What is Cardiovascular Disease?

According to the American Heart Association, Center for Disease Control and the Mayo Clinic, cardiovascular disease is commonly referred to as "heart disease." There are many conditions tha fall under the purview of cardiovascular disease. Some conditions affect the blood vessels, some the heart muscle or "rhythm" of the heart beat. Some people are born with heart conditions (known as congenital heart defects). One of the most common heart conditions is narrow or blocked blood vessels caused by plaque. It's called coronary artery disease and can lead to stroke, angina (chest pain) or heart attack.

Furthermore, cardiovascular disease is the leading killer in women world wide. It accounts for more than 40% of deaths in the United States. Estimators speculate that over 41 million women in the United States are living with some form of heart disease and many of them are unaware of their condition.

When it comes to women's heart disease, we intend to focus on two main points: awareness and prevention. We want to focus on cardiovascular diseases that are preventable and then raise awareness about preventable methods. In order for us to help make women more aware, we intend to post facts and help people become more knowledgeable. As discussed in the opening article, knowledge is only half the battle. The other half is putting that knowledge to good use which usually about motivation.

We want to get you motivated and it is really about basic psychology. We know habit patterns are difficult to change. People generally stick to what they know. So, how do we motivate people? We believe in education, teamwork, community, sharing of ideas and having fun in the process!