Atherosclerosis is the process by which fatty substances, such as cholesterol, clog the arteries and reduce the flow of blood to the heart. These substances are called plaques or atheromas.
Cerebrovascular disease refers to conditions that develop as a result of problems with the brain’s blood vessels. Stroke is a common type of cerebrovascular disease. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted, causing brain cells to become damaged or to die.
Coronary heart disease (CHD), also known as ischaemic heart disease (IHD), occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked or interrupted by a slow build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries (the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood).
Heart attack or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) occurs when the supply of blood to the heart muscle is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot.
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops pumping blood around the body. It is most commonly caused by an abnormal heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation. Many cardiac arrests happen to people who are already having a heart attack.
Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood around the body as well as it used to. It usually occurs when the heart muscle becomes too weak to work properly.