What is the cardiovascular system?
The cardiovascular system is the part of the larger circulatory system that circulates fluids such as blood throughout the body. It is made up of three independent systems that work together and include the heart, lungs, arteries, and veins. The circulatory system also moves lymph, a clear fluid that removes unwanted material in the body. The heart, blood and vessels form the cardiovascular part of the circulatory system.
The most common symptoms that most people are familiar with are a heart attack or stroke.
What are diseases of the cardiovascular system?
One of the most common diseases of the circulatory system is arteriosclerosis in which fatty deposits, such as cholesterol and other materials, thicken the walls of the arteries. Other cardiovascular or heart-related diseases are:
- Angina: a heart and vascular disease.
- Arrhythmia
- Congenital heart disease
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Mitral regurgitation
- Mitral valve prolapse
- Pulmonary stenosis
Vascular diseases are conditions that affect the blood vessels. These are:
- Peripheral artery disease
- An aneurysm
- Atherosclerosis
- Renal artery disease
- Raynaud’s disease
- Peripheral venous disease
- Embolism
- Blood clots
When would you see a cardiologist?
A cardiologist is a specialist in cardiovascular medicine and a primary care physician may refer the patient to see him or her. A patient may visit a cardiologist if he/she feels a pain in the heart and if he/she has a family history of heart problems. It is also worth visiting a specialist if the patient has a high total cholesterol level, hypertension, is a former smoker, has diabetes or vigorexia.
What are the symptoms of cardiovascular disease?
The most common symptoms that most people are familiar with are heart attack or stroke, but there are other symptoms that you should be aware of. These are:
- Severe chest pain or discomfort.
- Pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck, arm, or jaw
- Chest pain that is not relieved by rest
- Heart palpitations
- Low blood pressure
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness or fainting
- Weakness and fatigue.