This month, take a few minutes out of your busy schedule and learn about the ways you can help prevent heart disease. After all, February is American Heart Month! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the CDC, one American will die from a coronary-related event every minute, so it’s in your best interest to educate yourself this February.

Help Prevent Heart Disease with These 4 Steps
Although some things that contribute to heart disease are hereditary, you can make lifestyle changes regarding the following four risk factors:

1. Quit smoking. Smoking is the most important preventable cause of death in the U.S. and research has found that smoking is a major cause of heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, atherosclerosis—the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries—is a main contributing factor to the high number of deaths from smoking.
2. Eat a healthier diet. The old saying “You are what you eat” has a lot of truth behind it. Diet plays a major role when it comes to heart disease. To keep your heart in tip-top shape, be sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, choose whole grains, and low-fat proteins. Limit your intake of saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium. Obesity also contributes to heart disease, and a healthier diet can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
3. Exercise regularly. Not only does exercise help you look and feel better, the CDC has found that regular physical activity reduces the risk of dying from heart disease.
4. Manage high blood pressure. High blood pressure causes the heart to work harder and over time, this causes the heart to weaken. If your doctor has diagnosed you with high blood pressure, be sure to follow all medical advice and take medications as prescribed.

If you or a loved one begins to experience heart attack symptoms, get to the emergency room as quickly as possible.  If you have non-urgent heart-related questions, our Consult-A-Nurse® nurses and referral specialists provide consultation 24 hours a day by phone at 1-888-256-7728.

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Angina 101

As a busy mom on a tight schedule, you probably don’t think you have time for a heart attack. Or maybe you’re thinking that heart attacks are something your father or husband might be at risk for – not you. Unfortunately, cardiovascular disease kills more women than the next four causes of death combined. Why? Many women do not practice preventative heart care or recognize the signs of a heart attack. The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign promotes some important tips for women. We would like to share them with you here:

The Signs of a Heart Attack
If you feel one or more of the following symptoms, call 911 immediately.

• Deep, squeezing pressure in your chest. It can last for a few minutes or go away and then return.
• Sudden pain in your arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
• Shortness of breath.
• Sudden nausea and light headed-ness.
• Breaking into a cold sweat.

Heart Attack Prevention
Would you like to proactively take control of your health and work to prevent a dangerous heart attack from occurring in your lifetime? We thought so. Here’s how you can do it:

• Quit smoking.
• Exercise or be physically active throughout the week.
• Improve your diet by eating lean meats (such as chicken and fish), fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid high fat foods, saturated fats, and trans fats.
• Lower cholesterol levels through diet changes, exercise and medication.
• Monitor your blood pressure.
• Reduce stress in your life.
• Schedule regular check-ups with your doctor.

If you are feeling any signs of a heart attack, be sure to call 911 immediately. If you have any questions about heart health or if you are looking for a physician referral, please call our free Consult-A-Nurse® service at 1-888-256-7728.

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Angina, also called angina pectoris, results from an inadequate amount of blood supply to the heart. A build up of plaque on the walls of the coronary arteries that restricts oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart is usually the cause. Angina is a symptom of coronary heart disease or coronary micro-vascular disease. In laymen’s terms, it’s a symptom of heart disease and can lead to heart attack.

Some signs to watch for that can be indicators of angina are chest pain, pressure, or tightness; pain in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back; and feelings of indigestion.

There are several types of angina to be aware of:

Stable angina is the most common type of angina. With stable angina, the pain reoccurs chronically but is predictable and can be relieved with rest and/or medication. The pain of stable angina tends to occur when the heart is working harder than normal, but is not receiving the blood it needs for its exertion. For instance, pain usually occurs in patients with stable angina when they are exercising or dealing with emotional stress.

Unstable angina is very dangerous and is the sign that heart attack is imminent. With unstable angina, there is no pattern or predictability to the pain accompanying it. Pain can occur even while the heart is at rest. It requires emergency medical treatment.

Microvascular angina is more likely to occur in women, affects the smallest of the heart’s coronary arteries, and isn’t always caused by blockage. The pain of microvascular angina can be more extreme and drawn out than other types of angina. It isn’t always treatable with medication.

Variant angina or Prinzmetal’s angina is a rare form of angina that is usually caused by coronary artery spasms. Prinzmetal’s angina typically occurs while the heart is at rest, usually between midnight and the early morning hours. It is associated with severe pain, but can be treated with medication.

If you have any of the symptoms for angina, please consult a doctor immediately. Your doctor will assess your medical history, give you a physical exam, have a chest x-ray taken, and order an electrocardiogram to determine your course of treatment.  For a free physician referral call 1-866-442-2362.

Sources:

National Institutes of Health

American Heart Association

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What is your New Year’s resolution? For a lot of people, New Year’s resolutions are about improving health. That is a great choice for a resolution, especially considering that we aren’t getting any younger with each passing year. The problem with health based resolutions is that people tend not to stick with them. They are great ideas that we have in December and then tend to forget by the onset of spring.

Why We Fail

Several avoidable factors contribute to failed resolutions. One of them is failing to clearly define your goal. Simply “being healthier” or “losing weight” is not good enough. A resolution must have focus. For instance “beginning to exercise 3-4 times per week” or “modifying my diet to include less fat and more whole grains and fruits/vegetables” are both examples of clearly defined New Year’s resolutions that will help you to “be healthier” and “lose weight.”

Another recipe for failure is setting your goals too high. If the diet you are used too has lots of cake and fried food and your exercise regimen is non-existent, then you can’t set outlandish goals that involve hour-long workouts five days a week and a total elimination of sugar from your diet. Truthfully you will not be able to do either thing and will eventually blow of your resolution all together.

Tips for Starting an Exercise Regimen

• Consult a doctor- Your doctor will tell you exactly how healthy you are and be able to advise you on the best types of exercise to begin with, as well as types of exercise that you either need to build up to or avoid altogether.
• Schedule smart- Exercise takes time, so account for it before you start. Plan out when you will exercise, as well as where. It doesn’t matter if it is before or after work or at a gym or your house, just plan it into your schedule.
• Don’t overdo it- Your body will need to build up to frequent physical activity, whether you are doing cardiovascular exercise or weight training. Start off slowly by lifting small amounts of weight or intermixing jogging and walking until your body starts to be conditioned. Being an overactive exerciser is a good way to get frustrated with your workout and even hurt yourself.
• Make a plan- If you are doing resistance exercise (weight training) then you will need a work out plan. Your doctor may be able to help you but you may want to consider paying for a few sessions with a personal trainer as well. They can assess your level of fitness and provide a work out plan that will help you build your body.
• Baby steps- Set goals that can be achieved in a month or two and focus on those as opposed to the end goal. It will help you stay on track, let you gauge your progress and keep you from feeling as if your plan isn’t working. It might even be a good idea to reward yourself once you have achieved your short-term goals.
• Be positive- Rome wasn’t built in a day and even strict adherence to a great exercise plan won’t give you the body, heart rate or any other health goal you are after in a short amount of time. Remember starting an exercise plan isn’t a temporary change; it is a shift towards a healthier lifestyle that will take time to achieve.

Your body needs exercise so beginning a workout routine can help you to get into shape and live longer. Hopefully you can use these tips to stay on track. If you are in need of other advice, please call Consult-A-Nurse at 1-866-442-2362 for free answers to basic medical questions or a referral to a physician who can assess your health and make recommendations for your workout. If you are looking for a physician in Tamarac, feel free to visit University Hospital and Medical Center online.

Sources:

Duke Health

Foundations of Wellness

Everyday Health

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