Cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. Cardiovascular disease includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, heart arrhythmia, congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease, carditis, aortic aneurysms, peripheral artery disease, thromboembolic disease, and venous thrombosis. The underlying mechanisms vary depending on the disease. Coronary artery disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease involve atherosclerosis. This may be caused by high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, lack of exercise, obesity,
European Society of Cardiology medical meeting in Europe. The ESC currently comprises 56 National Cardiac Societies, from across Europe and the Mediterranean region, 6 Associations, 15 Working Groups and 7 Councils, covering different sub-specialties of cardiology. Activities reach far beyond the boundaries of Europe, however, and nearly 90,000 members come from all over the world. The ESC also maintains close ties to 56 National Cardiac Societies and 41 Affiliated Cardiac Societies worldwide. Recently, additional infrastructures were developed within associations addressing the special interests and needs of female specialists, and young physicians, such as Young Electrophysiologists. The ESC produces Clinical Practice Guidelines for the cardiology