Heart disease fact sheet



centercenterMichaela Mercerchicago mercy hospital??500 State Street, Chicago, IL 60602heart disease fact sheet8820090900Michaela Mercerchicago mercy hospital??500 State Street, Chicago, IL 60602heart disease fact sheetHeart DiseaseAccording to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease claims more women’s lives than the next six causes of death combined—about 500,000 women’s lives a year.Heart disease is actually a number of diseases that affect the heart and the cardiovascular system. These diseases include:Aortic diseaseThe aorta is a large artery that sends oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. Certain diseases can cause the aorta to widen or tear; these include atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), connective tissue disorders that affect the strength of the walls of the blood vessels, genetic conditions such as Marfan Syndrome, and hypertension (high blood pressure). Aortic disease can also be caused by physical injury.Arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm)Arrhythmia is an irregular or abnormal heartbeat and can involve a change in rhythm (producing an uneven heartbeat) or a change in the rate (very slow or very fast).Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease)Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle and may cause an enlarged, thick, or stiff heart resulting in a reduction of the heart’s ability to pump blood. Congenital heart diseaseA congenital heart disease is a defect in one or more structures of the heart or blood vessels that occurs before birth. Congenital heart defects occur in approximately 8 out of every 1,000 children and causes may include heredity as well as exposure of the fetus to alcohol, drugs, and viral infections.Coronary artery diseaseAngina is the most common symptom of coronary artery disease and is described as pressure, aching, burning, fullness, squeezing, discomfort, or a painful feeling in the chest and can be mistaken for heartburn or indigestion. Heart failureHeart failure does not refer to the stopping of the heart but rather the heart’s inability to pump blood as it should. Heart failure affects approximately 5 million Americans and is the leading cause of hospitalization of people over 65.Heart valve diseaseHeart valve disease is a faulty valve in the heart and can cause symptoms such as breathlessness and swollen ankles. Severe heart valve disease can result in permanent damage to the heart.Pericardial diseasePericardial disease affects the sac that surrounds the heart. Pericarditis is the inflammation of this sac and is a rare condition generally caused by an infection.Vascular diseaseA vascular disease is any condition that affects the body’s circulatory system and includes diseases of the arteries and blood flow to the brain.Heart Disease FactsHeart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States.In 2002, 696,947 people died of heart disease (51% of them women), accounting for 29% of all U.S. deaths. The age-adjusted death rate was 241 per 100,000 population.Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives, blacks, Hispanics, and whites. Although cancer is the leading cause of death for Asians and Pacific Islanders (accounting for 26.1% of all deaths), heart disease is a close second (26.0%).Heart disease death rates per 100,000 population for the five largest U.S. racial/ethnic groups are as follows: Hispanics, 72; Asians and Pacific Islanders, 78; American Indians, 80; blacks, 206; and whites, 259.In 2005, heart disease was projected to cost $393 billion, including health care services, medications, and lost productivity.Studies among people with heart disease have shown that lowering high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure can reduce the risk of dying of heart disease, having a nonfatal heart attack, and needing heart bypass surgery or angioplasty.Studies among people without heart disease have shown that lowering high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure can reduce the risk of developing heart disease.Deaths: Leading Causes for 2002. National Vital Statistics Reports 2005; 534 (17)Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2005 Update. American Heart Association; 2004.Centers for Disease Control and PreventionNational Center Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion ................
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