Abbreviated as CVD
Is a phrase that is broadly used to refer to a number of diseases that affects the heart:
And other human blood vessels such as the arteries and veins.
TYPES OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
There are basically four major types of cardiovascular diseases. They are:
Aortic disease
Coronary heart disease
Stroke
Peripheral arterial disease
These diseases are major health problems killing many people worldwide annually.
STROKE
It is a severe health condition that happens wherever there is cut off in supply of blood to some parts of the brain.
It is a medical problem that can occur to anybody any time
Human brain just like other organs in the human body requires a steady supply of oxygen as well as other vital nutrients for it to function properly.
Constrained or blocked supply of blood to the brain results in death of vital brain cells
This leads to loss of functions of the parts that the cells in the brain normally control e.g. loss of memory, ability to speak and also control of various muscles in the body.
TYPES OF STROKE
Ischemic stroke - Occurs when blood clot and block blood vessels in the human brain
Hemorrhagic stroke -. Occurs when a blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into the brain
factors that increase the risk of stroke
Are basically lifestyle and medical, they include:
Obesity and diabetes
Binge alcohol drinking and excessive use of cocaine
high levels of cholesterol in the body
Heart failure.
High blood pressure and family history of stroke
TREATING AND MANAGING STROKE AMONG THE AFRICAN AMERICANS
They are disproportionately affected by stroke as compared to other U.S. citizens.
This can be partly due to their cultural and religious beliefs
They have inflexible dietary habits that increases their risk to stroke
They don’t easily change their behaviors
Economic issues also affect them
They have religious affiliations which they strictly adhere to
African Americans and stroke
Majority of them are Christians.
While some are Muslims
They believe that their health is a personal thing,
They also believe that it is the will of God that prevails in an event they become ill
Also believe that death cannot be avoided as it’s at God’s will
This believes plus the mistrust by African Americans on health institutions makes them not to seek medical care from clinicians when they are affected by stroke
This therefore greatly affects treatment and management of stroke among African Americans
This trend is however changing because currently, African Americans are becoming progressively more mindful of their health
Stroke management among the African Americans is a challenge economically because it strains the society’s meager resources, this is because managing stroke is costly.
References
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2015). Symptoms and causes - Stroke - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/symptoms-causes/dxc-20117265
National Stroke Association. (2014). What is stroke? | Stroke.org. Retrieved from http://www.stroke.org/understand-stroke/what-stroke
Stratis Health. (2010). Cultural Group Guides | Dimensions of Culture. Retrieved from http://www.dimensionsofculture.com/culture-fact-sheets/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2015). Stroke: MedlinePlus. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/stroke.html
