Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US with nearly 700,000 fatalities every year.
That means that 1 in 3 deaths in the US are caused by heart disease.
However, while heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US, many people don’t know what heart disease is, what it entails, and how to prevent it.
That’s why we’re here to give you a breakdown of what you need to know about heart disease.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions such as coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, congestive heart failure, and more.
These conditions can lead to decreased blood flow, which can cause heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
What are the symptoms?
Sometimes heart disease remains “silent” and undiagnosed until there are signs or symptoms of a heart attack, arrhythmia, or heart failure. When these events happen, symptoms for each sign may include:
Chest pain, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea, extreme fatigue, or dizziness for heart attacks.
Fluttering feelings in the chest or palpitations for arrhythmia.
And shortness of breath, fatigue, or swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, abdomen, or neck veins for heart failure.
Who is at risk?
The main risk factors for heart disease are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. And according to the CDC, about half of people in the US have at least one of these risk factors.
Other risk factors include:
● Diabetes
● Being overweight or obese
● Unhealthy diet
● Physical inactivity
● Excessive alcohol use
How do you prevent heart disease?
The CDC recommends choosing healthy habits as one of the best ways you can prevent heart disease.
These include:
● Choosing healthy food and drinks
● Keeping a healthy weight
● Getting regular physical activity and
● Not smoking
It’s also recommended that if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes that you regularly check and manage their levels.
Your health care team should check your cholesterol levels at least every 4 to 6 years and your blood pressure every 2 years.
If you’re concerned about heart disease and think you may be at risk, we recommend visiting your doctor for a check-up as they will have specific information about your health condition and whether or not you are at risk.
If you want to schedule an appointment, you can call us at (718) 828-6610 or schedule one here on our website!
