What is cvd

A heart attack occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked by a blood clot. If this clot cuts off the blood flow completely, the part of the heart muscle supplied by that artery begins to die. Most people survive their first heart attack and return to their normal lives, enjoying many more years of productive activity. But experiencing a heart attack does mean that you need to make some changes.

The medications and lifestyle changes that your doctor recommends may vary according to how badly your heart was damaged, and to what degree of heart disease caused the heart attack.

An ischemic stroke the most common type of stroke occurs when a blood vessel that feeds the brain gets blocked, usually from a blood clot.

When the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off, some brain cells will begin to die. This can result in the loss of functions controlled by that part of the brain, such as walking or talking. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel within the brain bursts. This is most often caused by uncontrolled hypertension high blood pressure. Some effects of stroke are permanent if too many brain cells die after being starved of oxygen. These cells are never replaced.

Over time, as injured cells repair themselves, previously impaired function improves. In other cases, undamaged brain cells nearby may take over for the areas of the brain that were injured. Either way, strength may return, speech may get better and memory may improve.

This recovery process is what stroke rehabilitation is all about. Heart failure can get worse if left untreated. Arrhythmia refers to an abnormal heart rhythm. There are various types of arrhythmias. The heart can beat too slow, too fast or irregularly. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect your heart. Heart diseases include: Blood vessel disease, such as coronary artery disease Heart rhythm problems arrhythmias Heart defects you're born with congenital heart defects Heart valve disease Disease of the heart muscle Heart infection.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Chambers and valves of the heart Open pop-up dialog box Close. Chambers and valves of the heart A typical heart has two upper and two lower chambers.

Development of atherosclerosis Open pop-up dialog box Close. Development of atherosclerosis If you have too many cholesterol particles in your blood, cholesterol may accumulate on your artery walls.

More Information Heart disease care at Mayo Clinic Heart disease prevention Omega-3 in fish Red wine, antioxidants and resveratrol Can vitamins help prevent a heart attack? Fasting diet: Can it improve my heart health?

Healthy heart for life: Avoiding heart disease Fact or Fiction? Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references What is cardiovascular disease? American Heart Association. Accessed Oct. Heart-healthy living. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Riggin EA. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. Ferry AV, et al. Presenting symptoms in men and women diagnosed with myocardial infarction using sex-specific criteria.

Journal of the American Heart Association. Symptoms, diagnosis and monitoring of arrhythmia. Overview of congenital cardiovascular anomalies. Merck Manual Professional Version. Congenital heart defects. What is cardiomyopathy? What is heart inflammation? Heart failure. Accessed Nov. Bonow RO, et al. Elsevier; Grundy SM, et al. Related Blood tests for heart disease Can vitamins help prevent a heart attack? Chelation therapy for heart disease: Does it work?

If your blood pressure is too high, it can damage your blood vessels. Read more about high blood pressure. Smoking and other tobacco use is also a significant risk factor for CVD. The harmful substances in tobacco can damage and narrow your blood vessels.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood. If you have high cholesterol, it can cause your blood vessels to narrow and increase your risk of developing a blood clot. Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes your blood sugar level to become too high. High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels, making them more likely to become narrowed. Many people with type 2 diabetes are also overweight or obese, which is also a risk factor for CVD.

If you don't exercise regularly, it's more likely that you'll have high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and be overweight. All of these are risk factors for CVD. Exercising regularly will help keep your heart healthy. When combined with a healthy diet, exercise can also help you maintain a healthy weight.

Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure, both of which are risk factors for CVD. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have a family history of CVD. They may suggest checking your blood pressure and cholesterol level. This is because people from these backgrounds are more likely to have other risk factors for CVD, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.

A healthy lifestyle can lower your risk of CVD. If you already have CVD, staying as healthy as possible can reduce the chances of it getting worse. If you smoke, you should try to give up as soon as possible.