10 Fascinating Heart Disease Facts Worth Knowing

INTRODUCTION

Several health agencies (including the CDC, the NIH, the American Heart Association, etc.) monitor trends and developments relating to cardiovascular disease (CVD).  One might expect that, statistically speaking, circumstances remain relatively the same from year to year but that is simply not so. 

Cardiovascular disease, for example, may have once been thought of as a “man’s disease” but this is yet another area where equality (albeit not welcomingly) has been achieved.  Women may now be surpassing men in some areas of CVD. 

IMPORTANT FACTS TO KEEP IN MIND

--“Non-medical establishments/institutions are now being used in the fight against CVD.”

Churches in the Baltimore area, for example, participate in programs like Go Red for Women (a program of the American Heart Association) which are helping to get the word out about the dangers of CVD.  The program helps emphasize the fact that African Americans (especially women) are being disproportionately affected (partly due to lack of health insurance, not getting regular check-ups, and poor dietary habits) by heart disease.

--“Many of the people who die from heart disease don’t know they suffer from CVD.”

It is said, for example, that one woman dies from heart disease every minute in the U.S.—at least half of these persons, however, had never been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.  

--“Coronary heart disease is thought to be the most common type of ailment responsible for the 600,000 to 800,000 people who die every year from CVD.” 

It must be understood that cardiovascular diseases can take many forms.  Each type of disease comes with its own risk factors, treatment options and statistical trends. Consequently, each disease needs to be studied independently.

--“Risk factors now play a more important role than in the past in better understanding and treating heart disease.” 

Studies, for example, illustrate the far-reaching effects of things like:

  • vegetable oil (and other forms of toxic synthetic/processed fats) & margarine,
  • Cyberspace-related stress,
  • overly-hectic lifestyles,
  • lack of dental hygiene,
  • not enough exercise,
  • chemical-laden processed foods,
  • ubiquitous microplastics & chemically-polluted drinking water,
  • the cell-damaging effects of Wi-Fi & other forms of radiation from electronic devices,
  • excessively polluted air from things like auto emissions & Chemtrails,
  • the MSG & fast food-based obesity pandemic,
  • the dismal failure by the medical establishment to properly control the diabetes pandemic,
  • etc. 

Additional risk factors (rheumatoid arthritis, depression, connective tissue disease, etc.), however, are also being put on the spotlight. 

--“Heart disease kills more people than all types of cancers and AIDS combined.”

For example, more than 920,000 Americans will confront a heart attack this year.  They will lead the way in the persons who die every 33 seconds because of cardiovascular disease.

--“Although heart disease used to be more prevalent in developed countries, heart disease is expected to get worse worldwide.”

It is expected, for example, that cardiovascular disease will be the main cause of death globally by the year 2020.   Smoking and fast/processed foods may be partly to blame for this. 

--“Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), once thought to strike just the elderly, is worsening statistically--even among younger groups.”

Approximately 250,000 Americans, for example, will die because of SCD each year.  At least half of those victims will be younger than 65 years old. 

--“Many people who suffer from heart disease fail to recognize important warning symptoms.”

It is estimated, for example, that 8,900,000 Americans will suffer from chest pain because of reduced blood flow to the heart but not all seek medical care. 

--“Statistics confirm that there are significant differences for men and women when it comes to CVD.”   

Women, for example, may be affected by different risk factors (hormonal changes, pregnancies, etc.) and may require different treatment plans. 

--“The cost of CVD is expected to continue to be burdensome for society at large.”

Even with government-funded health insurance in place, costs will continue to skyrocket.  From 2008 to 2010, for example, the overall cost for CVD care was about $448.5 billion.  This is expected to reach about 818 billion by the year 2030, unless major changes are brought about. 

CONCLUSION

Much can be learned from the facts and statistics related to CVD.  Treatment plans, for example, may be developed that go along with national trends.  This can save time, money and other valuable resources in the long run. It's also important to know that many who succumb to heart diseases could have prevented them with regular check-ups and screenings.

Copyright, 2018.  Fred Fletcher.  All rights reserved.

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

https://www.cdcfoundation.org/pr/2015/heart-disease-and-stroke-cost-america-nearly-1-billion-day-medical-costs-lost-productivity

https://health.usnews.com/health-care/articles/2018-04-06/heart-disease-carries-huge-cost-for-some-families

https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm

https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/about-us/what-we-do/heart-disease-in-australia/cardiovascular-disease-fact-sheet

9/18/2019 7:00:00 AM
Fred Fletcher
Written by Fred Fletcher
Fred Fletcher is a hard working Consumer Advocacy Health Reporter. Education: HT-CNA; DT-ATA; MS/PhD Post-Graduate Certificates/Certifications: • Project Management • Food Safety • HIPAA Compliance • Bio-statistical Analysis & Reporting • Regulatory Medical Writing • Life Science Programs Theses & Dis...
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Comments
Fred, CVD is often confused or misdiagnosed for ailments with similar symptoms. One major culprit is acid reflux. Chest pain and discomfort can signify a wide range of potential infirmities thus making diagnosis sort of complicated.
Posted by Dr. Dario Herrera
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