Cardiovascular diseases

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for 17.9 million deaths annually, making them the leading cause of death. Heart and blood vessel illnesses together referred to as CVDs include rheumatic heart disease, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease. Heart attacks and strokes account for more than four out of every five deaths from CVD, and one-third of these deaths happen too soon among those under the age of 70.

Tobacco use, hazardous alcohol consumption, poor diet, and physical inactivity are the main behavioural risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Individuals may experience elevated blood pressure, elevated blood glucose, elevated blood lipids, as well as overweight and obesity, as a result of behavioural risk factors. In primary care settings, these “intermediate risks factors” can be assessed to reveal an elevated risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and other consequences.

Symptoms

Heart attacks and strokes

• Frequently, the underlying blood vessel illness has no symptoms. A heart attack or stroke could be an indication of a hidden illness at first. Heart attack symptoms include.
• discomfort or pain in the middle of the chest; also, discomfort or pain in the elbows, jaw, back, arms, or left shoulder.

Additionally, the person may feel lightheaded or dizzy, have trouble breathing or have shortness of breath, experience nausea or vomiting, break out in a cold sweat, and become pale. Men are less likely than women to experience back or jaw discomfort, nausea, vomiting, or dyspnea. Abrupt weakness of the face, arm, or leg, usually on one side of the body, is the most typical sign of a stroke. Additional signs include the abrupt onset of:

• numbness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body;
• confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding speech;
• difficulty seeing with one or both eyes;
• difficulty walking, dizziness and/or loss of balance or coordination;
• severe headache with no known cause; and/or
• fainting or unconsciousness.

Chest pain, weariness, erratic heartbeats, shortness of breath, and fainting are some of the signs and symptoms of rheumatic heart disease. If left untreated, rheumatic fever can lead to rheumatic heart disease and manifest as fever, joint pain and swelling, nausea, cramping in the stomach, and vomiting.