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What is Cardiovascular Disease?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a group of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, characterised by impaired blood flow or abnormal heart function, most commonly due to atherosclerosis, which can lead to conditions such as heart attack and stroke.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a broad term for conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. The most common type is coronary artery disease, where blood vessels supplying the heart become narrowed or blocked.

How Does Cardiovasuclar disease form in the body?

Cardiovascular disease usually develops gradually over time, mainly through a process called atherosclerosis.

It is a step by step process

1. Damage to artery walls

The inner lining of blood vessels becomes damaged by factors such as:

  • Smoking
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetes

2. Fatty deposits build up

  • Cholesterol and other substances stick to the damaged areas
  • This forms fatty streaks, which grow into plaques

3. Arteries narrow and harden

  • Plaques make arteries narrower and less flexible
  • Blood flow becomes reduced

4. Blood clot formation

  • Plaques can rupture
  • This triggers a blood clot (thrombus) to form

5. Blockage of blood flow

    • The clot can partially or completely block the artery
    • This stops oxygen reaching vital organs

What this leads to

  • Heart attack if blood flow to the heart is blocked
  • Stroke if blood flow to the brain is blocked
  • Peripheral disease if limbs are affected

In simple but precise terms

Cardiovascular disease means:

  • The circulatory system is not working properly
  • Blood cannot flow efficiently to vital organs
  • This leads to oxygen deprivation and tissue damage

Clinical significance within the definition

CVD is considered a major health concern because it:

  • Progresses gradually and often silently
  • Can suddenly result in acute events such as heart attack or stroke
  • Is influenced by both modifiable factors (lifestyle) and non-modifiable factors (age, genetics)

Cardiovascular Disease Classifications:

Cardiovascular Imaging:

Cardiovascular imaging is the use of specialised medical techniques to create images of the heart and blood vessels. It allows doctors to assess the structure and function of the cardiovascular system, helping to diagnose and monitor conditions such as blocked arteries, heart disease, and damage to heart tissue.

How Cardiovascular Imaging works

Cardiovascular imaging works by sending energy into the body and capturing how it interacts with the heart and blood vessels, then turning that information into images doctors can study.

Main ways it works

  • Ultrasound (echocardiography): Sound waves reflect off the heart and are converted into moving images.
  • X rays (CT and angiography): X rays create images of the heart, with contrast dye used to highlight blood vessels.
  • MRI: Magnets and radio waves produce detailed images of heart tissues without radiation.
  • Simple X ray: Provides a basic image of heart size and shape, often for initial assessment.

Cardiovascular Imaging Research.

At Curtin MRI Professor Zhounghua Sun and his team specialise in Cardiovascular Imaging Research.

This research focuses on Development and application of 3D printing, virtual and mixed reality technologies for medical education, clinical training, simulation, and surgical planning in cardiovascular disease.

And the use of artificial intelligence, including machine learning and deep learning, to support diagnosis and prognosis of cardiovascular conditions.

Prof. Zhonghua Sun

Vascular Disorders:

Vascular disorders are diseases of the blood vessels that disrupt normal blood flow, often due to narrowing, blockage, or weakening of vessel walls.

Vascular disorders mean the body’s blood vessels are not working properly, which affects how blood moves around the body.

Vascular disorders research examines how and why diseases of the blood vessels develop, progress, and can be treated or prevented.

What it examines

  • Causes and risk factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and conditions like high blood pressure
  • Disease processes like atherosclerosis, blood clot formation, and vessel damage
  • Blood flow and circulation, including how blockages affect organs
  • New treatments and interventions, such as medications, surgical techniques, and lifestyle changes
  • Early detection methods, including imaging and diagnostic tests

Why it matters

  • Helps prevent serious conditions like stroke, heart attack, and limb loss
  • Improves early diagnosis, so treatment can begin sooner
  • Leads to better treatments and outcomes for patients
  • Reduces mortality and long term complications
  • Supports public health by identifying key risk factors to target

Vascular research matters because it helps us understand, detect, and treat blood vessel diseases before they cause serious harm.

Cancer Genomics Research.

At Curtin MRI DR Jansen Li and his team specialise in Vascular Disorders Research.

This research investigates how dysfunction of the brain vasculature contributes to neurological disorders, including stroke, cerebral cavernous malformation, and Alzheimer’s disease. The lab aims to translate these insights into precision therapeutic strategies.

 

Brain Vascular Dysfunction

  • Defining how blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption and endothelial changes drive disease.

Precision Therapeutics

  • Developing targeted approaches that leverage disease-specific vascular features to improve delivery and efficacy.

Experimental Models

  • Establishing physiologically relevant models of the human BBB to study mechanisms and enable preclinical testing.

Dr Jansen Li