Cardiovascular Diseases
What is Cardiovascular Diseases?
Cardiovascular diseases are a group of conditions that affect your heart and blood vessels. These include coronary artery disease, heart attack, arrhythmias, heart failure, stroke, and other disorders. Your cardiovascular system is responsible for pumping blood and delivering oxygen throughout your body.
When this system breaks down, serious health problems can occur. Plaque buildup in arteries can restrict blood flow to the heart. Blood clots can block vessels entirely. Heart muscle can weaken or beat irregularly. These conditions develop over years, often without symptoms.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. But many forms are preventable through lifestyle changes and early detection. Understanding your risk factors and getting regular blood tests can help you catch problems before they become severe.
Symptoms
- Chest pain or pressure, especially during activity
- Shortness of breath at rest or with exertion
- Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen, or back
- Numbness or weakness in the legs or arms
- Irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Fatigue that interferes with daily activities
- Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet
Many people with cardiovascular disease have no symptoms in the early stages. Heart disease can develop silently for years before causing noticeable problems. This is why regular screening and blood testing are important, even when you feel healthy.
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Causes and risk factors
Cardiovascular diseases develop when damage occurs to your heart or blood vessels over time. Plaque made of cholesterol, calcium, and other substances builds up in arteries. This process is called atherosclerosis. Risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, poor diet, and lack of exercise. Family history and age also play important roles.
Some environmental and lifestyle factors can increase your risk. Chronic cocaine use damages blood vessels and heart muscle. Mercury exposure from certain fish or industrial sources may contribute to heart disease risk. A genetic mutation in the MTHFR gene can affect how your body processes folate, potentially increasing cardiovascular risk. High levels of TMAO, a compound produced when gut bacteria digest certain foods, may promote plaque formation. Understanding these unique risk factors helps you address the root causes of cardiovascular disease.
How it's diagnosed
Doctors diagnose cardiovascular diseases using physical exams, medical history, and various tests. Blood tests can reveal important risk factors like cholesterol levels, inflammation markers, and metabolic issues. Imaging tests such as electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and CT scans show how your heart is functioning. Stress tests evaluate how your heart performs during physical activity.
Rite Aid offers blood testing that screens for cardiovascular risk factors. Our add-on tests include mercury levels, TMAO, MTHFR genetic mutations, and markers for substance use that can damage your heart. These tests use Quest Diagnostics labs at over 2,000 locations nationwide. Early detection through blood testing helps you address problems before they progress to serious disease.
Treatment options
- Eat a heart-healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins
- Exercise regularly, aiming for 150 minutes of moderate activity per week
- Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke exposure
- Maintain a healthy weight through balanced nutrition and movement
- Manage stress through meditation, yoga, or other relaxation techniques
- Limit alcohol consumption to moderate levels
- Take medications as prescribed, such as statins, blood pressure medications, or blood thinners
- Reduce mercury exposure by choosing low-mercury fish options
- Address substance use issues with professional help
- Work with your doctor to manage diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol
Need testing for Cardiovascular Diseases? Add it to your panel.
- Simple blood draw at your nearest lab
- Results in days, not weeks
- Share results with your doctor
Frequently asked questions
The most common types include coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure, arrhythmias, and stroke. Coronary artery disease occurs when plaque narrows the arteries that supply blood to your heart. Heart attacks happen when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked. These conditions often share common risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Some aspects of cardiovascular disease can be improved or even reversed with lifestyle changes. Plaque buildup can stabilize or shrink with diet changes, exercise, and medication. Heart function can improve when you address underlying causes. While damage from a heart attack may be permanent, aggressive treatment of risk factors can prevent further progression and reduce future risk.
TMAO is a compound produced when gut bacteria digest red meat, eggs, and certain other foods. High levels may promote plaque formation in your arteries. Research suggests that elevated TMAO is linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke. You can lower TMAO by reducing red meat intake and eating more plant-based foods.
MTHFR is a gene that helps your body process folate, a B vitamin important for heart health. Certain mutations can reduce this function, potentially leading to elevated homocysteine levels. High homocysteine may increase cardiovascular disease risk. Knowing your MTHFR status helps you and your doctor decide if folate supplementation might be beneficial.
Studies link mercury exposure to increased risk of heart attacks and coronary heart disease. Mercury can damage blood vessels and promote inflammation. Common sources include certain fish like shark, swordfish, and king mackerel, as well as industrial exposure. Testing your blood mercury levels can help you identify if this is a concern.
Most adults should have cardiovascular screening starting at age 20 and every 4 to 6 years if results are normal. If you have risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, or family history, annual testing may be appropriate. Your doctor can recommend a personalized testing schedule. Regular monitoring helps catch changes early when they are easier to address.
Quitting smoking is the single most important change you can make. Exercise and a Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats are also highly effective. Managing stress, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night support heart health. Small, consistent changes often work better than drastic overhauls.
Yes, chronic cocaine use can cause serious and sometimes permanent heart damage. Cocaine increases heart rate and blood pressure, damages blood vessels, and can trigger heart attacks even in young people. It can lead to coronary artery disease, irregular heartbeats, and weakened heart muscle. Benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite, can be detected in blood tests to assess exposure.
A heart attack happens suddenly when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked, damaging heart muscle. Heart failure is a chronic condition where the heart cannot pump blood effectively enough to meet your body's needs. Heart attacks can lead to heart failure if they cause significant muscle damage. Both require medical treatment but have different symptoms and management approaches.
Aspirin can help prevent heart attacks in people who have already had one or have high cardiovascular risk. It works by preventing blood clots from forming. However, aspirin is not recommended for everyone due to bleeding risks. The AspirinWorks test measures how well aspirin is working in your body. Always talk to your doctor before starting or stopping aspirin therapy.