the facts about Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of morbidity and morality in the United States. A sedentary lifestyle is a major modifiable risk factor for Cardiovascular Disease. Little to no physical activity paired with a poor diet could result in hypertension, diabetes, increased cholesterol levels, and much more. These are all physiological factors associated with the disease. Cardiovascular disease is often accompanied by cardiac arrhythmias, stroke, and heart failure. Studies by the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine have shown that increasing daily physical activity will also increase levels of cardiorespiratory fitness.
Cardiac Arrhythmia is described as any variation from the normal rhythm of the heartbeat. Types of arrhythmia include tachycardia: fast paced heartbeats, bradycardia: slow paced heartbeats, and heart block: failure of the heart to contract due to an interruption or delay of an electrical stimulus needed to trigger the contraction.
A stroke is known as the disruption of blood flow to the brain which can cause tissue damage, loss of function, and possible death due to the deprivation of oxygen and nutrients to vital organs. A stroke may result from a blood vessel hemorrhage (ruptured blood vessel) leading up to the brain or an embolism (blood clot) blocking an artery in the brain.
Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart is unable to refill its' chambers with blood and/or pump enough blood out to the body's vital organs. The name for this condition may be slightly misleading because it does not mean that the heart completely stops. Heart failure means that the heart is failing to do its' job the correct way and requires treatment for the condition to improve.
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