Many mistake the signs of a heart attack for indigestion. Hypertension is an extremely common form of cardiovascular disease. Kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, disorders of the pituitary or adrenal glands, and the use of oral contraceptives can also lead to hypertension, and heredity may be a factor. Untreated hypertension is the leading cause of stroke, and also greatly increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and kidney failure. Other types of cardiovascular disease include heart failure, arrhythmias, and valvular disease.
Arrhythmias are disturbances in the normal rhythm of the heartbeat.
There are different kinds of arrhythmias. Valvular disease is a term for disorders that impair the functioning of one or more of the heart's valves. Unfortunately, despite remarkable new technology for both diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions, the first sign of cardiovascular disease may be a life-threatening calamity. Disorders of the cardiovascular system are often far advanced before they become symptomatic. An esti-mated 25 percent of people who have heart attacks have no previous symptoms of heart trouble.