The American Heart Association reports that cardiovascular diseases claimed the lives of 831,272 people in 2006, and that, as of 2006, 81,000,000 Americans had one or more forms of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease significantly affects a person's quality of life. Major diseases of the cardiovascular include heart attacks, stroke and congestive heart failure.
Heart Attacks
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute or NHLBI, a division of the National Institutes of Health, a heart attack occurs when circulation to a portion of the heart becomes blocked or interrupted. If blood flow to that section of the heart is not restored, the heart tissue will die from lack of oxygen. If a part of the heart dies, scar tissue will form and the overall functioning of the heart will decrease. The NHLBI notes that heart attack is the leading killer of American men and women, but that, fortunately, there are several effective treatments for heart attack that can save lives and ward off long-term disabilities. Treatment for heart attack is most successful if it's begun within one hour of symptom onset. Common heart attack signs and symptoms include chest pain or discomfort, back, neck, jaw or stomach pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea and feelings of impending doom.
Stroke
Strokes can be one of the most devastating problems associated with the cardiovascular system. According to the National Stroke Association or NSA, stroke is the third leading cause of death in America and is one of the most common causes of adult disability. The NSA notes that up to 80 percent of strokes are preventable. A stroke occurs when a blood clot obstructs blood flow to a region of the brain or a blood vessel ruptures. In both cases, brain cells will die and brain damage will result. After a stroke, the abilities controlled by the brain area that was damaged are lost. Lost abilities due to a stroke may include speech, motor functions and memory. Which functions---and the extent of impairment---largely depends on where the stroke occurred in the brain and how much of the brain was affected. It's common for stroke survivors to experience muscle weakness and partial paralysis. The NSA states that up to 2/3 of stroke survivors will have some type of disability.
Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure or CHF is a common disease of the cardiovascular system in the United States. According to the Mayo Clinic, CHF means that a person's heart cannot pump a sufficient amount of blood to meet the body's physiological demands. Contributing factors that weaken or stiffen the heart and prevent it from pumping blood efficiently include coronary artery disease and hypertension or elevated blood pressure. The Mayo Clinic notes that, although the conditions that cause CHF may not be reversible, CHF typically can be treated with good results. The conventional biomedical approach to CHF involves medications to treat the signs and symptoms of heart failure. Complementary alternative approaches to managing CHF include the following health behavior modifications and lifestyle changes: exercise, decreasing the quantity of dietary sodium, stress management, depression counseling and weight loss.
