Cardiovascular Disease

    Cardiovascular disease includes arrhythmias, cerebrovascular disease, congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, and rheumatic heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 61 million Americans, almost one-fourth of the population, have some form of cardiovascular disease. An estimated 950,000 Americans die each year from cardiovascular disease. Heart disease and stroke, two types of cardiovascular disease, are the first and third leading causes of death in the United States (www.cdc.gov). Major risk factors for cardiovascular disease include hypertension, cigarette smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, microalbuminuria, age, and family history of premature cardiovascular disease (JNC-VII).