Lesson 1 Cardiovascular Diseases
Why should you establish and maintain healthful
habits to care for your heart?
Lesson 1 Lesson Objectives
In this lesson, you’ll learn to:
Examine different types of cardiovascular diseases.
Recognize the importance of early detection and warning
signs that prompt individuals of all ages to seek health care.
Identify risk behaviors and risk factors for cardiovascular
diseases.
Develop, analyze, and apply strategies related to the
prevention of noncommunicable diseases such as
cardiovascular disease.
Lesson 1 Cardiovascular Diseases
Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases
A century ago, communicable diseases were a leading cause of
death in the United States.
Today, however, major causes of death, such as heart disease
and cancer, come from noncommunicable diseases.
Lesson 1 Cardiovascular Diseases
What Are Cardiovascular Diseases?
Your cardiovascular system transports blood to all parts of your
body.
Without oxygen and other materials that blood carries, your
cells would die. Sometimes diseases interfere with the pumping
action of the heart or the movement of blood through blood
vessels.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are responsible for more than
40 percent of all deaths in the United States, killing almost a
million Americans each year.
Lesson 1 Cardiovascular Diseases
Ways to Avoid Risk of CVD
Avoid tobacco.
Get plenty of physical activity.
Maintain a healthful weight.
Follow an eating plan that is
low in saturated fat,
cholesterol, and sodium.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Diseases of the Heart, Blood, and Blood Vessels
Hypertension
Atherosclerosis
Angina Pectoris
Arrhythmias
Heart Attack
Congestive Heart Failure
Stroke
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Hypertension
Hypertension is a major risk factor for other types of CVDs.
Hypertension can occur at any age, but it is more common
among people over the age of 35.
High blood pressure can be lowered with strategies such as
medication, weight management, adequate physical activity,
and proper nutrition.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Atherosclerosis
At birth, the lining of blood vessels is smooth and elastic. Over
time, factors such as tobacco smoke, high blood pressure, and
high cholesterol levels can damage the inner lining of the
arteries.
Atherosclerosis causes the arteries to thicken and lose their
elasticity.
It is caused mainly due to food choices—specifically, a high
intake of saturated fats and cholesterol.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Diseases of the Heart
Your heart pumps about 100,000 times a day every day to
move blood to all parts of your body.
Just like every other organ, your heart needs the oxygen from
blood to function.
When the blood supply to the heart is insufficient to provide
enough oxygen, the result can be pain, damage to the heart
muscle, or even sudden death.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Diagnostic Tools
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Treatment Options
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Angina Pectoris
Angina pectoris, which usually lasts from a few seconds to
minutes, is a warning sign that the heart is temporarily not
getting enough blood.
The most common cause of angina is atherosclerosis.
Angina seldom causes permanent heart damage and
sometimes can be treated with medication.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias occur in millions of people who do not have
underlying heart disease, and they usually don’t cause
problems.
In one type of arrhythmia, called ventricular fibrillation, the
electrical impulses regulating heart rhythm become rapid or
irregular.
This is the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest, in
which the heart stops beating without warning. Without
immediate emergency help, death follows within minutes.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Heart Attack
A heart attack is damage to the heart muscle caused by a
reduced or blocked blood supply.
Many heart attacks are sudden and cause intense chest pain,
but one in four produces no symptoms and is detected only
when routine tests are done later.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Congestive Heart Failure
A heart attack is an immediate response to stress on the heart.
Sometimes, however, the heart gradually weakens to the point
that it cannot maintain its regular pumping rate and force. The
result is a condition called congestive heart failure.
Strategies for managing congestive heart failure include
medication and the establishment of healthy lifestyle
behaviors, such as a good nutrition and adequate physical
activity.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Stroke
When arterial blockage interrupts the flow of blood to the
brain, a stroke may occur.
Stroke can affect different parts of the body, depending on the
part of the brain that is deprived of oxygen.
It can also occur as a result of a cerebral hemorrhage, a
condition in which a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing
blood to spread into surrounding brain tissue.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Why Teens Are at Risk
The behaviors established during your teen years and early
adult life determine, in large part, your risk of developing CVD.
Autopsy results of adolescents who died from causes other
than CVD have revealed that one in six already had evidence of
CVD.
