How to Assess Your Heart Health

Overview Of How TO Assess Heart Health

According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, causing nearly 1 in every 4 deaths. Approximately 647,000 Americans die each year from heart disease.

Used interchangeably with “cardiovascular disease,” heart disease refers to conditions that impede the normal function of blood vessels which may result in chest pains, stroke, or heart attack. Heart disease encompasses many conditions, including heart infections, arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, and more.

Risks of Heart Disease

Some may be more at risk of developing heart disease than others. Sex, ethnicity, and genetics all contribute to the chance a person will develop a cardiovascular disease. Men are generally at greater risk of heart disease, but women’s risk increases after menopause. Lifestyle choices also have a significant effect on the risk of heart disease. Having a poor diet, not getting enough exercise or sleep, and too much stress can increase risk.

How to assess your heart health

With regular evaluations, some cardiovascular diseases can be spotted early and treated before they become life-threatening. Here’s how you can start assessing your own heart health:

Know What is Normal for Your Body

Just as no two fingerprints are the same, each body is different. Gauging personal heart health will vary from person to person. The first step to evaluating your heart health is knowing what is normal for your body, including:

• Your normal resting heart rate
• Your blood pressure
• Your cholesterol level, and whether it’s in a normal range
• Any past symptoms of heart disease you may have experienced

Know Heart Disease Symptoms

Because heart disease includes a variety of conditions, symptoms manifest themselves in several ways. Each type of cardiovascular disease is caused by something entirely unique to that condition, and symptoms often vary between men and women.

Some of the most common symptoms of heart disease that you should be aware of include the following:

• Chest pain
• Chest pressure
• Shortness of breath
• Tingling in the left arm or on the left side of the body
• Dizziness or fainting
• High blood pressure
• Nausea

Don’t ignore signs of heart disease. Be aware of any sudden changes to your health and don’t hesitate to ask your doctor for a second opinion. If you experience a heart attack, visit your nearest emergency room immediately.

Manage Your Heart Health

Many forms of heart disease can be prevented or treated through healthy lifestyle choices. The American Heart Association offers these seven simple steps to improve heart health and overall well-being.

• Manage your blood pressure. Blood pressure levels are a major contributor to heart health. By keeping your blood pressure within healthy limits, the strain on your heart, kidneys, and other arteries is lessened, improving your long-term health.

• Maintain control of your cholesterol. Over time, cholesterol can harden into plaque, clogging the arteries. High cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke.

• Reduce blood sugar. High levels of blood sugar can have harmful effects on your heart, kidneys, and nerves. Luckily, there are a number of treatments that doctors can recommend to control blood sugar and maintain heart health.

• Exercise regularly. Living an active lifestyle not only decreases the risk of heart disease, it has lifelong health benefits. It’s recommended to be active for 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. Regular exercise doesn’t need to be intensive. A brisk walk each day is enough to preserve the health of your heart.

• Improve your diet. Incorporating fresh and hearty foods into your diet will help you maintain heart health. A heart-healthy diet should consist of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.

• Lose weight. Obesity is a major contributor to the development of heart disease. Extra weight puts extra strain on the heart. Losing unnecessary pounds alleviates pressure on the heart, lungs, bones, and blood vessels.

• Stop smoking. Smoking has a myriad of health risks associated with it, from heart disease to strokes to lung cancer. If you are a smoker, quitting is one way you can improve your heart health.

Tanner Clinic

One of the best ways to keep tabs on your heart health is by visiting your primary care physician for routine checkups. Your doctor can address heart issues before they become life-threatening, and they can refer you to a cardiovascular specialist if necessary. To protect your heart health, schedule an appointment at Tanner Clinic today. Our trained professionals can answer your questions and find a solution that works for you.