Cardiovascular Disease in the Digital Era
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Chronic diseases affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. As part of our chronic diseases in the digital age series this month, we’ve looked at asthma and diabetes. Now, we’re having a look at cardiovascular disease and how we can look after our heart health in the digital age.
What is Heart Disease?
Cardiovascular disease or heart disease is an umbrella term and be used to describe a host of heart problems. “Cardiovascular disease generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke” (Mayo Clinic).
Different types of cardiovascular disease include:
Coronary artery disease
Heart attac
Heart failure
Heart valve disease
Congenital heart disease
For more cardiovascular related disease see here.
Who does Cardiovascular Disease affect?
Cardiovascular disease or heart disease can affect both males and females. Cardiovascular disease is responsible for an estimated 17.9 million deaths in 2016. This represents 31% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% are due to heart attack and stroke. (World Health Organisation). In Ireland, the HSE says that there are currently 90,000 people living with heart failure.
Symptoms of Heart Disease
Symptoms of cardiovascular diseases can differ in men and women. Some of the most common symptoms are:
Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest discomfort (angina)
Shortness of breath
Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed
Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back
Whilst the above are the most common symptoms, the many different heart diseases can have different symptoms which you can find more info here.
Causes of Heart Disease
Heart disease can be caused by a number of things, a build-up of fatty deposits in the walls of your arteries is responsible for coronary heart disease. Other causes include:
Cholesterol
High blood pressure
Smoking
Thrombosis or clotting
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Prevention of Heart Disease
The Mayo Clinic suggest the following to keep heart disease at bay:
Quit smoking
Control other health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat
Maintain a healthy weight
Reduce and manage stress
Practice good hygiene
Monitoring and Jinga Life
When it comes to the prevention and monitoring of chronic diseases, we at Jinga Life are all for advancements in the digital health realm. We believe you and your family should have control of your healthcare, allowing you to be proactive in monitoring your health. Using new innovative healthcare technology, we are putting the power back into your hands when it comes to your health. And when we say into your hands, we mean it quite literally. By using a blood pressure machine, otherwise known as a sphygmomanometer, that hooks up to your phone and Jinga Life app via bluetooth you can monitor and track your blood pressure over a long period of time. You can not only check to see if everything is running smoothly, and make sure to adjust your lifestyle accordingly, but the instant recording and tracking of your blood pressure allows you to share the stats with your doctor if needs be. This will save you and your doctor a lot of time should you run into any complications.
Have you signed up to Jinga Life yet? Click here to learn more, download the app, and start being proactive in your and your family’s health care journey.