Cardiovascular Diseases List

Have you been on the lookout for all the different types of cardiovascular diseases? Well then, here is a comprehensive cardiovascular diseases list that talks about the different cardiovascular diseases, their causes, symptoms and treatment.

Of all the various diseases and disorders, cardiovascular diseases and disorders are a leading cause of death, not only in the United States, but the world over, including third world countries. Cardiovascular diseases are becoming alarmingly frequent nowadays. This rise in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases can be attributed to an unhealthy lifestyle, which includes lack of exercise and gorging on fast food. So, in case you feel that you are leading an unhealthy lifestyle, then it is time to take a look at this cardiovascular diseases list to see all the cardiovascular diseases types, causes, symptoms and their treatment. Cardiovascular Diseases List

Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive Heart Failure Coronary Artery Disease Acute Myocardial Infarction Hypertension Cardiac Arrhythmia Cardiomegaly Miscellaneous Cardiovascular Diseases

Congestive heart failure is one of the most common conditions affecting the heart, thus, cementing its place in one of the top slots of cardiovascular diseases list. It is the failure of the heart to meet the body demands of adequate circulation for its metabolizing tissues. The different types of congestive heart failure are acute or chronic heart failure, high output or low output heart failure and left sided or right sided biventricular failure. There can also be compensated or decompensated heart failure.

Causes:

Symptoms: Left Heart Failure Symptoms

Myocardial causes, where there is myocardial dysfunction leading to reduced contractile force of the heart. The causes of this include viral infections like viral pneumonia, rheumatic fever, beri-beri, coronary heart disease, hypertension, diphtheria, amyloidosis, and degenerative diseases involving the heart. Mechanical lesions of the heart where there is a volume overload, as seen in valvular heart disease (aortic and mitral disease), syphilitic heart disease, as seen in the third stage of syphilis. Diseases interfering with diastolic filling of the heart, like constrictive pericarditis, pericardial effusion restrictive cardiomyopathy. Rhythm disturbances, especially in a compromised heart, since they reduce the end diastolic volume due to reduction in diastolic interval. These include atrial tachycardias, atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation and heart block. Conditions where there is an increased pressure on the heart to pump out more blood, like high fever, pregnancy or thyrotoxicosis.

Progressive breathlessness, that is more marked on exertion. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea attacks. Weakness, fatigue, palpitation and pain in the chest. Acute left heart failure is characterized by basal crepitations, tachycardia, cold extremities, facial pallor, hypertension and a galloping rhythm.

Right Heart Failure Symptoms

Generalized fatigue and weakness including cough, breathlessness, anorexia, abdominal distension, pain and dragging sensation in the right hypochondrium. Headache, restlessness, insomnia, weight gain, swelling of legs and feet, oliguria and nocturia. Physical signs include cyanosis, warm extremities, engorged neck veins, elevated jugular venous pressure, enlarged liver and edema over legs and feet. The size of the heart is generally within normal limits. Pulmonary diastolic murmur is seen due to pulmonary hypertension. Signs of pleural effusion maybe present.

Treatment:

Take adequate rest but maintain a certain minimum level of physical activity. A nutritious diet that is well-balanced and is low in calories and salt is very important. Frequent but small meals should be consumed. Evening meals should be light and adequate time interval should be maintained between the evening meals and the time of sleep.

Often after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure, the patient is confined to bed and the diet is either light and semi-solid or liquid. So a daily movement of bowels is desirable. Straining at stools must be avoided. In most cases there is need to take to drug therapy. They are mostly inotropic drugs that have a direct effect on the myocardium, by increasing the systolic contraction of the heart and thus increasing the cardiac output. Other drugs that are also used include diuretics and vasodilators.

Coronary Artery Disease Coronary artery disease, along with congestive heart failure, is one of the most common causes of death. Of all the diseases in this cardiovascular diseases list, coronary artery disease, or ischemic heart disease as it is commonly called, is the leading cause of morbidity in middle and elderly aged men. Causes:

High levels of cholesterol in the blood is a high risk factor and one of the main causes of coronary artery disease. Smoking is also one of the main causes for instigating coronary artery disease. Smoking leads to an increased level of nicotine and carbon monoxide in the blood, which significantly increases the risk of coronary heart disease. If hypertension reaches a crisis level, then there are high chances of it precipitating into a coronary artery disease. There are certain risk factors which have been implicated in coronary heart disease, like obesity, a high fat diet, diabetes mellitus, lack of physical activity etc.

