Cardiovascular Disease Overview
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. This introductory article briefly discusses several diseases that have a role in the development of cardiovascular disease. Refer to the following articles for further information: angina, atherosclerosis, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, chronic venous insufficiency, diabetes, heart attack, high cholesterol, high homocysteine, high triglycerides, hypertension, insulin resistance syndrome, mitral valve prolapse, and stroke.
Many risk factors are associated with cardiovascular disease; most can be managed, but some cannot. The aging process and hereditary predisposition are risk factors that cannot be altered. Until age 50, men are at greater risk than women of developing heart disease, though once a woman enters menopause, her risk triples.
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