What are the most common cardiovascular disorders?

Heart Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases, disorders, and problems are the leading cause of death worldwide, a position that has been confirmed for several years. Cardiovascular problems

Heart diseases, which fall under the scope of cardiology, are quite heterogeneous, depending on the nature and areas of the heart involved. They all produce more or less serious dysfunctions depending on the severity of the defect or anomaly.

Among the main ones, we find:

• Arrhythmia or heart rhythm abnormalities: tachycardia, bradycardia, atrial fibrillation, extrasystole;
• Myocardial infarction, caused by the complete interruption of the supply of oxygenated blood to the myocardium, generally due to an occlusion of the coronary arteries, which leads to the death of the tissue itself;
• Congenital heart defect;
• Cardiomyopathies or heart hypertrophy;
• Diseases caused by infectious agents that affect the heart by causing inflammation such as endocarditis or pericarditis;
• Diseases due to malfunctioning heart valves such as stenosis, prolapse or heart failure;
• Diseases caused by blood vessel problems (atherosclerosis, angina pectoris);

All these disorders can produce very nuanced symptoms, difficult to recognize, or more serious and even dramatic, as in the case of myocardial infarction.

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Other possible consequences of an unrecognized and untreated heart disease are:

• Heart failure, in which the heart cannot pump the blood necessary for the well-being of the entire body;
• Ischemic stroke, when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted due to the rupture or occlusion of an artery;
• Aneurysm, formation of a bulge on the arterial wall that can "burst" and cause a fatal internal hemorrhage;
• Peripheral arterial disease, reduction of blood flow in the arteries of the upper and/or lower limbs;
• Sudden cardiac arrest;

Disorders of the veins and arteries

Other disorders affecting the arteries and veins are:

• High blood pressure, which is the increase in blood pressure beyond physiological values (80-120 mmHg), especially when values exceed 140 mmHg for maximum pressure (systolic) and 90 mmHg for minimum pressure (diastolic). The increase in pressure forces the heart to work harder and therefore to overwork;
• Deep vein thrombosis, caused by the formation of a clot in a deep vein, i.e., located deep in the body. The formation of the clot will obstruct the blood circulation. Deep vein thrombosis is more common in the legs, but it can also form in the arms, neck, and abdominal veins;

These acute and chronic events rarely occur without signs, which is why cardiovascular health prevention involves regular check-ups, especially after the age of 50 in men and women, even before in the presence of specific symptoms, risk factors and family history. By detecting cardiovascular problems at their first manifestation, it is possible to avoid many negative or dramatic consequences.

What are the most common symptoms of heart and circulatory disorders?

Symptoms to watch out for, common to many types of heart and circulatory disorders, are:

• Pain in the chest, stomach, throat, left arm or retrosternal area;
• Shortness of breath;
• Dizziness;
• Vertigo;
• Arrhythmia (tachycardia or bradycardia), irregular heartbeat;
• Pallor, bluish lips;
• Weakness, extreme fatigue;
• Swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, eyelids;
• Tendency to collapse, fainting;

Cardiology examinations and treatments

The most requested healthcare services in cardiology, starting with screening examinations, are:

• Cardiological examination;
• Coronary angiography;
• Venous blood sample to analyze the lipid profile (cholesterol, triglycerides, etc.);
• Cardiac Doppler echo;
• Doppler echo of the supra-aortic trunks after physical examination;
• Echocardiography;
• Electrocardiogram (ECG);
• Stress test;
• Carotid endarterectomy;
• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging;
• Cardiac revascularization surgery;
• Computed tomography;
• Myocardial scintigraphy;
• Management of oral anticoagulant treatment;
• Heart transplant;

When to see a cardiologist?

Checking your heart when you are healthy is the best way to prevent heart or cardiovascular diseases. Indeed, a thorough cardiological examination can detect unsuspected problems. The cardiologist can also give advice on how to prevent potential cardiovascular problems. In particular, it is advisable to undergo a cardiological examination at least every 5 years if you are over 40 years old and more frequently in the presence of the following risk factors:

• Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol levels, verifiable by blood tests);
• High blood pressure (hypertension);
• Obesity;
• Diabetes;
• Depression;
• Sedentary lifestyle and inactivity (less than 30 minutes of physical activity per day), especially for long-term caregivers who have been bedridden for weeks;
• Long-term smoking. Smoking doubles the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases;
• Family members who have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease;

The cardiological examination begins with a medical history, a series of questions from which the doctor draws useful information for the diagnosis. The doctor inquires about the presence of symptoms related to heart disease (pain, shortness of breath, malaise, etc.), the patient's lifestyle, medication, and family history of cardiac or vascular disorders.

Then, the physical examination will allow the cardiologist to check a series of parameters useful for the diagnosis: pallor, mood, weight, signs of swelling of the lower limbs. Using a sphygmomanometer, he will measure the patient's blood pressure. By placing a hand on the person's chest, the cardiologist determines the size of the heart and checks that it is not hypertrophied. He palpates the abdomen to detect any liver hypertrophy.

He will then check the condition of the veins and arteries through a series of tests. Auscultation with a stethoscope allows listening to the sounds of the lungs, heart and blood vessels to identify any abnormalities.

Often at this stage the doctor prescribes treatments and/or lifestyle changes, or requests additional examinations.