Diseases that affect the cardiovascular system were responsible for about one in three deaths in 2006 in the United States. That total of more than 831,000 deaths was the leading cause of death, ahead of 560,000 deaths due to cancer, according to the American Heart Association. Mayo Clinic staff say heart disease causes about 40 percent of all deaths in the U.S. Although the term is commonly used interchangeably with heart disease, cardiovascular disease refers more specifically to narrowing or blocked blood vessels that result in related diseases like heart attack, high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke.
Angina and Heart Attack
Angina, or chest pain, and heart attack can result from narrowing blood vessels and blockages. The narrowing or blockage most often comes from plaque buildup in blood vessels, which is in turn related to cholesterol buildup. Both medication and lifestyle approaches can reduce cholesterol. The American Heart Association states that ruptured plaque can cause a blood clot, which can block a blood vessel that feeds the heart. This blockage causes the chest pain called angina or a heart attack. According to Mid-Atlantic Surgical Associates, angina may be a temporary condition or a symptom of a heart attack, in which permanent damage occurs to the heart.
Stroke
Stroke signifies damage to the brain rather than the heart. When a blood clot cuts off blood flow to the brain, brain damage occurs, in contrast to a clot that blocks blood flow to the heart, causing heart muscle damage. The damage to the brain also affects the parts of the body that area of the brain controls, according to the American Heart Association.
Hypertension
Narrowed blood vessels result in high blood pressure, or hypertension, above the normal range of about 120/80 Hg. The first number is the pressure created as the heart pumps (systolic) and the second number is the pressure of the heart at rest (diastolic). The AHA states if either number goes over 140/90 Hg, high blood pressure results, which can lead to heart failure, stroke or a heart attack. You may have high blood pressure and not realize it because you have no symptoms.
Heart Failure
When your heart doesn't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs, heart failure may be diagnosed. Whether it is congestive heart failure or chronic heart failure, the condition is serious. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that the condition needs immediate attention. It may be treated with medication, but the only cure is a heart transplant.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Plaque buildup in the arteries may bring on peripheral arterial disease, commonly called hardening of the arteries. You may notice swelling of your arms and legs because blood flow is too low or may even be blocked from your appendages. The CDC states the disease is a result of atherosclerosis. Other symptoms may be numbness and tingling in your extremities as well as pain in your legs and swelling in your ankles and feet.
Related Diseases
Less common disease that affect the cardiovascular system include arrhythmias (irregular, slow or fast heartbeats), congenital heart defects, which are malformations at birth and rheumatic heart disease. The CDC states that rheumatic heart disease damages the heart valves through bacterial infection. You may also suffer an aortic aneurysm and dissection. This is where the aorta stretches and ruptures. Such a rupture requires immediate medical care.
