Cardiovascular Cardiovascular DiseaseDisease

Senior Health- Bauberger

The Leading Cause of Death in The Leading Cause of Death in AmericaAmerica

• Heart disease and strokes are the most common cardiovascular diseases

• They are the 1st and 3rd leading causes of death for men and women in the United States

• Heart disease and strokes account for more than 35% of all deaths

• More than 870,000 Americans die of heart disease and strokes every year, ~2,400 people a day

StatisticsStatistics• 1 in 3 Americans live with one or more types of CV disease

• 73 million people currently live with high blood pressure

• 5.8 million currently living have suffered a stroke

• 5.3 million living have suffered heart failure

• 8.1 million living have had a heart attack

• The avg. age suffering from heart disease lowers each year…

Why?Why?

Heart Disease Death Rates for Heart Disease Death Rates for Morris CountyMorris County

Heart Disease Death Rates, Total Population, Ages 35+, 1996 – 2000 

Race/Ethinicity  Rate* 

Total Population 529 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

American Indian & Alaska Natives Insufficient data

Asian and Pacific Islanders 182

African Americans 589

Hispanics 235

Caucasians 523

Types of Cardiovascular DiseasesTypes of Cardiovascular Diseases

1. Hypertension2. High Blood Cholesterol3. Heart Murmur4. Arrhythmia5. Atherosclerosis6. Heart Attack7. Congestive Heart Failure8. Stroke

HypertensionHypertension

• Blood pressure of 140/90 or higher• The “silent killer”• Leads to heart disease• Increases blood pressure puts strain on

heart and vessels• 1 out of 3 American adults have

hypertension• Can reduce risk by exercising regularly,

maintaining healthy weight, reducing stress, and eating foods low in sodium

High Blood CholesterolHigh Blood Cholesterol• Cholesterol is transported in blood by lipoproteins:

– Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol to body tissues for use or storage. It is the “bad” cholesterol because it builds up plaque on artery walls.

– High-density lipoproteins (HDL) pick up extra cholesterol from body tissues and carry it to the liver. It’s the “good” cholesterol because it cleans your arteries of excess cholesterol.

– LDL level should be lower than 129 mg/dL – HDL level should be 40 mg/dL or higher

Heart MurmurHeart Murmur• Irregular heart beat• Not an actual disease but an indicator of

disease• Can be innocent or abnormal• Abnormal can be due to congenital heart

defect or heart valve problems• Innocent often disappear with age (most

children are born with a heart murmur)• Those with innocent heart murmurs have

healthy hearts

ArrhythmiaArrhythmia• Irregular heartbeats (twitching)• A form of heart disease• Heart may be beating too slowly or too quickly with

an uneven rhythm• May result from damage of a heart attack or

spontaneously• Fibrillation is a deadly arrhythmia in which the heart

twitches rapidly (Defibrillation is the only way to control this type)

• Some can be controlled by medications, others require implantation of an artificial pacemaker

AtherosclerosisAtherosclerosis• Disease in which fatty substances build up inside

artery walls (plaque), causing artery walls to narrow and thicken, making it very difficult for blood to flow and increases blood pressure– Arteriosclerosis: hardening of the arteries, develops when

arteries lose their elasticity– Coronary Heart Disease: Occurs when atherosclerosis

develops in the arteries that supply the heart, decreasing blood flow to the heart

– Angina Pectoris: Chest pain that occurs when an area of the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood

AtherosclerosisAtherosclerosis

Heart AttackHeart Attack• Occurs when tissue in the heart doesn’t

receive its normal blood supply and dies

• Cause is usually a blood clot formed in the coronary artery which has been narrowed by atherosclerosis

• The more heart tissue that dies due to lack of oxygen, the more severe the attack

• Four major risk factors:– High blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol,

physical inactivity, and smoking

Heart AttackHeart Attack

Heart AttackHeart Attack

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8P3n6GKBSY

Congestive Heart FailureCongestive Heart Failure• A condition in which the heart slowly

weakens over time

• Years of atherosclerosis and high blood pressure can lead to this condition

• As the heart weakens, it’s less able to pump blood, only treated by meds that relax blood vessels and decrease strain on the heart

• Swelling of the feet and lower legs can be symptoms

StrokeStroke• A sudden disruption of blood flow to part of the brain• Occurs when an artery that supplies blood to an area of the

brain is blocked, either caused by atherosclerosis or a clot

• Can also occur when a weakened artery in brain bursts and floods the area. If burst artery is located in the cerebrum of the brain, the stroke = cerebral hemorrhage

• An aneurysm is a blood-filled spot that balloons out from the artery wall and bursts -> usually deadly.

• Effects can depend on location and severity:– Brain damage affecting senses, speech, comprehension, etc– Paralysis on one side of the body– Death (over 1/3 result in death)

StrokeStrokeCerebral Hemorrhage Stroke

Risk Factors / PreventionRisk Factors / Prevention

• Risks you cannot control:– Heredity (family history)– Ethnicity (African Americans have highest rates

of heart disease)– Gender (Men are more likely to suffer heart

attacks, women are more likely to suffer strokes)– Age (As age increases, so does risk of disease)

• More young people than ever before are being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease

Risk Factors / PreventionRisk Factors / Prevention

• Risks you can control:– Maintain a healthy weight– Eat a healthy diet– Stay physically active– Manage stress– Monitor blood pressure– Avoid smoking and drinking

Treating Cardiovascular Treating Cardiovascular DiseaseDisease

• Cardiovascular diseases can’t be cured but can often be controlled Testing:– MRI, Electriocardiogram (ECG),

Echocardiogram (EKG), Arteriography

• Treatment:– Balloon Angioplasty, Coronary Bypass

Surgery, Artificial Pacemaker, Heart Transplant

References

• http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/AAG/dhdsp.htm

• http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/giscvh2/• http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/

cdisease/cardiovascular/cardiovascular.html#A1

• http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/heartmurmur/hmurmur_what.html