“Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the world. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it accounts for 40% of mortality.”
BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
Cardiovascular deterioration, or cardiovascular disease, describes a series of conditions or symptoms associated with a reduction in heart health.
This type of deterioration can also impact the blood vessels, and normally presents itself in one of four ways:
- coronary heart disease
- strokes or TIAs
- peripheral arterial disease
- aortic disease.
There are many different factors, some which individuals can have an impact over, while others are outside of people’s control. In this blog, we will take a look at some of the most common factors:
Cardiovascular deterioration factor one: age
There are several natural ageing processes which impact the health of your heart. These include the loss of cells from within the heart muscle, and the thickening of the valves. Fibrous tissues or fatty deposits within the natural pacemaker system can also slow down the heartrate.
This means the risk of experiencing a problem increases as you age. For example, you are ten times more likely to experience congestive heart failure once you reach the age of 75. Cardiovascular disease overall is much more likely after the age of 50.
Age being a key factor highlights why it is especially important to regularly see health professionals for older people. This ensures they remain as fit and healthy as possible, and that any potential problems are identified and diagnosed quickly.
Cardiovascular deterioration factor two: high blood pressure
More than half of strokes and almost three quarters of heart disease cases worldwide are attributed to high blood pressure. This makes it one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular deterioration.
There are various causes of high blood pressure – from an excessive intake of salt to use of illegal drugs, from adrenal gland tumours to low potassium levels.
This means it is vital that professionals check blood pressure regularly, especially for people with a number of risk factors.
Cardiovascular deterioration factor three: lifestyle
There are multiple lifestyle factors which can impact your heart health:
- Smoking makes it between two and four times more likely that a person will develop cardiovascular disease.
- Excessive drinking increases the risk of cardiomyopathy (diseases of the heart muscle), systemic hypertension (high blood pressure), atrial arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat causing poor circulation), and haemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the brain due to a ruptured blood vessel).
- An unhealthy diet can lead to high cholesterol and high blood pressure, both of which put a strain on the heart and the blood vessels. In the case of cholesterol, too much of this fatty substance in the blood causes vessels to narrow, increasing the risk of developing a blood clot.
- A lack of exercise, especially if this contributes to an individual being overweight or obese, is also an issue when it comes to cholesterol and blood pressure. In fact, it is estimated there would be an additional 500,000 deaths if there was a 10% global reduction in activity.
Cardiovascular deterioration factor four: diabetes
There are several co-existing conditions which can lead to an increased risk of heart or blood vessel issues. These include diabetes – as high blood sugar levels can damage and narrow the blood vessels.
Cardiovascular deterioration factor five: the environment
Air pollution can cause particular problems, especially among the elderly population. Ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide have all caused hospitalisation among older people with heart failure.
Cardiovascular deterioration factor six: genetics
A family history of cardiovascular diseases unfortunately increases your risk of deterioration of the heart. Individuals are considered to have a family history if either their father or brother has been diagnosed with a heart-related disease before they were 55. Or if their mother or sister was before they were 65.
If you would like to find out more about staying healthy and avoiding the risks associated with the factors we have discussed above – please do get in touch to find out about our healthcare services.