- The introduction explores Cardiovascular diseases, which are ranked by WHO (2011) as the top killer diseases globally.
- Cause of Cardiovascular Diseases
- Cholesterol is the main cause of CDV’s. resulting to Blockages
- Definition and Demography of Cardiovascular Diseases
- An umbrella term signifying ailments that affect the heart and blood vessels (WHO, 2011).
- Populations from low income nations die more from the disease compared to those from high income.
- Categories of Cardiovascular Diseases
They are:
- Coronary Diseases such as heart attack and angina, and stroke
- Cerebrovascular Diseases such as stroke
- congestion heart failure
- Aneurysm
- Heart failure
- Peripheral vascular diseases
- Rheumatic heart disease
- Hypertension/ high blood pressure
- Factors Increasing Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases
- They are:
- Lack of physical exercise
- High blood cholesterol in the body
- Obesity
- Smoking of tobacco
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Alcohol consumption
- Unhealthy diets and excessive salt intake
- Stress
- Diabetes
- Reasons why more low income nations die from CDV’s
- Poor nutrition due to lack of income.
- Higher tobacco intake compared to developed countries (Reddy & Yusuf, 1998).
- Lack of equitable health care services to detect the diseases early.
- Food production and marketing globalization (Reddy & Yusuf, 1998).
- Latest Theory on Adult CDV’s in Low income Nations
- The theory is the ‘fetal origins hypothesis’.
- It postulates that CDV’s in later life are as a result of small birth size.
- Conclusion
- CDV’s are the biggest killer globally and if people do not take preventive measures on their own lifestyle people will continue to die every day.
- A person’s lifestyle is not only his or her best defense from cardiovascular diseases but it is also his or her responsibility.
