BEGINNING THIS VALENTINE’S DAY MAKE CARDIOVASCULAR CARE THE HEART OF THE MATTER

This month, with all the heart-shaped candy boxes, balloons and cards being passed around, it is important to remember that along with Valentine’s Day, February is also American Heart Month.

According to the National Heart Association, heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Every single day, on an average of every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack.

The chance of developing coronary heart disease can be reduced by taking steps to prevent and control factors that put people at greater risk. Additionally, knowing the signs and symptoms of heart attack are crucial to the most positive outcome after having a heart attack. People who have survived a heart attack can also work to reduce their risk of another heart attack or a stroke in the future.

Know the Signs and Symptoms

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense; however, most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often, people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help.

Remember, most heart attacks involve shortness of breath and discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. There can also be discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

Healthy Lifestyle: Diet and Nutrition, Exercise and Fitness

A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons you have to fight heart disease. Many people make it harder than it is. It is important to remember that it is the overall pattern of the choices you make that counts. As you make daily food choices, base your eating pattern on these recommendations:

• Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.
• Select fat-free, one-percent fat, and low-fat dairy products.
• Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.
• Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.
• Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.
• Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Aim to eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. All persons who have hypertension, all middle-aged and older adults, and all blacks should consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.
• If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. That means no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
• Physical activity in your daily life is an important step to preventing heart disease. You can take a few simple steps at home, at work, and at play to increase the amount of physical activity in your life.

Women and Heart Disease: Quick Facts

Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a “man’s disease,” it is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States, and women account for nearly 50 percent of heart-disease deaths. Heart disease is also often perceived as an “older woman’s disease,” and while it is the leading cause of death among women aged 65 years and older, it is the second leading cause of death among women aged 45 to 64 years.

Diseases and Conditions That Put Your Heart at Risk

While conditions that are most frequently associated with affecting your heart or increasing your risk of death or disability include arrhythmia, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease (PAD), other risk factors include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, tobacco use, secondhand smoke and depression.