"Cardiovascular disease" describes a range of conditions that affect your heart, including blood vessel diseases, heart rhythm problems and congenital heart defects. Cardiovascular disease often is used interchangeably with "heart disease."
Cardiovascular disease generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as those that affect your heart's muscle, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.