Heart Disease
By : Cynthia Ripsin , MD . Memorial Hermann Medical
Group League City
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States , and during February , American Heart Month , we focus on ways to decrease the chance of early death from the number one killer of Americans .
The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease . Coronary arteries supply the heart with the oxygen it needs to pump blood to and from the lungs and out to the rest of the body . A heart attack or acute coronary syndrome occurs when a coronary artery suddenly becomes blocked , usually when a fatty plaque inside the artery ruptures , cutting off blood flow to a portion of the heart . For fifty percent of men and almost two-thirds of women , however , the first heart attack is fatal without causing previous warning symptoms so it is essential to improve your risk factors to prevent that first , possibly fatal , heart attack .
• Cigarette smoking causes heart disease even more often than lung cancer or emphysema . As difficult as it can be to quit smoking , it is absolutely necessary to decrease your risk of early death . Your doctor can help you develop a strategy to stop smoking .
• High blood pressure ( hypertension ) directly damages the heart and the walls of arteries . Many people mistakenly think they will have symptoms like headache , fatigue or dizziness when their blood pressure is high , but hypertension is called the “ silent killer ” because often there are no symptoms at all before a fatal heart attack or stroke occurs . Reducing foods high in sodium and saturated fat and consuming foods high in potassium can help naturally lower blood pressure . Work closely with your doctor to keep your blood pressure within a safe range using diet , exercise and medications .
• High LDL cholesterol , often called the “ bad ” cholesterol , leads to blockages in the arteries . Higher levels of HDL cholesterol , the “ good ” cholesterol , affords a small degree of protection for the heart . Aerobic activity , lower fat foods and medications called statins can decrease LDL cholesterol .
• People with type 2 diabetes have twice the risk of heart disease compared to people without diabetes and they develop it at a younger age . Keeping diabetes well controlled can decrease the progression of heart disease .
• A simple blood test can determine if you have prediabetes . The likelihood of developing diabetes from prediabetes is very high but is decreased by losing weight , increasing aerobic activity and decreasing carbohydrate consumption .
• Decreasing portion sizes , limiting carbohydrates and high fat foods and ideally 45 minutes five times weekly of aerobic activity can improve or prevent obesity , a risk factor for early heart disease .
Talk with your doctor to determine if a daily , low dose aspirin will be beneficial for reducing your risk of death from heart disease .
You and your doctor can use a cardiovascular disease risk calculator to get an estimate of the likelihood you will have a cardiac event within the next ten years . This can help you focus on aspects of your health that will yield the highest long-term benefit for you .
Take time during American Heart Month to carefully evaluate your risk factors for heart disease , and then commit to making the changes that will improve your chances for living a longer , healthier life .
MOMENTUM / February 2017 31