Gabrielė Dainiūtė, a family doctor at Vilnius “InMedica” clinic, points out that in order to understand the effects of CVD on health and possible prevention, it is necessary to know what these diseases are, what their risk factors are and how they manifest.
“The World Health Organization states that cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death, killing more than 20 million people worldwide each year. people.
At that time, according to the Statistics Department of the Republic of Lithuania, mortality from circulatory system diseases in 2013-2023. It took first place in Lithuania and ranged from 52.1 percent. up to 56.6 percent”, says the family doctor.
CVD can manifest itself in various forms
Although diseases affecting the circulatory system can be very different, the most common are:
– coronary heart disease – the most common form of CVD, which occurs when the blood supply to the heart muscle is reduced due to atherosclerosis – the narrowing and hardening of the arteries;
– cerebrovascular disease includes a variety of conditions that affect the blood vessels in the brain and blood flow in the brain. Blood flow problems can be caused by narrowing of blood vessels (stenosis), formation of a blood clot (thrombosis), blockage of arteries (embolism) or rupture of blood vessels (hemorrhage). These diseases can interfere with the normal blood supply to the brain tissues, causing tissue damage or even their death – a stroke;
– heart failure is a condition where the heart can no longer pump blood as efficiently as it should. This disease can occur for a variety of reasons, including coronary heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), or a previous myocardial infarction;
– arrhythmias – heart rhythm disorders that manifest in various forms – from too slow to too fast or irregular heartbeat;
– peripheral artery disease affects the arteries that supply blood to the extremities, usually the legs. This causes blood flow problems, pain and difficulty walking.
It is worth noting that several different CHDs can develop in the body at the same time. In addition, one disease can lead to the development of another, for example, those with atrial fibrillation have a higher risk of stroke.
“All these diseases can lead to the most dangerous conditions, such as myocardial infarction or stroke, which can lead to death or disability. Therefore, in order to prevent these dangerous effects, it is necessary to monitor and properly manage all risk factors for cardiovascular diseases,” says the family doctor.
What determines the development of CVD?
There is no single reason why CVD develops – it is a gradually progressive process: it all begins with cardiovascular risk factors that first cause damage to blood vessels, then organ damage, leading to organ failure and death.
“Cardiovascular risk factors are divided into two categories – modifiable and non-modifiable. We cannot influence the latter, such as age, gender or heredity. However, the risk of developing CVD increases with age, and it is also noted that men are more likely to develop the disease at an early age than women. There are much more modifiable risk factors and they play a significantly more important role in the progression of the condition”, emphasizes G. Dainiūtė.
Several main modifiable risk factors with the greatest influence can be distinguished – smoking, arterial hypertension, elevated blood cholesterol, diabetes, abdominal obesity, psychosocial factors, insufficient amount of fruits and vegetables in the diet and lack of regular physical activity.
“It has been established that the more of these risk factors exist at the same time, the more damage is done to the blood vessels and the more the risk of developing CHD increases faster and more severely, in addition, the probability of death increases significantly,” emphasizes the family doctor.
It is extremely difficult to recognize CHD in the initial stages
In the initial stage, cardiovascular diseases may not show any signs or may show very slight, non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance, shortness of breath, frequent heart palpitations, etc.
“Often, the first more serious symptoms appear only when the normal function of the heart or other organs is already significantly impaired due to the disease. If CVD is not diagnosed and treated in time, it can progress and lead to more serious health problems, such as heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke. In order to avoid these serious complications, regular health checks are very important, especially for patients in the risk group due to genetic factors, lifestyle or other related diseases,” G. Dainiūtė notes.
Due to the high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, early diagnosis of organ damage becomes a priority.
A preventive program is an opportunity to save a life
The free prevention program for cardiovascular diseases operating in Lithuania is an important step towards reducing the incidence and mortality from these diseases. Early identification of risk factors, promotion of a healthy lifestyle, and timely medical assistance are essential components of this program that help ensure better public health.
This program is open to 40-60 year olds. age persons who have not yet been diagnosed with coronary or other heart, cerebrovascular, kidney diseases and are not actively being treated for malignant tumors. The program consists of two parts. The first is the performance of blood tests and a consultation with a family doctor, during which a plan of preventive measures for CVD is drawn up for the patient and, if necessary, medical treatment is prescribed,” says the family doctor.
Blood tests include determining the concentration of glucose and creatinine in venous blood, a lipidogram, an electrocardiogram is also performed, and an assessment of the patient’s alcohol consumption habits and the risk of tobacco use. In addition, arterial blood pressure, pulse, height, weight, body mass index and waist circumference are measured. All these indicators make it possible to assign a person to the appropriate cardiovascular disease risk group.
“Patients identified as having a low to moderate risk of cardiovascular disease are invited to participate in the program after four years. After identifying a high and very high risk group, a plan of primary prevention measures is drawn up. Also, high-risk patients are invited to participate in the program after two years, and patients who have been identified as very high-risk – after one year, and they are referred to the second part of this preventive program – a detailed examination by a cardiologist,” says G. Dainiūtė.
CVD risk-reducing lifestyle changes
A healthy diet is an essential part of the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, so it is important to follow the basic rules that can help reduce the risk of these diseases: reduce the amount of saturated and trans fats, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, choose whole grain products, cereals and limit salt intake.
“Regular physical activity is also important, which, it’s no secret, is beneficial not only for heart health, but also for general well-being. Very useful 30-60 min. engage in moderate-intensity physical activity every day, which can be brisk walking, swimming, cycling, or any other activity that gets your heart rate up.
It is good to do strength exercises twice a week – they help maintain muscle mass and improve the general condition of the body. In addition to sports, it is also worth noting active leisure time”, shares the family doctor.
Chronic stress also negatively affects the cardiovascular system, so it is important to learn how to manage it effectively: try relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing or yoga, as well as engage in your favorite hobbies and take care of social interaction.
Of course, it is important not to forget regular health checkups and consultations with your doctor, monitor arterial blood pressure and cholesterol levels, monitor body mass index and abdominal circumference, and treat chronic diseases in time.
2024-08-23 14:04:17