Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been identified as a health priority area because it is major health and economic burden on Australia. It is one of the leading causes of sickness and death in Australia, although there are significant differences in the incidence and prevalence of the disease among population subgroups. CVD can be attributed to a number of modifiable risk factors.
The nature of CVD
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to damage to, or disease of, the heart, arteries, veins and/or smaller blood vessels. The three major forms of this disease are: * Coronary heart disease – the poor supply of blood to the muscular walls of the heart by its own blood supply vessels, the coronary arteries * Stroke – the interruption of the supply of blood to the brain * Peripheral Vascular disease – diseases of the arteries, arterioles and capillaries that affect the limbs, usually reducing blood supply to the legs
Cardiovascular disease is most evident as stroke, heart attack, angina, heart failure and peripheral vascular disease.
Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of most of these conditions. This is the build-up of fatty and/or fibrous material on the interior walls of arteries. This build-up hinders the flow of blood to the body’s tissues and also acts to increase blood pressure. Often, the build-up occurs in patches known as atheroma (thickened area of fatty and fibrous deposits on the inside surface of arteries, resulting in atherosclerosis) or plaque, and is characterized by presence of cholesterol. The development of atheroma tends to decrease the elasticity of the arteries and limits the flow of blood.
Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease, also known as ischemic heart
