18-19 Types of CVD CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Stroke Strokes are caused by disruption of the blood supply to the brain. This may result from either blockage (ischaemic 1 Types of cardiovascular stroke) or rupture of a blood vessel (haemorrhagic stroke). 2 265 824 Risk factors High blood pressure, atrial fibrillation (a heart Coronary heart disease kills disease Coronary heart disease rhythm disorder), high blood cholesterol, tobacco use, “All the knowledge I possess everyone else Disease of the blood vessels more than can acquire, but my heart is all my own.” unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, diabetes, 7 million people Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Deaths from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) supplying the heart muscle. and advancing age. each year, and The Sorrows of Young Werther 1774 Number of deaths globally per year Major risk factors High blood pressure, strokes kill from different types of CVD, high blood cholesterol, tobacco use, nearly 6 million. The human heart is only the size by age 1 868 339 unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, Most of these Highest numbers shown of a fist, but it is the strongest diabetes, advancing age, inherited deaths are in muscle in the human body. 2002 developing (genetic) disposition. countries. The heart starts to beat in the coronary heart disease Other risk factors Poverty, low educational uterus long before birth, usually stroke status, poor mental health (depression), by 21 to 28 days after conception. inflammation and blood clotting disorders. The average heart beats about other cardiovascular diseases Aortic aneurysm and 100 000 times daily or about two hypertensive heart disease Rheumatic heart disease dissection and a half billion times over a Dilatation and rupture inflammatory heart disease Damage to the heart muscle and heart 70 year lifetime. valves from rheumatic fever, caused by of the aorta. With every heartbeat, the heart rheumatic heart disease streptococcal bacteria. Risk factors Advancing age, long- pumps blood around the body. It standing high blood pressure, beats approximately 70 times a Congenital heart disease Marfan syndrome, 996 183 minute, although this rate can Malformations of heart structures congenital heart disorders, double during exercise or at times existing at birth may be caused by syphilis, and other of extreme emotion. genetic factors or by adverse infectious and Blood is pumped out from the exposures during gestation. inflammatory left chambers of the heart. It is Examples are holes in the disorders. transported through arteries of heart, abnormal valves, ever-decreasing size, finally and abnormal heart reaching the capillaries in all the chambers. tissues, such as the skin and other Risk factors body organs. Having delivered its Maternal alcohol oxygen and nutrients and having use, medicines 280 819 collected waste products, blood is (for example brought back to the right thalidomide, warfarin) used by the expectant Peripheral arterial disease chambers of the heart through a mother, maternal infections such as rubella, system of ever-enlarging veins. 104 116 Disease of the arteries 66 542 poor maternal nutrition (low intake of folate), During the circulation through supplying the arms and legs. close blood relationship between parents Risk factors As for the liver, waste products are (consanguinity). removed. 0–4 years 5–14 15–29 30–44 45–59 60–69 70–79 80+ years coronary heart disease. This remarkable system is Other cardiovascular diseases Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) vulnerable to breakdown and Global deaths from CVD Tumours of the heart; vascular tumours of the and pulmonary embolism assault from a variety of factors, millions brain; disorders of heart muscle 2002 Blood clots in the leg veins, many of which can be prevented inflammatory (cardiomyopathy); heart valve diseases; and treated. Risk factors will be total deaths: 16.7 million heart disease rheumatic which can dislodge and move to the 0.4m heart disease disorders of the lining of the heart. heart and lungs. explored on pages 24–43. 0.3m hypertensive Risk factors Surgery, obesity, cancer, heart disease Other factors that can damage previous episode of DVT, recent 0.9m other forms of the heart and blood vessel system heart disease childbirth, use of oral contraceptive and stroke 2.4m Inflammation, drugs, high blood pressure, hormone replacement therapy, long 5.5m unhealthy diet, trauma, toxins and alcohol. periods of immobility, for example while travelling, high homocysteine levels in the blood. coronary heart disease 18 7.2m 19.