Today's Health

Each month we include an article on a recent health topic or issue of interest to the community. This
month we look at heart disease and prevention. Additional information on this topic is
available from the American Heart Association.

JUST FOR THE HEART OF IT

Heart disease remains the number one killer of men and women in the United States today. Traditionally, heart disease has been perceived by the public as a "man's disease". Yet each year more women than men die of heart disease. Additionally, 12,200,000 people experience angina (chest pain due to heart disease). Disease of the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart is responsible for 1.5 million heart attacks each year. The total economic cost to the nation exceeds $120 billion dollars.

Many of these deaths could be prevented. Heart disease is related to risk factors or conditions that increase your risk of developing disease. Some can be changed and some cannot. Although these factors can increase the risk of heart disease, they do not describe all the causes; even with none of these factors, you might still develop heart disease.

What are the major risk factors for coronary heart disease?

· Age - Women develop disease approximately 15 years later than men. Smoking or diabetes eliminates this grace period. After menopause this natural protection decreases. Risk increases for men above the age of 45 and for women above the age of 55.

· Family history of cardiac disease - Heart disease appears to run in families. The greater the presence of the disease the greater the risk. One study of 75 women revealed that the risk was higher for women whose female relatives had the disease.

· Smoking - Cigarette smoking is not only a risk factor which can be changed, it is one that can be eliminated. Giving up smoking is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and the people who love you. Smoking injures the wall of blood vessels, activates your body's blood clotting system and causes the blood vessels of your heart to constrict. The American Heart Association has determined that smokers who have a heart attack are more likely to die. They have further concluded that people who smoke cigars or pipes seem to have a higher risk of death from heart disease, but their risk isn't as great as cigarette smokers'.

· Oral contraceptives - Lower dose oral contraceptives carry a lower risk of heart disease than earlier form of birth control pills except for women who smoke or have high blood pressure. If a woman taking birth control pills has other risk factors, particularly if she smokes, her risk of having a heart attack goes up. It rises even more after age 35.

· Obesity and overweight - People, who are overweight, especially if they carry a lot of their weight around their waist, are more likely to develop heart disease. Increased weight places a strain on the heart, raises the blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides and lowers the HDL (good cholesterol). Excess weight also places you at risk for diabetes. By losing 10 to 20 pounds, you can help lower your heart disease risk.

· Abnormal cholesterol pattern - Your total cholesterol level is only one of the factors relative to heart disease. Additionally, you need to know the level of LDL (bad cholesterol), triglycerides and HDL (good cholesterol). The relationship between these elements is crucial to determine your risk for the development of plaques or narrowing within the blood vessels of the heart. Your physician may obtain this information through a blood test and then review the results in the light of your specific risk.

· High blood pressure - High blood pressure increases the demand on the heart causing it to enlarge and weaken over time. When other risk factors such as smoking, obesity, abnormal cholesterol pattern or diabetes exist, the risk increases.

· Diabetes - Diabetes eliminates the grace period enjoyed by women. It seriously increases the risk of developing heart disease and may contribute to other risk factors such as high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol pattern. It is very important that you work with your healthcare team to manage your diabetes.

· Sedentary lifestyle - In 1992 the American Heart Association determined that inactivity is a risk factor for the development of heart disease. The benefits of regular exercise include control of other risk factors such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Risk reduction or control reduces the chances that you will develop heart disease. It is essential that you partnership with a health care team that will work with you to develop an individual plan for wellness. They will review your specific risk profile and what may be done to reduce the chances that you will become one of the growing numbers of people whose lives have been changed or eliminated by heart disease. In discussions with your healthcare team, you can determine the personal benefit of aspirin, folic acid and/or cholesterol lowering medications.

What are the warning signs that should be taken seriously, alerting you to a possible problem with your heart?

Do not ignore these symptoms. Get help fast! Only your healthcare team can accurately assess your condition.

If you don't have heart disease and are trying to prevent the development of disease, you are working on primary prevention.
If you have heart disease and want to prevent its progress, you are working on secondary prevention.
Either way, working to beat the risks of heart disease is a worthy Valentine goal. This year give yourself and your family a heart felt Valentine. Make an appointment with your physician to review your risk for heart disease and take the first steps toward reducing your personal risk for heart disease. It will require that you become an active participant in the development of an individualized plan for wellness.
Take it to heart. Just for the heart of it.

What are the nine greatest myths concerning heart disease? These commonly held misconceptions may be impacting your personal well being. Watch this site for information about these myths you may share with family and friends.