American Heart Month - February 2, 2010 Newsletter
American Heart Month
EHE Newsletter, Volume 10, Number 5
February 2, 2010
Approximately every 25 seconds, an American has a coronary event. Approximately every minute, an American dies from one. February is American Heart Month, a time to urge Americans to join the battle against heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States and is a major cause of disability. According to Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics–2010 Update, a report from the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee, an estimated 785 thousand Americans will have their first heart attack in 2010, and 470 thousand will have an additional attack. The good news is that heart disease is often preventable. Individuals have the power to protect and improve their heart health by making healthy lifestyle choices.
As part of American Heart Month, Friday, February 5, 2010 is National Wear Red Day® — a day when Americans nationwide take women’s health to heart by wearing red in support of women’s heart disease awareness. In 2002, The Heart Truth created and introduced the red dress as the national symbol of awareness for heart disease among women. The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The campaign’s goal is to make women more aware of the danger and risks associated with heart disease. Heart disease is often perceived as an "older woman's disease," and it is the leading cause of death among women aged 65 years and older. It is also, however, the third leading cause of death among those aged 25 to 44 and the second leading cause of death among those aged 45 to 64. According to The Heart Truth campaign, the color red and the red dress stand for the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives.
The Heart
The heart is a muscular organ at the center of the circulatory system that acts as a pump, sending blood throughout the body. Oxygen–poor blood flows to the right side of the heart and is pumped into the lungs where it picks up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. The blood then flows to the left side of the heart where it is pumped into the body’s cells and supplies the cells with enough oxygen to function properly. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), an average heart "beats" (expands and contracts) 100 thousand times each day and pumps about two thousand gallons of blood. In a 70–year lifetime, an average human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times.
As amazing as the heart is, it is very vulnerable to damage from smoking, an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity and stress. If disease or injury weakens the heart, the body’s organs do not receive enough blood to function normally.
Heart Disease
Heart disease refers to diseases of the heart and blood vessel system within the heart. Cardiovascular disease refers to diseases of the heart and blood vessel system within the entire body. Cardiovascular diseases include stroke, high blood pressure, angina and rheumatic heart disease. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease (CHD), which often appears as a heart attack. According to the CDC, coronary heart disease occurs when the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become hardened and narrowed due to plaque buildup. This condition is called atherosclerosis. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances found in the blood. As the coronary arteries narrow, diminished blood flow may cause chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, or — if there is a complete blockage — a heart attack. In some cases, the first sign of coronary heart disease is a heart attack. Men in their 40s have a higher risk of coronary heart disease than women. As women get older, however, their risk increases so that it is almost equal to that of men. More women die of cardiovascular diseases than the next five most common causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.
Risk Factors
While there are some risk factors that cannot be controlled such as age, race and family history of heart disease, there are many risk factors that can. These include:
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Being overweight
- Being physically inactive
Each risk factor greatly increases an individual's chance of developing heart disease. Having more than one risk factor is especially serious, because risk factors tend to worsen each other’s effects. To reduce the risk of heart disease, all risk factors need to be addressed, not just one or two. Steps can be taken to reduce the risk of heart disease by focusing on lifestyle choices and health habits. Research regarding heart disease risk factors suggests that making even small lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke and other serious cardiovascular conditions.
Prevention
Heart health is one of the most important components of overall health and well-being. In a scientific statement published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the AHA described seven health factors and lifestyle behaviors that can help an individual attain optimal cardiovascular health. Improvements in these areas can greatly impact the quality of life and life span of individuals. According to the AHA, for an adult to attain "ideal" cardiovascular health, he or she needs to:
- have never smoked or have not smoked for at least a year
- eat a healthy diet
- get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week
- achieve a body–mass index of less than 25 kg/m2
- maintain total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL
- maintain blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg
- maintain fasting blood sugar below 100 mg/dL
Heart disease is often avoidable. American Heart Month is the perfect time to make or renew a life–long commitment to embrace prevention and avoid the risks associated with heart disease.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: The information is not intended to constitute medical advice and is not a substitute for consultation with a physician or other health care provider. Individuals with specific complaints should seek immediate consultation from their personal physicians.