Symptoms:

Treatment:

The most important coronary artery disease symptom seen is angina. Angina is a complex symptom that is characterized by acute substernal pain that is often produced by reversible myocardial ischemia. Classically the patient has pain in the retrosternal region, radiating to precordium inner side of left arm, shoulder and back. The pain maybe severely crushing or choking in nature and is often brought about by exertion or after a heavy meal and by walking in cold weather. It is accompanied by sweating, uneasiness and fear. This is the most vital symptom of arterial blockage in the heart and is also the main cardiovascular disease symptoms in women. Acute myocardial infarction. Chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy. Coronary heart disease present complications like acute left heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias and congestive failure.

Certain general measures like a change in lifestyle, reduction of smoking, resorting to a healthy diet by cutting down on high fat foods, regular exercise etc. For the treatment of angina, instant administration of sublingual nitrate in the form of nitroglycerine is done. This is the main line of

therapy. Other drugs that are used include beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. Acute Myocardial Infarction Of all the different types of heart diseases in this cardiovascular diseases list, acute myocardial infarction, which is commonly known as a heart attack, is one of the most common medical emergency conditions, which comes with a high mortality rate. A large number of myocardial infarction cases occur at rest, during sleep or sometimes after heavy exertion. Causes:

Symptoms:

Coronary artery blockage is by far the most common cause of acute myocardial infarction. Partial or complete blockage of one or more coronary arteries leads to an attack of myocardial infarction which may even culminate in sudden cardiac arrest and death. Other factors that may lead to an acute myocardial infarction attack include unstable angina, variant angina and hypoglycemia.

Chest pain, which is severe, constricting and resembles an angina attack. Also, the patient may seem restless, profusely sweating and be in a state of panic. These also sometimes manifest as heart attack warning signs. There may be symptoms of left heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular tachycardia, fibrillation or supraventricular tachycardia. Weak peripheral pulse, with cold and sweating extremities and visible pallor, accompanied by hypotension. The heart sound maybe muffled.

Treatment:

The first line of action in heart attack treatment is pain relief. A subcutaneous injection of pain reliever is given. If that fails to act, then a slow intravenous or subcutaneous injection of morphine is given. Oxygen is given via a mask. Continuous oxygen administration provides relief by improving myocardial oxygen supply. Certain drugs are used for the cure and treatment of heart attack. This includes low dose aspirin, certain sedative drugs, and even anti anxiety drugs. Fibrinolytic therapy is given to patients so as reduce the infarct size. These agents reduce the infarct size and the ventricular damage. They help restore coronary blood flow, thus, salvaging the myocardium. Streptokinase is the most commonly used fibrinolytic agent. Complete bed rest is enforced for the first 48 hours after an attack. Also, the patient should be preferably on a low fat diet, which should be a liquid diet for the first few days, and then should be slowly shifted to a semi-solid diet. If all these measures fail, then the only option left for a patient of myocardial infarction is surgery. The various surgery options include angioplasty and coronary artery bypass surgery.

Hypertension Hypertension is one of the most common conditions of all the conditions in most cardiovascular diseases list. Hypertension is a condition wherein the blood pressure of an individual is higher than normal blood pressure levels. Blood pressure is the product of the amount of blood pumped by the heart and the resistance to the flow of this blood by the vessels. It is mostly agreed upon that systolic above 160mm of Hg and diastolic above 95mm of Hg is what is considered high blood pressure. Causes:

Symptoms:

Acute or transient hypertension can be caused by acute glomerulonephritis, toxemia of pregnancy, acute intermittent porphyria, pheochromocytoma Certain kidney diseases like chronic nephritis, chronic pyelonephritis, congenital polycystic kidney, diabetic kimmelstiel wilson disease, post toxemic hypertension, kidney cancer. Endocrine disorders like Cushing's syndrome, acromegaly, adrenocortical tumors, thyrotoxicosis, hyperparathyroidism etc.

