Cardiovascular Health and Mental Disorders Explained

Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors

Cardiovascular diseases are those affecting the heart and blood vessels. Such diseases are the leading cause of death in Western society. Eight million people died of heart problems and six million more due to cerebrovascular diseases, such as strokes or brain hemorrhages.

Cardiovascular disease may have a genetic origin, but the most important causes—known as cardiovascular risk factors—are inadequate diets, physical inactivity, and tobacco use.

Common Cardiovascular Conditions

• Stroke: Occurs when blood flow stops reaching part of the brain, usually because a thrombus obstructs a cerebral artery (stroke or embolism).
• Arteriosclerosis: Is caused by the accumulation of cholesterol and fats in the inner wall of the arteries, which eventually hinder the passage of blood.

Mental Health and Brain Disorders

Mental diseases are disorders of the brain chemicals that occur generally in the brain. These diseases affect some people by changing their way of thinking, mood, and ability to interact with others. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that nearly 1,500 million people worldwide suffer from neuropsychiatric illnesses.

The majority of people with mental illness can control the symptoms that manifest themselves by taking medicines that contribute the brain chemicals they need.

Eating and Behavioral Disorders

In anorexia nervosa, the person is too thin but thinks very much about whether they will get fat or eat normally. The person with bulimia is of normal weight or a bit "chubby." This involves episodes of eating followed by feelings of disproportionate guilt, so they try to eliminate what has been eaten through vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) syndrome: Diagnosed in children with problems in controlling energy (they cannot be quiet) and attention.

Personality and Cognitive Disorders

Personality disorders: Several disorders are characterized by rigid patterns of inappropriate behavior.

Dementia: Consists of the progressive loss of mental abilities, especially memory. It is more common in older people, and the most common form is Alzheimer's disease.

The Nervous System and External Factors

• Nervous system depressants: These cause sleepiness, slowing of reaction, and reduction of heart rate and breathing.
• Stimulants of the nervous system: They increase attention, reduce sleep, provide a feeling of increased mental and physical performance, and cause a loss of appetite.
• Disturbing the nervous system: These alter basic psychological functions, hindering concentration, attention, reasoning, and memory, and altering perceptions.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system that affects the brain and spinal cord.

Organ Transplants and Immune Response

A rejection in a transplant is due to the fact that the body identifies the organ as something strange and the immune system tries to destroy it. In Spain, it is realized that most transplants are kidney, liver, heart, lung, and intestine.