5 Common Cardiovascular Disorders

Cardiovascular disorders can be more commonly experienced than you thought possible. At times the person is not even aware that the mild pain or discomfort that he is experiencing is a form of one of the common cardiovascular disorders that plagues the general population. Given here is a list of five such common ailments and their symptoms.Cardiovascular

1. Peripheral artery disease

Also known as PAD, it is one of the most common cardiovascular disorders. It is caused when the arteries that supply blood to your limbs get partially or completely blocked. This affects the blood flow to your arms and legs and may cause a cramping sensation or discomfort. In medical terms this is called claudication. The usual time that claudication occurs in the body is when the person has been exercising. The symptoms will ease off if the body is rested.

2. Stroke

A stroke is the most popular of all cardiovascular disorders seen in literature and in the movies. The man clutching his heart region and falling like a stone to the floor may seem overdramatized but is a fairly accurate description of the symptoms of a stroke.

A stroke is caused when a portion of the brain does not get its requisite blood flow, and will nearly always cause some permanent damage. The faster you get a stroke patient to medical aid the better the chances of his recovery.

There is usually a paralysis on the opposite side of the body, for instance if the stroke was experienced by the right side of the brain the paralysis will be experienced on the left side of the body and vice versa.

3. Pulmonary hypertension is one of the cardiovascular disorders

It is another one of the blood pressure related cardiovascular disorders and it is caused by a high blood pressure inside the pulmonary artery, hence its name. This one is often symptomless in the initial stages but as it progressed it can become severe and life threatening. Some warning flags to watch out for include shortness of breath, lethargy, weakness and fatigue. In advanced stages you would also feel chest pain and see edema or swelling.

4. Abdominal aortic aneurysm

Known also as simply AAA, the disorder is essentially a localized dilation of the aorta inside the abdomen. This bloating of the aorta like a balloon is called an aneurysm. The aorta is the main artery of the body and branches off to supply oxygen rich blood through the circulatory system to the entire body. In AAA there is the risk of this aneurysm rupturing, which given the job of the aorta can cause massive internal bleeding in the abdomen. Immediate medical attention will be required and chances of survival are rather low.

5. High blood pressure

This cardiovascular disorder has become one of the most common lifestyle diseases possible. Also known as Hypertension the disease goes undiagnosed and untreated as most patients dismiss symptoms as common fatigue. As the high blood pressure escalates it can become the cause of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and other related health problems. It is often missed by medical care professionals as it does not give the patient any symptoms till it has escalated.

So if you feel slight chest pain, have blurry vision, constantly seem to be fighting a headache or feel weak and numb very often without any physical activity you may be suffering from this silent killer. It is simple enough to diagnose and needs just a blood pressure gauge.