Mary Jane Salibindla - Cardiology

 


Hajian, A. (2022) A model of a human heart on a white surface [Photograph]. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-model-of-a-human-heart-on-a-white-surface-MhFJNz_D8t4 (Accessed: 10 July 2025).

Cardiology, the study of the human heart and how it functions, sits at the core of one of the world’s most urgent health challenges. According to the World Heart Federation, cardiovascular disease (Also known as “CVD”)  takes over roughly 17 million lives each year, and is remarked as the leading cause of death globally. However, the thing that is most alarming about this is how preventable the disease actually is.

While high income first world countries can detect this disease early, and have access to proper treatment, low and middle income countries continue to face challenges in diagnosis and treatment. In many disadvantaged parts of the world, access to basic diagnostic tools such as ECGS or effective treatment strategies still remain limited. Rural communities, in particular, often suffer from severely underfunded and under resourced public health systems, which can then result in a lack of trained specialists (e.g. Cardiologists) that could’ve effectively treated these diseases before they got too worse. This inequity in healthcare contributes to a higher global death rate from heart diseases that could’ve been preventable.

Cardiovascular disease is not only obtainable through life-style factors such as poor diets, smoking and lack of exercise, but also by environmental factors. Studies by the European Environmental Agency have shown that over 18% of CVD related deaths in Europe are caused by environmental risks such as air pollution. Poverty and lack of education also contribute to the rise in CVD, this being due to the fact that individuals living in disadvantaged areas often have limited access to healthcare, proper food and environments, which make them prone to various illnesses such as CVD.

European Environment Agency (2023) Beating cardiovascular disease: The role of the environment. Available at :https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/beating-cardiovascular-disease (Accessed: 10 July 2025).

But there is hope for more prevention of Cardiovascular disease. As people continue to educate themselves and each other, as well as rapid advancements in technology, awareness of risk factors and healthy behaviours are becoming more widespread, we could see a decline in CVD deaths over the years. While CVD remains one of the world's deadliest diseases, it is surprisingly one of the most preventable ones. 

Sources:

American Heart Association (2022) Mobile health for secondary prevention. Available at: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/HCQ.0000000000000103 (Accessed: 9 July 2025).

National Institutes of Health (2023) Social factors and cardiovascular health. Available at: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/social-factors-help-explain-worse-cardiovascular-health-among-adults-rural-vs-urban-communities (Accessed: 9 July 2025).

Royal Flying Doctor Service (2023) Cardiovascular disease in rural populations. Available at: https://www.nintione.com.au/resources/nol/cardiovascular-disease-prevention-and-rehabilitation-in-rural-and-remote-populations/ (Accessed: 9 July 2025).

World Health Organization (2021) Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-%28cvds%29 (Accessed: 9 July 2025).

World Heart Federation (2023) World Heart Report 2023. Available at: https://world-heart-federation.org/wp-content/uploads/World-Heart-Report-2023.pdf (Accessed: 9 July 2025).

European Environment Agency (2023) Beating cardiovascular disease: The role of the environment. Available at: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/beating-cardiovascular-disease (Accessed: 10 July 2025).


Meet the Author 

Hi! My name is Mary Jane Salibindla (@m4j7ne) and I am from Australia! As of 2025, I am currently a Year 10 Student who is passionate about Cardiology and all things relating to the Heart! When I’m older, I dream of becoming a Cardiologist or pursuing something Cardiology related. Thank you for reading!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Andreah Falame - Neurology

Image
  Understanding Neurological Disorders: The Brain, Nervous System, and Common Disorders Andreah Falame Neurology is the branch of study in the medical field that focuses primarily on the brain, spinal cord, and the nervous system. The nervous system is a significant system that controls everything we do. From thinking and feeling to moving and sensing the world around us. The study of neurology is an emerging field that continues to advance in more personalized treatments for patients that are battling neurological disorders.   The field of neurology circles on 3 main parts of the nervous system. Starting off with the brain, the brain is known to be a complex organ that serves to process various information. With its ability to send signals throughout different areas of the body, it leads to the works of the spinal cord. The spinal cord carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. With the help of the nerves, the nerves transmit signals to and from the bra...
Read more

Neurology - Shanta’e Taylor

Image
  Highlighting the Global Healthcare Issues In Neurology. Neurology is the branch of medicine associated with the diagnosis and treatment of the nervous system, encompassing the brain and spinal cord. Furthermore, neurology is a paramount medical concern as it integrates physical and mental health, grasping how we behave, theorize, and recognize neurological health disorders that control our daily lives. Most importantly, everything starts with the brain — it makes us capable of functioning, executing daily habits and conversing with the people we love. Our brain should be calm, safe, and healthy. However, due to circumstances in the healthcare system, this is a privilege, rather than a basic need. In fact, this shapes the reality of many deployed soldiers, and Palestinian citizens suffering from chronic Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disease. MS occurs in the central nervous system, where the body accidentally attacks itself.  Moreover, due to the low-income healthcare system lackin...
Read more

Iasmina Ciocan - Neurosurgery

Image
Neurosurgery Iasmina Ciocan  Neurosurgery is, as we all know, one of the most demanding medical fields, due to needing utmost precision. Here, even the tiniest mistakes bring horrible consequences. Therefore, neurosurgery requires cutting-edge technology, dedicated professionals, and tremendous financial resources. Sadly, in low- and middle-income areas, the proficiency of neurosurgical care is being brought down by numerous challenges. People could always be affected by neurosurgical conditions, no matter which country they live in, hence it is essential to address the obstacles faced in this medical field, on a global level. One of these crucial problems is the absence of trained personnel and adequate surgical equipment. Specialized neurosurgical care is mandatory for conditions like hydrocephalus, brain tumors, congenital anomalies, and spinal cord injuries. However, the growing scarcity of skilled neurosurgeons and neurosurgical facilities in some countries, means that a notab...
Read more