Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes all diseases and conditions of the heart and blood vessels.
The main types of CVD in Australia are:
The main cause of most CVDs in Australia is atherosclerosis, which is an abnormal build-up of fat and other substances which form plaque inside the arteries.
Atherosclerosis is most serious when it leads to reduced or blocked blood supply to the heart (causing angina or heart attack) or to the brain (causing a stroke).
Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease (also called ischaemic heart disease) is the most common form of CVD.
There are two major clinical form: heart attack (often known as acute myocardial infarction) and angina.
A heart attack occurs when the heart blood vessel is suddenly blocked, threatening to damage the heart muscle and its functions. It is life-threatening.
Angina is a chronic condition when a temporary loss of blood supply to the heart causes periodic chest pain. While generally not life-threatening, people with angina are more likely to have a heart attack or experience sudden cardiac death. New onset of angina can also be unstable and lead to admission to hospital, and in rare cases, to death. It is medically treated in a similar manner to heart attack.
Heart attacks and the most serious form of angina (unstable angina) are considered to be part of a continuum of acute coronary artery diseases, described as 'acute coronary syndrome'.
Stroke
Stroke occurs when an artery supplying blood to the brain either suddenly becomes blocked or begins to bleed. This may result in brain damage, leading to a sudden impairment in speaking, thinking, movement and communication. Stroke is often fatal.
There are two main types of stroke: a blood clot or other particles blocking a blood vessel (ischaemic stroke) and the rupturing and subsequent bleeding of a blood vessel (haemorrhagic stroke).
Stroke is the most common form of cerebrovascular disease which includes disorders of the blood vessels supplying the brain or its covering membranes.
Transient ischaemic attack is a condition related to stroke and results from a temporary blockage of the blood supply to the brain, usually lasting only a few minutes and producing stroke-like symptoms that disappear within 24 hours.
Heart failure and cardiomyopathy
Heart failure is a condition where the heart is unable to maintain a strong enough blood flow. It can result in chronic tiredness, reduced capacity for physical activity and shortness of breath. It is a life-threatening condition and cannot be cured in most cases.
Heart failure can result from a variety of diseases and conditions that impair or overload the heart, notably heart attack, high blood pressure, a damaged heart valve or cardiomyopathy.
Cardiomyopathy is a disease where the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thickened or stiff, reducing the effectiveness of the heart and causing heart failure.
Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease
Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a condition caused by an untreated infection of group A streptococcus (GAS) bacteria, affecting the throat and possibly the skin. It causes inflammation throughout the body.
If it recurs or is left untreated, acute rheumatic fever can permanently damage the heart valve, leading to rheumatic heart disease. The risk of acute rheumatic fever recurring is high following an initial episode.
Although acute rheumatic fever is now a rare disease among most Australians, it still has a substantial impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Rheumatic heart disease is permanent damage to the heart muscle or heart valves caused by acute rheumatic fever.
It often damages the heart valve either causing it to narrow or not close properly. Severe forms of the disease can result in serious incapacity or even death.
Damage to the heart valve and a history of acute rheumatic fever are both important indicators in diagnosing rheumatic heart disease as its symptoms are common in other heart conditions.
Peripheral vascular disease
Peripheral vascular disease, also known as peripheral arterial disease, refers to the obstruction of large arteries that supply blood to the peripheries, which excludes the central organs of the heart and brain. Two important forms of the disease are:
- atherosclerosis of the peripheral arteries, and
- abdominal aortic aneurysm.
In atherosclerosis of the peripheral arteries, the arteries supplying blood to the legs and feet are narrowed, potentially leading to amputation of a limb.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm is abnormal widening of the aorta (the main artery leading from the heart) below the level of the diaphragm). It can be a life-threatening condition and surgery is necessary in some cases.
Congenital heart disease
Congenital heart disease is any disorder of the heart or central blood vessels that is present at birth. It is one of the leading causes of death in the first year of life.
Symptoms may appear at birth, or sometime thereafter. They include breathlessness or a failure to attain normal growth and development.
Most children with congenital heart disease are treated with surgery or catheter-based techniques, usually in infancy or early childhood.