Causes and Risk Factors Associated with Heart Disease in the US

This report provides an overview of heart disease, a leading cause of death in the United States. It discusses the division of heart diseases into categories based on the affected part of the cardiovascular system. The report highlights the prevalence of heart disease, citing statistics from the CDC and Medical Daily. It then delves into the causes, including lifestyle factors such as diet and smoking, genetic predispositions, and environmental influences like pollution and chemical exposure. The report emphasizes the importance of understanding these factors for prevention and public health awareness, referencing key sources like the CDC and Medical News Today.

Leading Causes of Heart Diseases
Introduction
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but not so much in the United States. The country's health
statistics have been shown an increase in the number of people who are suffering from life
threatening diseases which are the leading causes of death. For the purpose of this assignment, I
have chosen and shall discuss diseases related to the heart. Heart diseases can be divided into
two categories depending up on which part of the cardiovascular system is affected, whether it is
the arteries or the blood vessels carrying the blood or the heart itself. Examples of heart diseases
include coronary artery heart disease, valvular heart disease, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy or
heart infections that may be present before the baby is born.
State versus national data
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for almost 1 in every 4
deaths, and affecting significantly more men than women (Nichols, 2017). According to the
website of Centre for Disease Control & Prevention around 28. 4 million people are affected
with heart diseases. Heart diseases are almost always very serious and cannot be taken lightly.
The heart is the most vital organ in the body. According to the website of medical daily, the total
number of people that die due to heart related diseases every year is 614,348.
Causes of heart disease
Heart or cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States (Wedro, 2016).
It is a known fact that a number of things contribute to the occurrence of heart disease. Below are
discussed a few of them.
Lifestyle factors- A person's life style is a very big factor in determining his overall health.
Consumption of fatty foods is a very major reason why people suffer from heart related diseases.
Smoking, hypertension also known as blood pressure and eating unhealthy are all causes of
instigating diseases related to the heart.
Genetics- Genetics play a very important role for a person with a heart disease. If a person's
parents or someone in his blood relation has had a heart disease, he or she is more likely to have
the same disease. The risk for heart disease can increase even more when heredity combines with

unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking cigarettes and eating an unhealthy diet (anonymous,
2015).
Environmental factors- Environmental factors play a major role in affecting the lives of humans.
The amount of pollutions, chemicals or toxins a person is exposed to can determine his health.
Exposure to chemicals such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, and metals is reported to
elevate CVD risk by affecting atherogenesis, thrombosis, or blood pressure regulation (O'Toole
TE1, 2008).
REFERENCES-
anonymous. (2015, august 20). Family History and Other Characteristics That Increase Risk for Heart
Disease. Retrieved september 25, 2017, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/family_history.htm
Nichols, H. (2017, february 23). The top 10 leading causes of death in the United States. Retrieved
september 23, 2017, from medicalnewstoday:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282929.php
O'Toole TE1, C. D. (2008). Environmental risk factors for heart disease. US National Library of Medicine ,
167-202.
Wedro, B. (2016, october 10). Heart Disease (Cardiovascular Disease, CVD). Retrieved september 24,
2017, from medicinenet.com:
http://www.medicinenet.com/heart_disease_coronary_artery_disease/article.htm#heart_cardiovascula
r_disease_definition_and_facts