General symptoms include headache, palpitations, tinnitus, giddiness etc. If left untreated, it could lead to brain stem stroke, myocardial infarction. In later stages, the heart might also enlarge, leading to forceful heaving, apical impulse, second aortic sound is loud and accentuated. There may be mitral systolic murmur due to functional mitral insufficiency.

Treatment:

General measures for treatment for high blood pressure include a change in lifestyle like exercising more, switching to a diet to lower high blood pressure, reduce the salt intake, adequate rest and sleep, reduce intake of alcohol etc. These are basic steps that need to be taken for lowering high blood pressure. Drug therapy for hypertension includes the use of hypertension medications. These medicines include diuretics for high blood pressure. Use of beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, alpha blockers, ACE inhibitors etc.

Cardiac Arrhythmia Any kind of irregularity in the heartbeat is known as cardiac arrhythmia. Heart rate is controlled by a number of factors. These include the sympathetic and parasympathetic impulses. Cardiac arrhythmias can be very benign or can even be life-threatening. They can manifest as rapid or irregular heartbeats such as premature beats or as ventricular tachycardias or fibrillation. Many a time, cardiac arrhythmias may be the first manifestation of an underlying cardiac ailment. Causes:

Harmless arrhythmias maybe produced due to severe anxiety and stress. Excessive intake of tea, coffee, alcohol or tobacco and nicotine can spur on arryhtmias.


Symptoms:

Certain metabolic factors such as diabetic ketoacidosis, hypoglycemia, hypercalcemia etc. Endocrinal disorders like hyperthyroidism, pheochromocytoma, hypothyroidism, hyperaldosteronism etc. Electrolyte disturbances like hypokalemia, alterations in magnesium levels, hyperkalemia, hypernatremia etc. Drug toxicity caused by drugs like digitalis, diuretics, antidepressants, phenothiazone etc. Other heart ailments like ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease etc.

There are various types of arrhythmias that may manifest themselves as irregular heartbeats in the form of occasional premature heartbeats, ventricular tachycardias and ventricular fibrillation. They can also manifest as extra systoles or ectopic beats, supraventricular ectopic beats, ventricular premature beats etc. Treatment:

Cardiomegaly

The basic approach of management of arrhythmias is to make an accurate diagnosis of the underlying cardiac condition. This can be done by taking a detailed history so as to look out for signs that suggest a specific disease or condition. Depending on the type of condition that is causing the arrhythmia, specific drugs will be administered. These include beta blockers like propranolol, acebutalol and atenolol. Other drugs are procainamide, diazepam, lignocaine etc. Some cases may require surgical placement of automated external defibrillators.

The word 'cardiomegaly' literally means 'enlarged heart'. This is a condition where the size of the heart increases, which may occur due to various reasons. Of all the conditions present in this cardiovascular diseases list, this is a relatively rare condition. Causes:

In certain cases, the myocardium, which is the heart wall gets thickened, which is known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Unfortunately, it is an inherited disorder that occurs due to genetic mutation. In other heart diseases, the heart muscles may become hypertrophic due to overload on the heart, especially the ventricles in certain cases where the demand is more, like high blood pressure during pregnancy, constant stress etc.

Symptoms: Symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy include fatigue, heaviness in chest, shortness of breath, palpitations, sweating, high blood pressure etc. However, the severity of the symptoms vary from person to person. Treatment:

The treatment of cardiomegaly involves treating the root cause of the condition. In case of hypertensives, the blood pressure should be brought down immediately by the use of antihypertensive drugs. Unfortunately, for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, there is no cure. Miscellaneous Cardiovascular Diseases There are certain other circulatory system diseases and disorders that deserve to make it to the cardiovascular diseases list. These are given below:

Fluid around the heart (Pericardial effusion) Atherosclerosis Infective endocarditis Valvular heart disease Congenital heart disease

So this was all about heart diseases that are included in cardiovascular diseases list. Cardiovascular disease statistics show that these diseases are on the rise and hence, there are more and more younger people being afflicted by these diseases. Thus, it is of paramount importance that we take our heart health seriously, and earnestly switch to a more healthy lifestyle, because after all healthy living is the key to a long and healthy life!