In addition, drug treatment of hypertension, diabetes and high blood lipids are necessary to reduce cardiovascular risk and prevent heart attacks and strokes among people with these conditions. Other determinants of CVDs include poverty, These are a reflection of the major forces driving social, economic and cultural change – globalization, urbanization and population ageing. There are also a number of underlying determinants of CVDs. Health policies that create conduciveĮnvironments for making healthy choices affordable and available are essential for motivating people to adopt and sustain healthy behaviours. These “intermediate risks factors” can be measured in primary care facilities and indicate an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other complications.Ĭessation of tobacco use, reduction of salt in the diet, eating more fruit and vegetables, regular physical activity and avoiding harmful use of alcohol have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The effects of behavioural risk factors may show up in individuals as raised blood pressure, raisedīlood glucose, raised blood lipids, and overweight and obesity. The most important behavioural risk factors of heart disease and stroke are unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol. What are the risk factors for cardiovascular disease? Strokes can be caused by bleeding from a blood vessel in the brain or from blood clots. The most common reason for this is a build-up of fatty deposits on the inner walls of the blood vessels that Heart attacks and strokes are usually acute events and are mainly caused by a blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart or brain. deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the leg veins, which can dislodge and move to the heart and lungs.congenital heart disease – birth defects that affect the normal development and functioning of the heart caused by malformations of the heart structure from birth and.rheumatic heart disease – damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria.peripheral arterial disease – a disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs.cerebrovascular disease – a disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain.coronary heart disease – a disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle.Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels.

Recent deaths