This informational guide, part of POPSUGAR’s Condition Center, explains the reality of this health concern: what it is, what it looks like, and strategies that medical experts have proven work. is explained. Always consult your doctor regarding matters related to your health and before beginning any treatment.
According to the Mayo Clinic, heart disease is a broad term used to describe several types of heart disease, ranging from irregular heartbeats (or arrhythmias) to congenital heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one person dies from heart disease every 33 seconds in the United States, and nearly one in five deaths in the country is due to heart disease.
Although heart disease affects everyone in the United States (heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women), it disproportionately affects Black Americans. According to the CDC, heart disease causes nearly 23% of deaths in this population. Cases of heart disease are also most common in the southern and central United States.
So what is the cause of heart disease? Nino Mikhatov, MD, an interventional and structural cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, explains that this can happen for a variety of reasons, including genetics and behavior, and for no reason at all. It states that there may not be any. “Of these categories, he can only change one: behavior,” he added.
This may lower your risk of heart disease. Here’s what doctors say people should know about heart disease, the main risk factors for developing it and how to treat it.
understanding heart disease
Heart disease is an umbrella term used to describe a group of conditions that affect the heart, explains Dr. Mikhatov. “Heart disease is a broad term that includes diseases related to the function of the heart, the blood vessels that feed it, the valves within the heart, the rhythm of the heart, and the lining around the heart,” says cardiologist Blair Suter. says the medical doctor. at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “The most common heart disease is coronary artery disease, which refers to blockages in the arteries around the heart.”
Heart disease can affect everyone in the United States, but Black Americans (30% more likely to die from the disease), White Americans (30% more likely to die from heart disease), and most common among Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders. CDC data.
“Heart disease can affect anyone,” says Helen Glassberg, MD, associate professor of clinical cardiovascular medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “Most people think that coronary artery disease affects older men, but it is the most common form of coronary artery disease, and it affects men and women alike.”
Heart disease has a variety of potential symptoms. But these are the most notable and largest, according to Jennifer Wong, MD, a cardiologist and medical director of noninvasive cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. It is said to be a problem.
- chest pain
- shortness of breath
- dizzy
- Malaise
- palpitations
What causes heart disease?
There are many potential causes of heart disease. But Dr. Suter says these are the biggest risk factors.
- Diabetes
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- Smoke a cigarette
- Family history of heart disease at a young age
- Other chronic diseases
Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle can also lead to heart disease, Mikhatov said.
Best treatment and prevention of heart disease
Even if you do develop heart disease, there are treatments available. The right treatment often depends on factors such as symptoms and lifestyle, but doctors say some treatments are more common than others.
If you are diagnosed with heart disease, these are often part of your treatment plan.
- medicine. “There are medications that lower high blood pressure and cholesterol,” Dr. Wong says. Other drugs may also help with abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure, she says.
- Surgery or procedure. Dr. Wong says this largely depends on the type of heart disease you have. However, some types of heart disease may require ablation (a small burn or frostbite that creates a scar on the inside of the heart to block the electrical signals that cause the arrhythmia), minimally invasive surgery, or open-heart surgery. You might.
- Your lifestyle will change. According to Dr. Glassberg, these typically include reducing saturated fat and sodium in your diet, avoiding tobacco products, and starting or changing your exercise plan.
Some heart diseases are preventable. “The most important thing is to eat a heart-healthy diet and exercise,” Dr. Wong says.
That means eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. Eat whole grains. Consume healthy protein sources such as legumes, nuts, fish, seafood, and lean meats. Minimize processed foods. Limit added sugars. Eating foods prepared with little or no salt. And limit or avoid alcohol, she says.
When it comes to exercise, Souter says it’s important to aim for 30 minutes of physical activity a day, five days a week (or at least strive for 150 minutes of physical activity a week). This should be a combination of cardiovascular and strength training, he added.
“Finally, having regular health checkups with your primary care physician can help screen for additional risk factors, such as family predispositions, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol,” says Dr. Mikhatov.
Image source: Photo illustration: Keila Gonzalez