Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular Community

Learning you have Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, including conditions such as coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, congenital heart diseases and deep vein thrombosis. These diseases are the leading cause of death globally, often resulting in heart attacks and strokes. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when the force of blood against the artery walls is consistently too high. This condition can damage blood vessels and lead to complications such as heart disease, stroke and kidney problems. Nearly half of U.S. adults have hypertension. Risk factors include obesity, lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet and excessive alcohol consumption. Hyperlipidemia refers to having high levels of lipids (fats) in the blood, such as cholesterol and triglycerides. This condition can lead to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, causing the arteries to narrow and harden, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Taking control of Cardiovascular Disease

Patient options are dependent on the type of illness and severity of symptoms. In the case of hypertension, there are standards of care such as diuretics and dual therapies that have been prescribed for years, with new classes of drugs being introduced frequently. There are also advances in monitoring from the wearables front that make tracking of blood pressure easier than ever before. For hyperlipidemia, first line treatments are most often statins, which the focus of treatment being the reduction of LDL levels in the blood. Newer medications include PCSK9 inhibitors, like evolocumab and alirocumab which are particularly useful for people who are statin-intolerant. For both hypertension and hyperlipidemia, lifestyle modifications are recommended. A heart-healthy diet along with regular exercise and weight loss are beneficial to overall health.

Advances in cardiovascular disease treatment

While there are several approved and well-established treatments for both hypertension and hyperlipidemia, there is still a significant unmet need for patients that continue to experience symptoms despite treatment. In addition to the newer classes of drugs already mentioned, personalized medicine has helped to advance our understanding of an individual’s response to treatment based on genetics. Clinical trials explore the safety and efficacy of the next generation and target therapies to eliminate the underlying cause of these conditions.

You can get involved

Ready to learn about research studies that may benefit patients with cardiovascular disease? Take a look at the trials that are currently recruiting. Each will show criteria a potential participant must meet to enroll - this is called eligibility criteria. There can be a number of factors here that an interested person must match. And just because someone is not a match for one trial does not mean that will be the case for all trials since each has different eligibility requirements.

RECRUITING TRIALS

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