Circulatory system diseases affect your heart and blood vessels and make it harder for blood to flow throughout your body. Some conditions have symptoms, but others are silent. Common symptoms include chest pain, edema, heart palpitations and shortness of breath.
Circulatory system diseases are any conditions that affect your heart or blood vessels. Your circulatory system, also called your cardiovascular system, keeps blood moving in your body. Your heart and your blood vessels work together to supply oxygen-rich blood to all of your organs and tissues. This requires complex teamwork. But as with any team, if one player gets sick and can’t play, the whole team feels the effect.
That’s why it’s important to learn about circulatory system diseases. A problem with one part of your circulatory system can have a ripple effect on your entire system and, ultimately, your whole body.
Overall, circulatory system diseases can cause a range of issues, including:
Circulatory system diseases may come on suddenly or develop gradually over years.
Learning about every possible condition that could affect your circulatory system would take a long time. But it’s useful to learn the basics about several broad types of circulatory system diseases. Knowing the types of things that can go wrong can help you notice symptoms and understand treatment options.
Talk with your healthcare provider if you think you have a circulatory system disease.
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Scientists organize diseases that affect your circulatory system into two large categories:
Both categories include many different diseases and conditions. Here are some common ones that may have already impacted you or a loved one.
Aneurysms are weak spots in the walls of your arteries that can expand like a balloon. As they continue to get bigger, they’re at risk for rupture (breaking open) or causing blood clots. Aneurysms can occur in any artery.
Most often, they occur in your aorta, which is the largest artery in your body. These are known as aortic aneurysms, and there are two main types:
Other aneurysms include:
An arrhythmia is an irregular or abnormal heartbeat. Some begin in the upper chambers of your heart (atria). These are called supraventricular arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation is the most common type.
Others begin in the lower chambers of your heart (ventricles). These are called ventricular arrhythmias. One type, ventricular fibrillation, is a life-threatening medical emergency because it leads to sudden death.
Arrhythmias prevent your heart from contracting and relaxing normally. As a result, your heart can’t pump blood as well as it should.
Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque in your arteries. Over time, the plaque narrows your arteries and makes it harder for blood to flow through. The plaque is also dangerous because it can rupture and trigger a blood clot.
Atherosclerosis raises your risk of other diseases, including:
Your blood pressure is a number that shows how forcefully blood flows through your blood vessels. Your blood pressure normally changes during the day and adjusts to your activity level. But blood pressure that’s too high or too low can be dangerous.
Blood pressure conditions include:
Cardiomyopathy is a group of conditions that affect your heart muscle, leading to weakened heart squeeze. These conditions harm your heart’s ability to pump blood. Specific types of cardiomyopathy include:
Congenital heart disease refers to heart problems babies are born with. Congenital heart disease is sometimes heritable (passed down within biological families). Other times, it occurs in people with no family history. Nearly 1 in 100 people have some form of congenital heart disease.
Types of congenital heart disease include:
Heart failure happens when your heart can’t pump blood as well as it should. So, your organs can’t get enough oxygen. Heart failure has many causes and is associated with many other medical conditions. Over 6 million people in the U.S. have heart failure.
Heart failure is a progressive disease, meaning it gets worse over time. The later stages are called “congestive heart failure.” This involves fluid buildup (congestion) in different parts of your body.
Heart valve disease can affect any of your four heart valves. These are the doors that separate different parts of your heart and manage blood flow. A diseased valve strains your heart. Over time, this can lead to complications like heart failure or sudden cardiac death.
The most common valve diseases among adults in the U.S. are:
We all need to have some lipids (fats) in our blood. Fats do important work in our bodies. But too many fats in your blood can be dangerous. This condition is known as high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia). High cholesterol can raise your risk of many other medical conditions.
Familial hypercholesterolemia is high cholesterol that’s passed down within biological families. People with this condition have very high LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. This raises their risk of coronary artery disease and heart attacks. They’re also more likely to face these complications at a younger age.
A stroke is a life-threatening emergency that needs immediate medical attention. It happens when blood flow to your brain gets interrupted. There are several types of stroke:
Vasculitis is an inflammation of your blood vessels caused by an overactive immune system. Vasculitis can affect your veins, arteries or capillaries. This inflammation can narrow or block your blood vessel. It can also weaken your blood vessel and cause an aneurysm.
Venous diseases are a group of conditions that affect your veins. Your veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to your heart. Diseases that affect your veins can slow down your blood flow or make blood flow in the wrong direction. Severe venous disease can completely block blood flow.
Common venous diseases include:
Symptoms vary widely depending on the specific disease. Some symptoms of circulatory system diseases are what healthcare providers call “non-specific.” That means they could signal many possible medical problems.
So, it’s important to tell your provider about any and all symptoms you’re experiencing. They’ll investigate what’s wrong and run tests if needed. Some common symptoms include:
It’s also important to be aware of symptoms that could signal medical emergencies. Learn the symptoms of the following conditions and share this information with your loved ones:
Common treatments include medications, procedures and surgery.
Many different medications treat circulatory system diseases. Common ones include:
Some conditions require procedures or surgeries. Thanks to advances in technology, many methods are available. These include:
One of the most important ways to prevent circulatory system diseases is to visit your healthcare provider for annual checkups. Many people have risk factors they don’t even know about. Your provider can catch problems early before they become more serious.
Dietary changes and lifestyle changes can also help you prevent circulatory system diseases. These include:
Talk with your provider about changes that are healthy for you. Be sure to check with them before starting any new exercise plan.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Circulatory system diseases affect your body and your life in many ways. That’s why it’s important to learn about common conditions and be actively involved in your medical care. Build rapport with your healthcare provider. Be aware of common symptoms and warning signs so you can seek help early when needed. And share this information with others. You never know when one small fact could save someone’s life.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/17/2022.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy