Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term for a disease of the heart or blood vessels. Blood flow to the heart, brain or body is reduced because of:
- a blood clot (thrombosis)
- a build-up of fatty deposits inside an artery, leading to hardening and narrowing of the artery (atherosclerosis)
Types of CVD
The three main types of CVD are:
- coronary heart disease
- stroke
- peripheral arterial disease
Each type is discussed in more detail below.
Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease occurs when your heart's blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances (called atheroma) in the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries are two major blood vessels that supply the heart with blood.
If your coronary arteries become narrow due to a build-up of atheroma, the blood supply to your heart will be restricted. This can cause angina (chest pains).
If a coronary artery becomes completely blocked, it can cause a heart attack.
For more information, see the Health A-Z topics on Coronary heart disease, Angina and Heart attack.
Stroke
A stroke is a serious medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is disturbed.
Like all organs, your brain needs oxygen and nutrients provided by the blood to function properly. If the supply of blood is restricted or stopped, brain cells begin to die. This can lead to brain damage and possibly death.
A stroke is a medical emergency. Prompt treatment is essential because the sooner a person receives treatment for a stroke, the less damage is likely to happen.
There are two main types of stroke:
- ischaemic (accounting for 70% of all strokes): the blood supply is stopped due to a blood clot
- haemorrhagic: a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain bursts and causes brain damage
For more information, see the Health A-Z topic on Stroke.
Peripheral arterial disease
Peripheral arterial disease, also known as peripheral vascular disease, occurs when there is a blockage in the arteries to your limbs (usually your legs).
The most common symptom of peripheral arterial disease is pain in your legs. This is usually in one or both of your thighs, hips or calves.
The pain can feel like a cramp, a dull pain or a sensation of heaviness in the muscles of your legs. It usually comes and goes, and gets worse during exercise that uses your legs, such as walking or climbing stairs.
For more information, see Atherosclerosis – symptoms.
Impact on public health
CVD is the leading cause of death in England and worldwide.
In 2007, one-third of all deaths in England (nearly 159,000 deaths) were due to CVD. Of these deaths:
- 74,185 were caused by coronary heart disease
- 43,539 were caused by stroke
An estimated 2.8 million men and 2.8 million women are currently living with CVD in England.
It is thought that most deaths due to CVD are premature and could be prevented by making a number of lifestyle changes (see Cardiovascular disease – prevention in adults). It is estimated that CVD is responsible for around one in three premature deaths in men and one in five premature deaths in women.
