Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not a single condition, but a general term used to describe conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels.
Examples of CVD include:
- atherosclerosis, which is a build-up of fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries
- coronary heart disease, which describes a number of conditions caused by atherosclerosis of the arteries to the heart
- stroke, which is when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off
- heart failure, which is when the pumping action of the heart is impaired, and therefore its ability to supply blood to other parts of the body is less efficient, particularly on exertion
- peripheral arterial disease, which causes problems with the blood supply to your legs and arms
How common is CVD?
Statistics from the British Heart Foundation show that in 2009 one in three of all deaths in the UK was caused by cardiovascular disease. More than 180,000 people died from cardiovascular disease in 2009, making it the most common cause of death in the UK.
Am I at risk of CVD?
Many factors can increase your risk of CVD. These include:
- smoking
- high blood pressure (hypertension)
- a high level of ‘bad’ cholesterol in your blood
- not taking regular exercise
- being overweight or obese
- diabetes
- a family history of heart disease
- kidney disease
Your risk of CVD also increases as you get older.
Some ethnic groups have a higher risk of heart disease, such as South Asian people living in the UK. You can find more information about South Asian health in our Live Well section.
Preventing CVD
You can help to prevent CVD by living a healthy lifestyle, for example:
- eat a healthy, balanced diet that is low in salt and saturated fat
- take regular exercise
- keep your weight the healthy range (use the BMI tool to check whether you are a healthy weight)
- if you smoke, give up
- don’t drink too much alcohol
If you have diabetes, controlling your blood glucose level will also help to reduce your risk of CVD.
Read the answers to questions about exercise.
Further information:
