What is CVD and why everyone over 30 should know about it
Let me introduce you to one of the biggest public health problems of the modern era and surprisingly it’s not one of the issues you’ll see on the news!
I am talking about a group of nutrition and lifestyle-related disorders that affect the heart and blood vessels, forming the most significant cause of death across the globe for men and women, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD).
First and foremost, this group includes coronary heart disease (mainly heart attacks) and strokes.
I am sorry to say that based on statistics, almost everyone knows someone who has a CVD! But, unfortunately, many of those people just don’t know it yet!
CVD itself kills almost 18 million people each year, around 32% of all deaths worldwide.
In the UK, about 200,000 people die each year just from CVD.
CVD is also a major cause of hospitalisations, medical therapies and long-term medication use. More than 7.4 million UK adults are thought to have at least one type of CVD.
And it’s not just a disease that old people get. Even the most conservative estimates show that cardiovascular disease affects about 15% of people (that’s more than one in seven adults ) between the ages of 45 and 64.
When we look into the underlying processes or root causes of CVD, we can almost always see metabolic problems (like raised blood glucose and insulin resistance), low-grade inflammation and abnormal levels of cholesterol (alongside other lipids and lipoproteins in the blood also called dyslipidaemia). We may also see high blood pressure (hypertension) and abnormalities in the blood vessels.
Regrettably, these are mainly the effects of environmental and behavioural risk factors and bad habits that we develop throughout our lives.
But there is some good news!
Cardiovascular disease is largely preventable!
90% of CVD is preventable or reversible. Only less than 10% is caused solely by genetics.
In addition, if people with “bad genes” adopt a good lifestyle, their chances of getting a heart attack or stroke are much lower.
And medicine has lots to offer too. Doctors can prescribe medication for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol and for better blood sugar control. In the later stages, in countless cases, surgical procedures are lifesaving.
Unfortunately, many hospitalisations and deaths occur in people with only mildly elevated risk factors or who haven’t seen a doctor yet. CVD is often asymptomatic, so even if you have no symptoms, you may still be at risk. In fact, half of the men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms and half of the people that had a heart attack had normal serum LDL cholesterol levels.
An early and accurate assessment is critical.
Comprehensive testing can help determine the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and personalise the dietary and lifestyle interventions.
We should not only concentrate on people who are already diagnosed and supported with medications, but we must also reach people who do not yet require medical treatment or are not aware that they are at risk. It is crucial that we offer them the best testing and prevention strategies.
Contact us if you want more information about the advanced cardiovascular tests and nutritional interventions we offer in our clinic.
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* DISCLAIMER: The content of this article is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in any media published by myself.
