What are Cardiovascular Diseases?
Cardiovascular diseases are several conditions that affect the heart and/or circulatory system, i.e., blood vessels. It includes a wide range of conditions, including, but not limited to, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease. According to the World Health Organization, Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. (1)
What are the Symptoms of CVDs?
Symptoms of cardiovascular disease vary based on the type of disease. Many times, people do not display symptoms until they are advanced to the point of complication, i.e., stroke, heart failure, kidney damage.
- Heart Attack or Stroke: Common symptoms seen when someone is experiencing a heart attack or stroke are severe headaches, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, blurred vision, numbness in the face or arms, and nausea or vomiting.
- Heart Failure: Common symptoms of heart failure vary based on severity but can be associated with shortness of breath, swelling in the legs, feet, and sometimes hands, weight gain/fluctuations, and reduced physical endurance as the disease advances/worsens.
- Peripheral Artery Disease: Common symptoms of advancing peripheral artery diseases could include pain or numbness in arms or legs, extremities that are cold to the touch, and change in skin color or development of sores on arms or legs. In either case, it is important to have these symptoms urgently evaluated to prevent limb loss.
What are the Risk Factors of CVDs?
While some risks factors of these diseases can be genetic, most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing behaviors and lifestyle choices, such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, obesity, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol. Early detection is key to avoiding complications or long-term effects from these diseases. Regular blood pressure checks and routine lab monitoring by your primary care provider are also important tools for early detection.
While there are drugs on the market to treat these conditions, there are many clinical research trials being conducted for people with known cardiovascular diseases to identify if newer medications can treat or prevent these conditions from worsening. There are also current trials for those without cardiovascular disease to identify if certain medications, such as new GLP-1s that have any potential cardiovascular benefit or risk. To learn more about our enrolling cardiovascular trials, please contact us at (203) 419-4404.
- World Health Organization. Cardiovascular Diseases. 11 June 2021 Accessed February 2025. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds)
