Most common and treatments of the heart

Heart Diseases in the United s Incidence and the Different Types of Heart Diseases In developed countries heart disease is at present the main cause of death, accounting for nearly two-thirds of fatalities annually in the United States. Heart diseases can be of various types, they generally occur among older people with resultant disability for several years, followed by death. However, cardiovascular diseases can also affect youth, children and even infants (Silverstein, Silverstein & Nunn, 2006). “ More than 1, 51, 000 Americans who died of cardiovascular diseases in 2005 were younger than age 65” (CDC, 2009, p. 2). Heart disease and stroke are the chief causes of disability in the U. S. workforce, disabling more than 1 million people from strokes alone. The most common cardiovascular disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which is responsible for one out of every five deaths in the country annually. Others are “ hypertensive heart disease, angina and heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias, and congestive heart failure” (Moini, 2010, p. 23).
Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the prevention of common heart diseases in the United States, their treatment, and the economic burden on the health care system.
Prevention of Heart Disease
According to Jenkins (2003), cardiovascular diseases are expensive to treat, and place an immense burden on the health care system. However, prevention is far less costly to reduce some forms of cardiovascular disorders. (CDC, 2009). The main risk factors that lead to heart diseases include obesity, smoking, alcoholism, and lack of exercise (Moini, 2010).
Crucial changes have to be made to lifestyle and daily routine patterns to prevent the risk of
developing heart disease or stroke. These include the avoidance of tobacco use, increasing
physical activity levels, and making healthy food choices. Further, preventing and controlling high blood pressure and high blood cholestrol also contribute greatly to cardiovascular health. For instance, “ a 12-13 point reduction in systolic blood pressure can reduce heart disease risk by 21%, stroke risk by 37%, and risk for death from heart disease or stroke by 25%” (CDC, 2009, p. 3). It is vital that public health strategies and policies be implemented for promoting healthy living, supporting healthy environments, helping to control blood pressure and cholestrol levels, and providing access to early, affordable and appropriate treatment.
Treatment for Heart Diseases
In remedial therapy for eliminating or reducing the symptoms of cardiac disease, the risk-benefit ratio has to be considered. Treatment consists of general management of the cardiac patient, the use of appropriate cardiac drugs, interventional cardiac therapy, surgical therapy, in-hospital treatment, immediate convalescence and long-term support (Selzer, 1992).
Economic Burden of Heart Disease on the Health Care System
More than one-third or 80 million United States adults are currently affected by cardiovascular disease. The estimated number of heart attacks is 9, 35, 000 and strokes is 7, 95, 000 annually. Americans visit the doctor more than 72 million times for treatment and management of cardio-vascular diseases, while 7 million hospitalizations occur every year. The estimated costs in 2009 were over $300 billion for heart diseases, over $165 billion for coronary heart disease, over $73 billion for hypertensive disease, nearly $70 billion for stroke, and over $37 billion for heart failure (CDC, 2009). It is evident from the incidence of common cardiovascular diseases, their prevention, treatment and economic burden on the health care system, that there is a crucial need for reducing the occurrence of heart diseases in America by integrated efforts of the government, health care systems, and individuals themselves.
References
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). (2009). Heart disease and stroke prevention:
Addressing the nation’s leading killers. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion. Retrieved on 23rd September, 2011 from:
http://www. cdc. gov/nccdphp/publications/aag/pdf/dhdsp. pdf
Jenkins, C. D. (2003). Building better health: A handbook of behavioral change. Washington,
DC: Pan American Health Organization.
Moini, J. (2010). Cardiopulmonary pharmacology for respiratory care. New York: Jones &
Bartlett Learning.
Silverstein, A., Silverstein, V. B. & Nunn, L. S. (2006). Heart disease. The United States
of America: Twenty-First Century Books.