Cardiovascular diseases refer to the ailments that affect heart and blood circulation. These diseases are the most common causes of death in the UK, especially among the older population (Bonow et al. 120). Physical inactivity, lifestyle of individuals and unhealthy diet are among the key factors that increase a person’s risk to suffer from cardiovascular ailments.
The most common cardiovascular diseases include coronary and congenital heart disease, blood vessels tumor, congestive heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, and deep venous thrombosis. The risk factors include old age, smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, and history of family heart disease.
Cardiovascular Diseases and Wellness
The main causes of cardiovascular diseases are lifestyle choices such as smoking and obesity coupled with physical inabilities. In terms of physical wellness, cardiovascular disease patients experience tremendous physical strains in their bodies such as sudden chest aches, pain in one or both arms, and discomfort in their back, neck, and stomach.
Some experience squatness of breath, cold -sweat, nausea, and to some extent, lightheadedness. The main causal factor of these symptoms is their minimal engagement in leisure-period physical activities. They come about due to the inability of the body to meet the demands that arise from the physical environment.
Cardiovascular disease affects the emotional wellbeing of individuals who suffer from the condition. Depression is the most common emotional characteristics of cardiovascular disease. According to Elliott et al. (2011), symptoms who have this condition also exhibit signs of low self-esteem, anxiety, and they also have poor interpersonal skills (264).
Thus, such symptoms coupled with the ideologies that the patients have play a significant role in determining the effect that the treatments that have been administered to them will have on their health. Under such conditions, the patients usually consider that their situation is not likely to get better. For instance, individuals who have suffered from a heart attack have a high risk of getting another heart attack (Elliott et al. 264).
In terms of spiritual wellness, cardiovascular disease is associated with various spiritual atrophies, such as a feeling of anxiety, loss of meaning to life due to self-judgment, self-condemnation and conflicting values concerning ones physical wellbeing. Furthermore, there is a feeling of acting in rush so as to tackle the risks often without methodologies that are recommended.
The negative feelings of deep sadness, intense anger, and fear create the setting for emotional, physical, as well as mental-health dysfunction. Hence, the refutation of the profundity of distress only increases the condition and may result in serious heart failures and illnesses. Such feelings comprise risk factors that are similar in intensity to effects of high cholesterol or diabetes (Elliott et al. 270).
Cardiovascular Disease in the Contemporary World
Currently, cardiovascular disease is caused by comparable factors affecting climate change. The World Health Organization has adopted approaches in dealing with this interrelationship (Kivimäki 1400). Climate extremes are turning out to be more and more common, and as a result placing greater strains on individual’s hearts.
A research conducted by the British Medical Journal revealed that every 1C of temperature change on a particular day is associated with 200 additional heart attacks (Kivimäki 1420). Heat waves have considerably increased in magnitude and intensity due to higher temperatures, and as a result, there has been an increase in cardiovascular related deaths like heart attacks.
Personal Significance
For my part, I feel that in trying to tackle the health and wellbeing of people from cardiovascular disease epidemic is to offer actionable information that will lead to the development and execution of suitable policies. This should involve not just taking breaks from heavy workloads, but also more substantial but practicable dietary enhancements. Secondly, I try to engage in moderate physical activities such as walking and playing tennis every day as a means of relieving pressures that they face in life. In terms of emotional wellbeing, I try to make rational decisions while seeking family and friends console whenever necessary.
Works Cited
Bonow, Richards, Mann Daniels, Zipes Lopez, & Libby Peters. Braunwald’s Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. London: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2012. Print
Elliott, Patric, Lambiase, Davidson, & Kumar, Diha. Inherited Cardiac Disease. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print.
Kivimäki, Michael. ‘Job strain as a risk factor for coronary heart disease: a collaborative meta-analysis of individual participant data.’ The Lancet , 380.1 (2010): 1491 – 1497. Print