Tips for Your Ticker: Heart Health Program Recap

Risk Factors

While heart disease encompasses a variety conditions, there are many risk factors that have a significant impact on many different forms of heart disease. The 5 primary risk factors include:

• Cholesterol – There are two different types of cholesterol, good (HDL) and bad (LDL), that are effectively determined by the type of fats that are in the cholesterol. To improve our overall cholesterol, we need to minimize our intake of saturated fats and instead choose healthier fats that are found in foods like olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Another way to help ensure healthy cholesterol levels is to maintain a healthy weight. If you are struggling to maintain your cholesterol, there are different types of medications called statins that can help.
• High Blood Pressure – Blood pressure is determined the measuring the pressure in your arteries when your heart is expanding and contracting. A normal, healthy blood pressure is 120/80; however, each person’s condition is unique and your goal numbers may be different so be sure to work with your doctor to determine what is best for you. The best thing you can do is know your numbers and track them consistently so you have an accurate picture of your blood pressure. While there are medications that can help lower your blood pressure, other ways to significantly improve it include exercising regularly and minimizing the amount of salt in your diet.
• Diabetes – Diabetes deals with the body’s production and processing of insulin, a hormone that plays a critical role in regulating blood sugar. Individuals who suffer from diabetes, particularly Type-2 diabetes (insulin-resistant), are at a higher risk of heart disease. Obesity and family history can have a huge impact on developing diabetes.
• Smoking – Smoking has a variety of adverse health affects and has a direct impact on the size of your blood vessels, which ultimately forces your heart to work harder and can lead to heart complications.
• Family History – This is particularly important when related to a family history of early heart disease or stroke.

Types of Heart Disease

Atrial Fibrillation – AFIB

Atrial fibrillation, commonly referred to as AFIB, is an abnormal hearth rhythm that has an associated risk of stroke due to clots that can form in the heart while someone is in AFIB. AFIB can manifest in different forms with different symptoms, which can make it more difficult to diagnosis. Some people may experience AFIB in short bursts, more long-term (a week or more), or it might be a permanent condition. Symptoms can include fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness or light-headedness, palpitations, and chest pains; there also may not be any symptoms. These symptoms are also indicative of a variety of other diseases or conditions, which can also play a role in a failure to properly diagnose AFIB.

If someone is suffering from AFIB, one of the most common strategies is to implement stroke risk reduction, given the propensity for individuals suffering from severe AFIB to also suffer a stroke. There are also medications that help regulate blood pressure and other elements of heart health to reduce the frequency of the abnormal rhythms. Quick shocks to the heart to rest the rhythm, called cardioversions, may also be used to treat AFIB or in the more severe cases, more complex surgical procedures (ablations), may be required. For more information on AFIB, please visit https://www.cardiosmart.org/topics/atrial-fibrillation.

Heart Failure

Heart failure can result from a variety of conditions and causes, as well as manifest in a spectrum of severity. In essence, heart failure deals with the inability of your heart to properly pump and circulate blood through your heart, arteries, and veins. Symptoms of heart failure include rapid changes in weight, extreme tiredness or weakness, feeling light-headed, swelling (particularly in your ankles, feet, legs, or stomach), rapid or irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, or trouble breathing while lying down. These symptoms can be evidence of some of the root causes of heart failure, including coronary artery disease (CAD), a heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart rhythm disorders, such as AFIB.

The best defense against heart failure is knowledge and staying on top of your personal health. If you are suffering from fluctuating weight, know your “dry” weight, or when you are the most free of accumulated fluids. Since rapid weight gain can be a primary sign of heart failure, weigh yourself daily to see if the pattern of gain is concerning. Work with you doctor or medical professional to develop a plan for addressing the symptoms, particularly weight gain as being overweight or obese places more stress on your heart to function properly. For more information on heart failure, please visit https://www.cardiosmart.org/topics/heart-failure.

Coronary Artery Disease – CAD

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) occurs when plaque builds up the arteries or when the arteries narrow, reducing the flow of blood to the heart muscle. If untreated, CAD can result in heart attack or clots, particularly if portions of the plaque dislodge. Symptoms of CAD include shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, nausea/vomiting, or heart attack. Again, many of these symptoms are common and may be the result of other illnesses or conditions so be sure to speak with your doctor or medical professional.

There are variety of ways to help combat or prevent CAD from happening, including heart healthy eating habits, exercise, weight management, quitting smoking, and addressing the risk factors mentioned up. While there are medications that can be used to help limit the ability of platelets in the blood from exacerbating plaque build-up, severe cases of CAD can be addressed through coronary stents or bypass surgery. For more information on Coronary Artery Disease, please visit https://www.cardiosmart.org/topics/coronary-artery-disease.

Peripheral Artery Disease – PAD

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is similar to CAD, but occurs when the plaque builds up or the narrowing occurs in arteries in the extremities, particularly the legs. PAD results in the heart overworking itself to pump the blood to the extremities past these blockages or these blockages limit the amount of blood that circulates back to the heart. Symptoms of PAD include pain or cramping in the legs (specifically after physical activities like walking or climbing stairs), wounds that don’t heal (platelets cannot get to the wounds to heal them), or you cannot walk as fast and/or as far as before.

One of the most significant ways to prevent PAD is to quit smoking since smoking is one of the leading causes of narrow arteries and veins. Exercise can also be used as a treatment and preventative since the more you move, the stronger your heart will be and the less likely that plaque will develop. For more information, please visit https://www.cardiosmart.org/topics/peripheral-artery-disease.

More Information

For more information on anything related to your heart, please visit CardioSmart, https://www.cardiosmart.org/, a clearinghouse of information and resources from the American College of Cardiology. You can view a recording of the webinar on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/7BGIHlzepf0. If you have any questions, please contact the Capital Health Cardiology Specialists at 215-860-3344. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms referenced above, please contact your doctor or dial 911.