Prevention of Circulatory and Respiratory Diseases.

Common Circulatory System Diseases

Arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis is a common disease of the circulatory system caused by the buildup of fat, cholesterol, or other substance in the artery wall. Deposits in the artery cause the vessel to stiffen and narrow. Diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, and high blood pressure can result in stiff arteries that restrict blood flow through the heart.

Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when a high force of blood presses against the artery walls over time. This condition can develop from a diet high in salt, smoking, kidney disease, or some other underlying medical condition. Untreated high blood pressure may lead to stroke, heart failure, or visual problems.

Aortic Aneurysm

Another common disease of the circulatory system is an aortic aneurysm. An aortic aneurysm occurs when a section of the aorta bulges, stretches, and swells. This bulge can weaken the aorta to the point that it bursts, releasing blood into the body. Bleeding from an aortic aneurysm is a medical emergency that can be caused by high blood pressure, smoking, aging, high cholesterol, and a positive family history.

Heart Disease

Heart disease, or coronary artery disease, occurs when the blood vessels that supply oxygen to the heart narrow and stiffen. Smoking, an unhealthy diet, stress, and a sedentary lifestyle all increase the risk of heart disease. A heart attack or stroke can occur if the condition is untreated.

Varicose veins

Varicose veins are another common disease of the circulatory system that happens when veins in the legs twist, swell, and become painful. Aging, pregnancy, prolonged standing, and defective valves can all contribute to the development of varicose veins. Most of the time varicose veins can be treated by elevating the lower extremities, avoiding prolonged standing or sitting positions, and wearing supportive stockings.

Chronic Venous Insufficiency

This condition occurs when blood pools or collects in the lower extremities, but it’s difficult to return to the heart. Symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency include:

• Swelling in the lower legs and ankles
• Aching or tired feeling in the legs
• Varicose veins

Chronic venous insufficiency can result from obesity, history of varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, sedentary lifestyle, long periods of sitting or standing, being over the age of 50, female, or pregnant. Ways to prevent chronic venous insufficiency include:

• Avoid prolonged periods of standing or sitting.
• Participate in regular exercise.
• Wear compression stockings.

Angina

Angina is a symptom of an underlying heart condition that occurs when the flow of blood and oxygen are restricted to the heart muscles. Symptoms of angina include:

• Chest pain
• Pressure or squeezing in the chest
• Frequent or infrequent chest pain.
• Tightness in chest

Diabetes, hypertension, smoking and other circulatory diseases can increase the risk for angina. Treatment of angina focuses on restoring proper blood flow to the heart.

Peripheral Vascular Disease

Peripheral vascular disease occurs when the arteries and veins supplying the lower extremities narrow and stiffen from the buildup of plaque. Common symptoms of peripheral vascular disease include:

• Pain with movement.
• Tingling, burning, or numbness in feet when resting.
• Fatigue
• Achiness
• Pain and cramps at night

Lifestyle changes, aspirin, and/or stain drugs may be used to treat the condition. If lifestyle changes and medications do not work an angioplasty or stent placement may be preformed

Arrhythmia

An arrhythmia occurs when the heart beats too fast, too slow, or skips a beat. Common symptoms of arrhythmias include:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain

Arrhythmias can develop from a congenital heart defect, diabetes, stress, medications, a heart attack, or high blood pressure. Medications can be given to slow down the heart rate.  A pacemaker may be surgically implanted in those individuals that do not respond to medications.

It's never too late to take steps to prevent a heart attack — even if you've already had one. Taking medications can reduce your risk of a subsequent heart attack and help your damaged heart function better. Lifestyle factors also play a critical role in heart attack prevention and recovery.

Medications

Doctors typically prescribe drug therapy for people who've had a heart attack or who are at high risk of having one. Medications that help the heart function more effectively or reduce heart attack risk may include:

• Blood-thinning medications. Aspirin makes your blood platelets less "sticky" and likely to clot. Doctors recommend an aspirin dose between 81 and 325 mg daily for people who've had a heart attack unless they have had an allergic reaction to aspirin or some other serious reason not to take it. If your doctor hasn't recommended that you take a daily aspirin, check with your doctor to find out why. If you've never had a heart attack, talk to your doctor before considering taking aspirin to prevent one. Clinical trials are ongoing to study the use of aspirin to prevent heart attacks.
  Doctors may prescribe aspirin and an anti-clotting drug, such as clopidogrel (Plavix), for people undergoing an angioplasty or stent procedure to open narrowed coronary arteries, both before and after the procedure.
  If you're already taking aspirin due to a previous heart attack or to help prevent a heart attack, be aware that taking these blood thinners and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) at the same time may increase the risk of gastrointestinal problems and may interfere with the heart benefits of aspirin. If you need to take a pain-relieving medication for certain conditions, such as arthritis, discuss with your doctor which pain reliever is best for you.
• Beta blockers. These drugs lower your heart rate and blood pressure, reducing demand on your heart and helping to prevent further heart attacks. But, these medications can't be given to people with asthma, slow heart rates, low blood pressure or heart failure.
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Doctors prescribe ACE inhibitors for most people after heart attacks, especially for those who have had a moderate to severe heart attack that has reduced the heart's pumping capacity. These drugs allow blood to flow from your heart more easily.
• Cholesterol-lowering medications. Medications called statins can help lower your levels of unwanted blood cholesterol. Many people who've had a heart attack take cholesterol-lowering medications to help lower the risk of a subsequent heart attack.

Lifestyle changes

In addition to medications, the same lifestyle changes that can help you recover from a heart attack can also help prevent future heart attacks. These include:

• Not smoking
• Controlling certain conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes
• Staying physically active
• Eating healthy foods
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Reducing and managing stress