Those who had a history of known risk factors, such as
smoking or diabetes, were more likely to have blood-vessel
damage.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease
Factors That You Can Control Factors That You Cannot Control
Tobacco use Heredity
High blood pressure Gender
High cholesterol Age
Physical inactivity
Excess weight
Stress
Drug and alcohol use
Lesson 1 Quick Review
Choose the appropriate option.
1. arrhythmia
Q. Chest pain that results when 2. atherosclerosis
the heart doesn’t get
enough oxygen is called 3. hypertension
_______.
4. angina pectoris
Lesson 1 Quick Review - Answer
A. Chest pain that results when the heart doesn’t get enough
oxygen is called angina pectoris.
Click Next to attempt another question.
Lesson 1 Quick Review
Provide a short answer to the question given below.
Q. What is atherosclerosis? How does it contribute to heart
attacks?
Click Next to view the answer.
Lesson 1 Quick Review - Answer
A. Atherosclerosis is the process in which plaques accumulate
on artery walls. The clots that form in the plaques can block
the arteries leading to the heart, causing a heart attack.
Click Next to attempt another question.
Lesson 1 Quick Review
Provide a short answer to the question given below.
Q. Define cardiovascular disease. How does regular physical
activity help prevent CVD?
Click Next to view the answer.
Lesson 1 Quick Review - Answer
A. A cardiovascular disease is a disease that affects the heart or
blood vessels. Regular physical activity strengthens the heart
and helps maintain a healthy weight.
Click Next to attempt another question.
Lesson 1 Quick Review
Provide a suitable analysis.
How can practicing healthy lifestyle behaviors now help you avoid
cardiovascular disease in the future?
Lesson 1 Quick Review - Answer
A. Correct! Chest pain that results when the heart doesn’t get
enough oxygen is called angina pectoris.
Click Next to attempt another question.
Lesson 1 Quick Review - Answer
You have answered the question incorrectly. Go back to try again,
or click Next to view the correct answer.
Lesson 1 Cardiovascular Diseases
Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases
A century ago, communicable diseases were a leading cause of
death in the United States.
Today, however, major causes of death, such as heart disease
and cancer, come from noncommunicable diseases.
A noncommunicable
disease is a disease that
is not transmitted by
another person, a vector,
or the environment.
Lesson 1 Cardiovascular Diseases
What Are Cardiovascular Diseases?
Your cardiovascular system transports blood to all parts of your
body. A cardiovascular
disease (CVD) is a
Without oxygen and other materials that blood carries, your
disease that affects
would die. Sometimes diseases interfere with the pumping
cells the heart or blood
action of the heart or the movement of blood through blood
vessels.
vessels.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are responsible for more than
40 percent of all deaths in the United States, killing almost a
million Americans each year.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Hypertension
Hypertension is a major risk factor for other types of CVDs.
occur at any
Hypertension can Hypertensionage, but it is more common
among people over the age of 35.
is high blood
pressure.
High blood pressure can be lowered with strategies such as
medication, weight management, adequate physical activity,
and proper nutrition.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
At birth, the lining of blood vessels is smooth and elastic. Over
is the process in
time, factors such as tobacco smoke, high blood pressure, and
which plaques
high cholesterol levels can damage the inner lining of the
accumulate on artery
arteries.
walls.
Atherosclerosis causes the arteries to thicken and lose their
elasticity.
It is caused mainly due to food choices—specifically, a high
intake of saturated fats and cholesterol.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Angina Pectoris
Angina pectoris, which usually lasts from a few seconds to
minutes, is a warning sign that the heart is temporarily not
getting enough blood.
Angina pectoris
is chest pain of angina is atherosclerosis.
The most common causethat
results when the
heart does not get
Angina seldom causes permanent heart damage and
can be oxygen.
sometimes enoughtreated with medication.
Lesson 1 Types of Cardiovascular Disease
Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias occur in millions of people who do not have
underlying heart disease, and they usually don’t cause
problems.
Arrhythmia
of change in
In one typeis a arrhythmia, called ventricular fibrillation, the
the regular beat
electrical impulses regulating heart rhythm become rapid or
irregular. of the heart.
This is the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest, in
which the heart stops beating without warning. Without
immediate emergency help, death follows within minutes.