Discuss the two most common cardiovascular diseases. What are some important factors in the treatment and outcomes of these diseases?
Heart disease and stroke are the two most common cardiovascular diseases. Most often, plaque builds up on the arterial walls and restricts and/or blocks blood flow to various parts of the body. "Heart disease" is a term used to refer to a collection of problems affecting the heart, including atherosclerosis (a build-up of plaque on the arterial walls), heart failure (when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs), arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), and heart attack. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts or is blocked. A stroke is similar to a heart attack in that blood flow is impaired, but a stroke occurs in the brain. Heart disease is the leading cause of death, and stroke is the third leading cause of death. Death from both heart disease and stroke are decreasing; however, the incidence of heart and stroke events and the associated costs remain high. One in three Americans has at least one cardiovascular disease.
In addition to age, cardiovascular disease prevalence and outcomes vary significantly by race, gender, socioeconomic status, and region (National Center for Health Statistics, 2013). Treatment disparities are differences in treatment among racial or ethnic groups, particularly among black and Hispanic populations, that are not related to the patients' preferences or differences in underlying health conditions (Davis et al., 2007). Furthermore, place of residence and socioeconomic status can determine the access a patient has to specialists and specialized treatment options, which in turn may influence the quality of care and outcomes (Davis et al., 2007). While race, gender, and socioeconomic status do not account for an individual's entire risk or all outcomes, they are important factors that influence many aspects of disease.
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