If the heart becomes ill, it jeopardizes the well-being of the whole body. Read all about cardiovascular disease and how to protect the health of this muscular organ, the driving force behind the circulatory system.
Alongside the brain, the heart is one of our body’s most vital organs. It functions as the engine that pumps oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood from the lungs, delivering it through a vast network of blood vessels to tissues and organs. Here, the exchange occurs with carbon dioxide, a waste product of cellular metabolism, which is then returned to the lungs for elimination. Remarkably, our heart pumps around 8,000 liters of blood daily, tirelessly circulating it through approximately 100,000 kilometers of blood vessels—equivalent to two and a half trips around the Earth. Understanding this essential role is crucial, especially when addressing pediatric heart disease in Turkey, which can disrupt this life-sustaining process in children and impact their overall health.
To live a good, healthy life, it’s essential to maintain a healthy heart, because if the heart falls ill, the well-being of the whole body is threatened.
What are cardiovascular diseases?
Cardiovascular disease is a group of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. They are divided into: ischemic heart disease, such as myocardial infarction and angina pectoris, and cerebrovascular disease, such as ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.
Among the most common pathologies are :
Myocardial infarction (heart attack): condition in which blood flow to the heart is blocked, usually due to a blood clot in one of the coronary arteries.
- Stroke: occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off or reduced, preventing brain tissue from receiving oxygen and nutrients.
- Coronary artery disease: is caused by the build-up of cholesterol plaques in the coronary arteries, which can narrow and reduce blood flow to the heart.
- Heart failure: is a set of symptoms linked to the inability of the heart to pump blood efficiently, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, breathing difficulties and swelling of the legs and ankles.
- Arrhythmias: these are heart rhythm disorders that can cause the heart to beat irregularly, too fast or too slow.
- Cardiomyopathies: Diseases of the heart muscle that can lead to abnormal heart function.
- Peripheral arterial disease: a condition in which the arteries supplying the extremities, such as the legs, are blocked or narrowed, causing pain and difficulty in walking.
- Hypertension (high blood pressure): occurs when blood pressure in the arteries is constantly high, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.
- Aneurysm: permanent abnormal dilatation of the arterial or venous wall, making it fragile. The vessel may rupture, causing internal bleeding.
- Endocarditis: infection of the inner lining of the heart (endocardium), often caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream.
- Heart valve disease: problems with the heart valves that can impair blood flow to the heart.
Cardiovascular risk factors
Cardiovascular disease is influenced by a number of risk factors – conditions that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, or aggravate it if already present. Risk factors can be divided into “non-modifiable” and “modifiable” through behavioral interventions and targeted therapies.
Non-modifiable risk factors
Non-modifiable risk factors include age and gender. Generally speaking, men have a higher risk of developing this type of pathology than women (although after the menopause, the risk for women increases). Family history can also present a risk, especially if you have first-degree relatives who suffer from these pathologies.
Modifiable risk factors
Among the most important modifiable risk factors are :
- Smoking (tobacco and other tobacco products). This is one of the most harmful risk factors for health, and depends only partially on the amount and type of tobacco consumed. Smoking causes damage to blood vessels, leading to the development of high blood pressure and increasing the risk of atherosclerosis. Passive smoking also increases cardiovascular risk, albeit to a lesser extent.
- Overweight/obesity. Prolonged weight gain also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, as it is often associated with hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia. Cardiovascular risk therefore increases as body mass index (BMI) and abdominal circumference rise.
- Sedentary lifestyle/poor physical activity: A sedentary lifestyle combined with a poor diet increases the risk of overweight (see overweight/obesity).
- Incorrect power supply. One of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease is a diet rich in ultra-processed foods, saturated fats and/or sodium and/or poor in vegetables, fruit and fish and/or characterized by insufficient caloric intake in relation to needs. energy, in simple terms, an unbalanced, calorie-rich diet. There is a correlation between the amount of saturated fat in the diet and the onset of cardiovascular disease. As far as salt is concerned, there is evidence of a causal relationship between sodium intake and blood pressure levels: excessive sodium consumption is associated with an increased prevalence of hypertension and, in particular, with an increase in the age-related correlate of systolic blood pressure.
- Risky and harmful alcohol consumption: excessive alcohol consumption raises blood pressure, promotes weight gain, alters insulin response, damages liver function and interferes with the metabolism of many drugs.
- Arterial hypertension: Arterial hypertension (≥ 140/90 mmHg) is one of the most important cardiovascular risk factors and is widespread in the population. Around 80% of people with hypertension report taking pharmacological treatment and having received advice to control their blood pressure, such as reducing salt intake (86%), regular physical activity (82%) and weight control (). 80 %).
Prevention: what can you do to help your heart?
Prevention begins with each individual, making it crucial to address all modifiable risk factors. Healthy lifestyles are the most effective defense against the onset and progression of cardiovascular disease. By adopting and maintaining these habits throughout your life, you can significantly reduce your risks. At Turquie Santé, we emphasize the importance of preventive measures and provide resources to help individuals embrace healthier lifestyles for better heart health.
