Health Care Quarterly:

What do you know about heart health?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., so it is important to know your risks and preventative measures you should take.

The CDC refers to the term “heart disease” as an umbrella for several types of heart conditions. According to the CDC, “the most common type is coronary artery disease, which can cause a heart attack. Other kinds of heart disease may involve the valves in the heart, or the heart may not pump well and cause heart failure. Some people are born with heart disease.”

It is important to understand that heart disease does not discriminate — it can happen at any age to any gender. Dr. Pamela Ivey of HealthCare Partners says that in her over 20 years of practicing cardiology, the risk factors for heart disease have not shifted dramatically.

“There are certain risks that are more common as it relates to heart disease, and some that are exclusively linked to one another,” said Ivey. “It is important to know your risk factors as soon as possible — including those out of your control like family history — so that you can take steps to lower your risk of heart disease.”

 

Risk factors:

High Blood Pressure: Known as hypertension, high blood pressure is one of the main risk factors that can lead to heart disease says Ivey. The American Heart Association says that high blood pressure occurs when the force of the blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels is consistently too high. "The primary way that high blood pressure causes harm is by increasing the workload of the heart and blood vessels — making them work harder and less efficiently," according to the AHA.

According to statistics from the AHA, high blood pressure affects an estimated 103 million U.S. adults — nearly half of all adults in the country. In a recent AHA report, epidemiologist Dr. Paul Muntner suggests that “with the aging of the population and increased life expectancy, the prevalence of high blood pressure is expected to continue to increase.”

Diabetes: Diabetes happens when the body does not process food as it should, which leads to high blood sugar (or glucose), said Ivey.

“Having diabetes directly impacts the risk for developing heart disease,” said Ivey. “Your chances of diabetwes can increase if you have a family history of the disease. Although it can happen to anyone, diabetes for women is a far worse risk factor for heart disease than for men. Vessels are already small and unfortunately, they can get diseased easier when there is diabetes.”

According to the American Diabetes Association, “people with diabetes have a higher-than-average risk of having a heart attack or stroke. These strike people with diabetes nearly twice as often as people without diabetes… two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke, also called cardiovascular disease.”

Smoking: Cigarette smoking damages the heart and blood vessels and is one of the main ways that people develop heart disease, said Ivey. According to the CDC, approximately one of every four deaths from heart disease is due to smoking. The CDC says that “even people who smoke fewer than five cigarettes a day may show signs of early CVD (cardiovascular disease). The risk of CVD increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day, and when smoking continues for many years. Smoking cigarettes with lower levels of tar or nicotine does not reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease.”

The sooner you quit, the better your chances are for preventing heart disease. Not only may quitting help prevent heart disease, it will improve your heart health which will lead to better overall health.

Obesity: According to Ivey, obesity has become a major risk factor in the U.S. for heart disease because it is also associated with diabetes and high blood pressure. According to recent research from the Cleveland Clinic, one in three Americans are obese, and that number continues to rise.

Obesity has a direct effect on the percent chance of developing heart disease, said Ivey. In a recent study published in the journal JAMA Cardiology, it concluded that adults between ages 40 and 59 who are overweight or obese have a significantly increased risk (ranging from 21 to 85 percent higher) of developing cardiovascular disease as compared with their normal weight peers.

Chronic conditions: Those with kidney disease or chronic dialysis usually also have high blood pressure and/or diabetes, said Ivey. If you have these, your risk for heart disease is nearly doubled, according to Ivey. In addition, those who have a chronic inflammatory disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, have an increased risk for heart disease, Ivey added.

Ivey suggests that one single risk factor doesn’t necessarily mean you will get heart disease. “It is the sum of many of these risk factors that could increase your chances of acquiring heart disease, so it is important to increase prevention measures.”

Although there are risk factors to watch out for, the good news is there are steps you can take to lower your risk of developing heart disease.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of CDC, stresses that “adults can seize the day using daily opportunities to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. Many of these cardiovascular events are happening to middle-aged adults — who we wouldn’t normally consider to be at risk. Most of these events can be prevented through daily actions to help lower risk and better manage medical conditions.”

 

Here are some ways that you can help take care of your heart and help lower your risk of heart disease

Doctor Visits: It is important to maintain an ongoing relationship with your doctor to ensure you keep your heart healthy and know what options you have available. Ivey suggests that you should go to your primary care doctor annually for a check-up to ensure your blood pressure and cholesterol levels are where they need to be. Knowing those factors can help you get ahead of any heart-related complications that may arise.

Being Active: Being physically active daily, even if it is just walking, can go a long way in preventing heart disease, according to Ivey. “It’s not that you have to go to the gym every day,” said Ivey. “It’s less about what you do or do not do every day, it’s more about your lifestyle. In 2019, there is still a major emphasis for physical activity, and you should strive for 150 minutes, or 2.5 hours, of physical activity every week.”

Keeping your body weight at a normal level is crucial, especially for postmenopausal women, suggests Ivey.

Screening Tools: There are various screening tools available that may help you avoid a heart attack. According to Ivey, a coronary calcium scan gives you a snapshot of your heart’s arteries, so your doctor can see if there is any calcium buildup. This may be helpful for you to know so that you and your doctor can decide what health and lifestyle changes are necessary. Aside from visits with your doctor where you can get a screening, it is a good idea to monitor your blood pressure two to three times a week at home.

Diet: A healthy diet and lifestyle can help reduce your risk for heart disease. From a dietary standpoint, just avoiding foods in boxes and bags will make a significant difference, said Ivey. The bulk of what you are eating should be unprocessed types of food. Going for fresh food as much as possible is key.

The AHA recommends that you eat a variety of food from all the food groups.

Emily LaBonte is a nurse practitioner — certified with HealthCare Partners Nevada.

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