The harmful effects of cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease is a condition where the heart or the blood vessels supplying it are malfunctioning, causing the heart's function to decline and fail to pump enough blood to nourish other parts of the body. This leads to the stagnation of organ function, eventually destroying organs and ultimately causing death.
Depending on the specific type and severity of heart disease, the consequences can vary. Mild cases may cause dizziness, headaches, shortness of breath, etc., affecting the quality of life; in the long term, if left untreated, the disease will worsen and may lead to serious consequences such as myocardial infarction and stroke.
According to numerous statistics, heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, with the number of deaths due to heart disease exceeding that of any other cause. In Vietnam, in 2016, deaths from heart disease accounted for 31% of all deaths.
This shows that it is essential to raise public awareness about cardiovascular disease, its harmful effects, causes, and prevention methods in order to minimize the rate of people suffering from cardiovascular-related diseases.Heart disease is the leading cause of death.
Causes of cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease has two types:
Congenital heart disease
These are defects of the heart muscle, heart valves, and heart chambers that occur during fetal development and do not disappear after birth. When certain heart structures are defective, the heart's function and activity are affected, and the extent to which these defects impact the patient's life varies depending on the type and severity of the defect.
Congenital heart disease is a common birth defect and a leading cause of death among congenital diseases in young children. However, with advancements in technology, heart defects can now be detected early during prenatal ultrasound examinations.
There are two main causes of congenital heart disease:
Genetic factors:
Genetics is considered the biggest reason for birth defects in children, especially heart defects. If a parent or any relative in the family has congenital heart disease, the child has a higher risk of developing the condition. In some cases, even if neither parent carries the disease gene, if both carry the disease gene, the child still has a high risk of congenital heart disease.
Toxic infections or illnesses during pregnancy:
During the first three months of pregnancy, if the mother is infected with viruses such as Rubella or Herpes, or has lupus or diabetes, the child is at risk of developing various congenital diseases, including heart defects.
Mothers who live in toxic environments or are frequently exposed to X-rays have a higher risk of pregnancy-induced toxemia, and their fetuses are also more likely to develop birth defects.
Similarly, pregnant women who frequently consume alcohol, tobacco, and stimulants, as well as those who use certain medications, have a higher risk of giving birth to children with birth defects.Acquired heart disease
These are heart-related diseases that are not due to congenital heart defects. The causes of cardiovascular diseases are often unhealthy lifestyle and dietary habits such as frequent smoking, lack of exercise, chronic stress, a high-fat diet, frequent alcohol consumption, obesity, high salt intake, diabetes, high cholesterol... or complications from a chronic disease. These causes are very common in men, especially in middle age.
However, nowadays, due to various factors, the lifestyles and eating habits of many young people are unhealthy and unscientific. This has led to cardiovascular diseases becoming increasingly prevalent among younger people. In fact, many people in their early 20s are already suffering from heart attacks and strokes, diseases that previously only occurred in the elderly and middle-aged.
Common acquired cardiovascular diseases include:
Coronary artery disease is a condition in which plaque or cholesterol builds up on the walls of arteries, narrowing the arteries, reducing blood flow, and limiting the supply of oxygen and nutrients to other parts of the body.
The plaques that accumulate become thicker and thicker, causing the heart's function to progressively deteriorate.
The symptoms of this disease are not clear; usually, patients will only experience a feeling of heaviness in the chest, chest pain during exertion, and in some cases, headache, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
To detect and treat diseases promptly, regular health checkups are necessary. Adopting a healthy diet and exercising daily will improve heart health and minimize the risk of coronary artery disease in particular, and other cardiovascular diseases in general.
Stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident, occurs when blood circulation to the brain is interrupted or severely reduced, causing a lack of oxygen and nutrients to brain tissue, leading to the death of brain cells and resulting in many severe consequences for the patient; in severe cases, it can be fatal.
