including the different types of heart conditions that are defined as heart disease at www.cdc.gov  

Want to be Heart Healthy?

Heart360TM is a convenient and secure location for you to track and manage your heart health. The results of this American Heart Association online assessment can help you map a successful heart health plan with your doctor. Take the assessment now at: https://www.heart360.org/Default.aspx.


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