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Cardiovascular Disease : A Global Health Challenge That Has Affected Developed And Developing Countries Alike

Decent Essays

Cardiovascular disease is a global health challenge that has affected developed and developing countries alike. It is the leading cause of mortality globally (WHO, 2014) and in the United States (CDC, 2014). It used to be prevalent in developed countries, however, changes in behavior and lifestyle patterns in developing countries has also caused an increase in the incidence of cardiovascular disease. This is referred to by Walley & Wright (2010) as the epidemiologic transition. Cardiovascular diseases occur as a result of disorders of the heart and blood vessels (WHO, 2014). Various measures instituted by world bodies, governments, non-profit organizations and so many more, have been employed to tackle this chronic disease that is slowly ravaging the world. Results have been achieved, but there still remains a lot to be done, since cardiovascular diseases still remain the number one cause of morbidity (WHO, 2014).
According to WHO (2014), cardiovascular diseases manifests as; coronary heart disease (heart attacks), cerebrovascular disease (stroke), high blood pressure (hypertension), peripheral artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease and heart failure. These various forms of cardiovascular diseases are intertwined and one could lead to the other. Certain behavioral, environmental and genetic factors have been identified as risk factors of these diseases (WHO, 2014) and for this paper; I will examine and write about some of them.
Behavioral

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