February was American Heart Month, so start giving that ticker of yours some extra love! Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women. In fact, according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control, about one in four deaths every year are caused by heart disease. While race, age, and other factors affect risk, both men and women of all ages need to be aware of their personal risk and how to prevent a heart attack or death.
Heart disease can describe several heart conditions, however, heart disease is the most common description used for coronary heart disease because this is the most common form of heart disease that causes death. Other conditions can include abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, and heart valve problems.
Coronary heart disease is a condition where the arteries are narrowed or not able to allow blood to flow through them properly. This is usually a result of plaque. The buildup of plaque can result in a heart attack or stroke. Knowing the risk factors and what you can do to reduce your risk can make a big difference in preventing heart disease.
Risk Factors
- High Blood Pressure
- High cholesterol
- Obesity/overweight
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol use
- Physical inactivity
- Diabetes
- Family history
- Race
- Age
Prevention
- Exercise - Find an activity that gets you moving that you enjoy and will want to continue.
- Smoking - If you don’t smoke… don’t start! If you do smoke… quit!
- Eat a heart healthy diet - limit salt, alcohol, high fat and high cholesterol intake. Be sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and high fiber foods.
Having a healthy lifestyle is important to your heart. Find out your risk by seeing your provider for an assessment, have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked and get tips for weight loss and smoking cessation if needed. Commit to taking care of your heart, it is never too late to start!
Childs, Johns. http://www.evidenceinmotion.com/about/blog/ (March 14, 2015). Fact and Fiction. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
Paul, Bobby Jo. http://www.atipt.com/news-media/blog/love-your-heart (February 10, 2015). Heart Disease. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
Taking care of your heart is obviously very important but it's sad that a lot of people don't think that way. Knowing the risk and ways to prevent any heart disease can only help positively.
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