Have you ever stopped to think about how exactly your body keeps you alive? Two of the essential things inside your body are your heart and lungs. These two organs are very intimately connected and work hard together to keep you alive.
When a problem affects your heart and lungs, it’s called a cardiopulmonary condition or disease. Cardio refers to nature, while pulmonary refers to the lungs. If you experience breathlessness or trouble breathing, it could be a possible indicator of a heart problem.
Cardiopulmonary Disease
What is cardiopulmonary disease? Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It claims over 800,000 American lives across all demographics each year. This means that this terrible disease causes one in every four deaths.
The problem with heart disease is that it is entirely preventable. However, even in the most advanced countries, thousands of people die due to this disease.
While heart disease is bad enough, a cardiopulmonary condition is a broader term used for cardiopulmonary disease. It encompasses a variety of conditions that affect the heart and the lungs.
Both organs are essentials parts of the circulatory system, relying on each other to keep functioning correctly. This also means that a problem with one organ can spread a lot faster throughout the rest of your body because of this connection.
Common symptoms of a cardiopulmonary condition are the following:
- Bluish tint to the skin on hands and feet
- Chest pain radiating from the arm or jaw (particularly during or after physical exertion)
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- High blood pressure
- Nausea or vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Sudden sweating
- Wheezing
Causes of Cardiopulmonary Disease
Each person is different, and just like how a person can develop heart or lung disease for different reasons, people can develop cardiopulmonary disease depending on various other factors. The causes of this disease often have to do with a patient’s lifestyle and habits.
This is part of the reason why it’s called a preventable disease. Of course, there are some cases wherein the cause might be genetic. But aside from that, here are the common causes of the disease:
- Poor diet
- Lack of exercise
- Being overweight
- Smoking
Although this disease can affect anyone from children, adults to older people, some people are considered more at risk of developing a cardiopulmonary illness than others.
Those people should be particularly mindful of their lifestyle and habits. Once you experience any symptoms, it’s crucial to get help as soon as possible. Time is of the essence when it comes to these diseases.
Here are the following factors that can affect a person’s risk of developing it:
- Age
- Sex (Men are generally more at risk than women)
- Family history
- Smoking
- Poor diet
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol levels
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Stress
- Poor dental health
Long-Term and Short-Term Effects of Cardiopulmonary Disease
What is most dangerous about the disease is the long-term effects if it’s not treated correctly or at the right time. Make sure to see a doctor as soon as you experience any signs or symptoms.
Here are the following complications one might experience because of cardiopulmonary disease:
- Congestive heart failure
- Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
- Stroke
- Aneurysm
- Peripheral artery disease
- Sudden cardiac arrest
- Sudden cardiac death
Summary
When something goes wrong with your heart, it can affect your lungs. If something were to go wrong with your lungs, it would also severely affect your heart. The heart and lungs ensure that your body receives the cells and oxygen necessary to keep going every day. While it’s true that nothing is easier than breathing, a problem with your heart can change that very quickly.
For more information or treatment for cardiopulmonary disease, we are here to help you. At Garden State Medical Group, our goal is more than just to save your life. Our board-certified physicians and specialists practice multidisciplinary, integrative, and functional medicine focusing on prevention, management, and education. We want to help you live better and longer lives through the best care and information. Contact us today to book your appointment.