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Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Brandy Gholson ED 498 Mr. Holden 1 Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Many people do not know anything about cardiovascular disease. The few people that do know anything about it do not know much information. I chose to do this topic because about three years ago I had a close friend that was diagnosed with this disease. After that, I wanted to know everything about this disease. I did a lot of research and learned that this disease can be preventable. Many people believe that cancer is more than a threat, but they are wrong. “Heart failure increases with age: about one percent of people aged under sixty five years have heart failure, but this number increase to six through seven percent of those aged seventy five through eighty four years and is as high as twenty two percent in those eighty five and over” (Bostock, 2011). There are more people diagnosed the cardiovascular disease than cancer. I also found out that women are more likely to be diagnosed with this disease than men. About thirty percent of women die within a year after having a heart attack as compared to twenty percent of men. Cardiovascular disease can be silent; however, it has symptoms. Lack of blood flow to the heart muscle can cause symptoms of chest discomfort or pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and sometimes palpitations and dizziness. Some of the symptoms are high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, and obesity. “ Those with a history of hypertension, especially if it is poorly controlled as this can lead to left ventricular hypertrophy and increases the risk of heart failure” (Bostock, 2011). “ Anyone with an abnormal heart rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation” 2 Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (Bostock). Eating a nutritious, well balanced diet can control these symptoms. A well- balanced diet can also lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes, as well as helping you to lose weight. By lowering your cholesterol this will greatly reduce tour risk of cardiovascular disease. You should talk to your doctor and go to your routine doctor visits. “ The NICE guidelines recommend a number of tests that will enable clinicians to make a diagnosis. The two main ones are a\echocardiography and a blood test for brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)” (Bostock , 2011). The echocardiography test is the best test to take to see if a person has cardiovascular disease. The test can tell whether the heart is normal or not. “A healthy heart pumps about sixty percent total amount of blood available once it has filled during diastole; if the pump is impaired, this is known as ejection fracture”(Bostock, 2011). Patients with no cardiovascular problems, their measurement of serum natriuretic peptides such as brain natriuretic peptide should be below one hundred pg/ml; however, it depends on age. If the BNP is over one hundred should go and see specialist within two weeks. “BNP test is not available in all parts of the country so other test may be useful in confirming the diagnosis, suggesting alternative diagnoses or identifying underlying causes of symptoms; these include ECG, blood test, chest x-ray and spirometry” (Bostock, 2011). This article was very interesting. I learned more 3 Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE information about heart failure. Overall, cardiovascular disease is usually treated with lifestyle changes, including having a well-balanced diet and exercise about four times a week. I encourage everyone to eat healthy, do not smoke, and workout. By doing those three things, your chances of getting cardiovascular disease are very slim. 4 Running head: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE References Bostock, B. (2011,March11). Understanding heart failure. Practice Nurse, 41(4).,p12-16. Retrieve from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/delivery?sid=216032da-b883-4b63b27f-42d5bd39f563 5