Index
- Major Cardiovascular Risk Factors
- Key Facts on Cardiovascular Disease
- The most common cardiovascular diseases
- What is meant by cardiovascular risk?
- The two main categories of cardiovascular risk
- Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors
- Non-modifiable risk factors
Major Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Cardiovascular disorders are among the health problems that affect the most people around the world. They involve both heart problems and vascular disease. Children, young people, adults and seniors are all affected. However, everyone is different in terms of their risk of contracting this type of disease. Indeed, different factors act to promote its occurrence. In what follows, light will be shed on the main cardiovascular risk factors.
Key Facts on Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease includes all disorders and damage to the heart, arteries and blood vessels. It is the leading cause of death worldwide according to the WHO. The majority of deaths related to this type of disease occur in low- and middle-income countries. Fortunately, it is possible to prevent this type of disorder by acting on certain factors. In any case, early detection is advisable so that the disorder can be managed as quickly as possible.
The most common cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular damage is very numerous. The most frequent of them are :
- Disorders of the blood vessels that supply the brain or cerebrovascular disease
- Coronary heart disease or damage to the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle
- Peripheral arterial disease. They concern all the blood vessels in charge of feeding the legs and arms
- Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms. The latter refer to an obstruction of the veins located in the legs by a blood clot
- Heart disease that affects the heart valves and muscles
Apart from the various cardiovascular diseases mentioned above, congenital heart malformations are also among the cardiovascular pathologies. However, they are not very frequent. Strokes and heart attacks are mainly caused by blocked arteries. The blockage prevents blood from reaching the heart or brain. Generally, strokes and heart attacks are caused by fatty deposits forming on the inner walls of blood vessels.
What is meant by cardiovascular risk?
Preventing cardiovascular pathologies means above all knowing how to recognize the main risks. In fact, cardiovascular risk is the likelihood of heart disease or damage to the arteries and veins.
A variety of factors can cause this risk. In addition, each individual may be exposed to one or more of these risk factors. And when there are many of them, their effects do not add up. In fact, they are potentiated. This means that they aggravate each other. So it's important to recognize and identify all the risk factors you are exposed to in order to reduce or eliminate them. This identification is done in consultation with your doctor. It is then up to your doctor to carry out an overall cardiovascular risk assessment.
The two main categories of cardiovascular risk
Although cardiovascular risks are many and varied, they can be classified into two broad categories: risks that cannot be changed and those on which certain actions can be taken.
Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors
This category includes all factors that can be perfectly controlled. These are mainly factors relating to a person's lifestyle habits and which can influence his or her health status.
- Smoking - the effects of smoking on artery health are different depending on how long you smoke. For example, in the short term, smoking can cause narrowing of the arteries. It can also cause blood clots and heart rhythm disorders. In the long term, smoking damages the arteries.
- Overweight and obesity - when a person's body mass index (BMI) exceeds 25, they are overweight. Above 30, it is called obesity. Excess fat in both of these weight problems can affect cardiovascular health.
- Physical inactivity - not exercising more than 30 minutes a day can increase cardiovascular risk.
- Stress - when chronic, stress can lead to increased blood pressure as well as increased blood sugar levels.
Non-modifiable risk factors
This category includes all the inherent characteristics of the person who is affected by cardiovascular disorders.
- Gender and age - researchers have shown that men over 50 years of age are more likely to have a heart attack or heart condition. For women, the age limit is This difference can be explained by the fact that women benefit from the protection of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
- Family history - family history of cardiovascular health is also a risk factor that cannot be Indeed, according to researchers, if you have a close relative with cardiovascular disease, you are more likely to suffer from it yourself. This history is mostly related to stroke before age 45 and myocardial infarction before age 55 in the father or brother and before age 65 in the sister or mother.
