Are cardiovascular disease and heart disease the same thing? In short, no - cardiovascular disease is the general term for conditions affecting the heart (cardio) or blood vessels (vascular) and covers all heart and circulatory diseases, including: 2
- Heart disease
- Angina
- Heart attack
- Congenital heart disease
- Hypertension
- Stroke
- Vascular dementia
Heart disease is another broad term used to describe a range of disorders affecting your heart, and these include: 2
- Coronary heart disease
- Heart arrhythmia
- Congenital heart disease
There’s a strong correlation between both cardiovascular disease and diabetes and heart disease and diabetes. In both, blood vessels narrow and the amount of oxygen-rich blood reaching the body’s vital organs is severely reduced. 3
The blood pressure rises, and your heart must work harder to move blood around the body. Over time, this can cause lasting damage to the heart, resulting in cardiovascular disease. 3