What Is Cardiovascular Disease?

Posted March 8, 2025

What Is Cardiovascular Disease?

Cardiovascular disease is a general term that refers to many different types of heart problems.

Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. In fact, one American dies from heart disease every 33 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

These are common types of heart disease and risk factors you need to keep in mind.

Arrhythmia (Irregular heartbeat)

Arrythmias are heart rhythms in which heartbeats are faster than normal (tachycardia), slower than normal (bradycardia) or skipped.

Doctors liken arrythmia to a mechanical malfunction: While it's usually not serious, it may sometimes be a sign of bigger issues.

Learn more about heart arrhythmia.

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a common heart disease in which a fatty substance known as plaque builds up in your arteries.

Also known as hardening of the arteries, the condition develops as cholesterol, fat, blood cells and other contents accumulate in artery walls. This causes the arteries to narrow, reducing the supply of oxygen-rich blood to tissues and organs in the body.

Atherosclerosis can lead to blood clots, chest pain, chronic kidney disease, as well as heart attack, aneurysm or stroke.

Learn more about controlling your cholesterol to prevent atherosclerosis.

Heart attack

A heart attack is a life-threatening health emergency that requires immediate medical treatment. Also known as a myocardial infarction, a heart attack occurs when the flow of blood that brings oxygen to a part of the heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked.

There is an urgent need to restore blood flow to the heart quickly. Otherwise, the heart may be deprived of oxygen, and the organ will begin to die.

Heart attacks are very common. As many as 800,000 people in the United States have a heart attack each year, according to the CDC.

That's why it's important to recognize the symptoms and react quickly. Major symptoms include chest pain, feeling weak or faint, pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, back, one or both arms or shoulders and shortness of breath. Women may also have other symptoms, including tiredness that won't go away, nausea and vomiting.

Learn more about heart attacks.

Heart failure

Congestive heart failure, also known as heart failure, is a common heart problem in the U.S. Roughly 5.7 million Americans live with the disease, and 670,000 more cases are diagnosed each year, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

Congestive heart failure occurs when your heart muscle is too stiff, weak or damaged to pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

It may come on suddenly or develop over time and can lead to other health problems, including liver or kidney damage and cardiac arrest.

Learn more about heart failure.

Stroke

A stroke is a permanent injury to the brain caused by the blockage or bursting of a blood vessel.

Those caused by a blockage are called ischemic strokes, and those caused when a blood vessel bursts are known as hemorrhagic strokes. Because they are treated differently, emergency doctors must work quickly to determine which type is happening when a patient has stroke symptoms.

Understanding the warning signs and acting fast are essential. Remember the acronym, FAST, which stands for face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech, time to call 911.

For those who survive a stroke, most improve afterward, even though the injury it caused is permanent.

Learn more about strokes.

Coronary heart disease

This is the most common type of heart disease in the U.S., according to the CDC.

Also known as coronary artery disease, this condition occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is limited because of plaque buildup caused by waxy cholesterol in the coronary artery walls.

For many people, its first sign is a heart attack. Other warning signs include chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations and fatigue.

Learn more about coronary heart disease.

Causes

Causes for these heart-related diseases vary, but they are often linked to genetics, lifestyle and other illnesses.

Eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and using alcohol only in moderation or not at all are keys to preventing heart disease.

Learn more about heart disease prevention.

Risk factors

Certain risk factors increase the likelihood that heart disease may develop. Besides a family or personal history of heart disease, these include: