Symptoms and Signs of Cardiovascular Disease

From heart valve problems to stroke and circulatory issues, The American Stroke Association reports the symptoms and signs of cardiovascular disease to be wide-ranging. This is perfectly understandable for a disease that's the number one killer in the world.

Significance

• Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) includes high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke. It is the leading cause of death in the United States and across the globe with The World Health Organization estimating it to kill 17.1 million people annually.

Cause

• The disease encompasses both a heart and blood vessels that are failing to function properly. Causes range from genetics to structural defects, infection, inflammation and lifestyle factors such as atherosclerosis, the physical process that narrows and clogs blood vessels.

Identification

• Signs of a heart attack include angina (chest pain), discomfort in the upper body including arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach along with nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath and chilly sweats. Symptoms of stroke include blurred vision, dizziness, numb arms, legs or sides and loss of balance.

Symptoms

• Symptoms and signs of cardiovascular disease are very diverse with a wide range of signals across several different forms of the disease. Among the universal symptoms are those associated with related diseases like coronary, carotid and peripheral arterial diseases.

Risk Factors

• "CVD risk factors that can be prevented or treated include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, excess weight, physical inactivity, smoking, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, illegal drug use and stress," says The Cardiovascular Disease Foundation.