Types of stroke include: cerebral vasospasm, transient ischemic attack, cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, and cerebral hemorrhage.
The symptoms of the disease are very clear: severe headaches, dizziness, weakness in the limbs, and coma.
There are two causes of the disease:
High blood pressure: People with high blood pressure have a very high risk of stroke because increased blood pressure on the blood vessel walls causes dilation and damage to the vessel walls. Then, according to the body's mechanism, platelets and fibrin fibers will move to repair the atherosclerosis, inadvertently forming blood clots. These blood clots travel within the blood vessels and reach the brain, causing blockages and leading to stroke.
Atherosclerosis: This condition causes blood vessels to narrow, hindering blood flow. When atherosclerotic plaques break off, they form blood clots.
To reduce the risk of stroke, it is necessary to control blood pressure well and minimize atherosclerosis through a healthy lifestyle and regular health check-ups.ripheral artery disease (PAD): occurs when plaque from fats, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances builds up in the arteries. Over time, this plaque hardens, causing the arteries to narrow.
Peripheral arterial occlusion has two forms:
Buerger's disease
(Triple arteritis): occurs in young people (under 40 years old), heavy smokers, the disease lasts for many years, and 95% require amputation.
Inflammation and blockage of arteries due to atherosclerosis:
It occurs in people with high blood pressure and lipid metabolism disorders.
Symptoms of peripheral artery disease are also quite vague, such as a few sharp pains in the calf when walking that quickly subside after 5-10 minutes. In some cases, there may be discomfort, pale skin, cold skin, and the appearance of slow-healing ulcers, etc.
Rheumatic heart valve disease: an autoimmune disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus beta-hemolyticus.
When infected, the body produces antibodies to destroy the pathogen, but Streptococcus beta-hemolyticus has a structure very similar to that of joint tissue and heart valves, so the antibodies cannot distinguish between them, attacking and damaging joint tissue and heart valves, causing swelling, narrowing or leakage of heart valves due to deformation, and heart failure.
This disease is more common in young women and is a complication of streptococcal pharyngitis. It develops silently with symptoms such as polyarthritis, joint pain, myocarditis, fever, and the appearance of subcutaneous nodules, etc.
The disease is treated with antibiotics to eliminate the streptococcal bacteria.
Aortic dissection (thoracic aorta) : This is a condition where the aorta, which supplies blood to the body, weakens and bulges, leading to a rupture. The rupture in the aortic wall causes massive bleeding, resulting in rapid death. This condition has a high mortality rate, up to 95% even in the early stages. The causes remain hypertension or atherosclerosis, or trauma that increases the risk of aortic aneurysm.
Cardiomyopathy: occurs when the heart muscle weakens and fails to pump enough blood to nourish the body. This condition can easily lead to sudden death if not detected and treated promptly.
The disease is caused by the invasion of various viruses, especially Coxsackie virus, the use of certain medications or chemicals, and increased thyroid hormone levels.
People with early-stage cardiomyopathy often have few symptoms, but as the disease progresses, they may experience shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, leg swelling, and other symptoms.
The disease can be prevented through healthy lifestyle habits and increased immunity. When experiencing symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath, it is necessary to visit medical facilities for examination and further tests to identify and treat the condition early, limiting serious complications.
When experiencing suspicious symptoms or having been diagnosed with heart disease, patients should have regular check-ups with a cardiologist to monitor their health, prevent the risk of complications, and address any complications promptly.
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Effective ways to prevent cardiovascular disease.
To prevent and limit the progression of cardiovascular diseases, in addition to regular health checkups, it is necessary to exercise regularly and maintain a healthy and appropriate lifestyle:
No smoking, no drinking alcohol, no using stimulants.
A healthy diet, limiting unhealthy fats and sugars, and consuming a balanced diet of all food groups is essential for optimal health.
Maintain a stable weight, avoid gaining too much weight too quickly, and prevent obesity.
Get enough sleep and reduce stress and anxiety
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