10 Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Heart Disease…Today

Heart Disease: What You Need To Know

You can take action and lower your chance of developing heart disease and its risk factors like high blood pressure, overweight and obesity and diabetes.

 

WHAT IS HEART DISEASE?

Coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart disease. Often referred to simply as “heart disease,” it is a disorder of the blood vessels of the heart that can lead to a heart attack. If you have coronary heart disease, it is a lifelong condition and will steadily worsen unless you make changes in your daily habits.

 

Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Lifestyle affects many of the “risk factors” for heart disease. Risk factors are conditions or habits that increase the chances of developing a disease or having it worsen. For heart disease, there are two types—those you can’t change and those you can control. The ones you can’t change are a family history of early heart disease and age. But most of the risk factors can be controlled. Often, all it takes are lifestyle changes; sometimes, medication also is needed.

 

Here’s a quick review of these risk factors:

Smoking

If you currently smoke but quit smoking today, your heart disease risk will drop by more than half in one year. There’s no easy way to quit but making a smoking cessation plan helps. You also can try an organized program or a medication—ask your doctor if either is right for you.

 

High Blood Pressure

Also called hypertension, high blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and congestive heart failure. Even levels slightly above normal— called “prehypertension”—increase your heart disease risk. Hypertension also increases the risk of stroke and congestive heart failure.

You can lower elevated blood pressure by following a heart-healthy eating plan, including limiting your intake of salt and other forms of sodium, getting regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and, if you drink alcoholic beverages, doing so in moderation (not more than one drink a day).

If you have high blood pressure, you also may need to take medication. One good eating plan, shown to lower elevated blood pressure, is called the DASH eating plan (https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash-eating-plan).

 

High Blood Cholesterol

Excess cholesterol and fat in your blood build up in the walls of vessels that supply blood to the heart and can lead to blockages. A “lipoprotein profile” or “lipid profile” tests your levels of the key types of cholesterol—total, LDL (“bad”), and HDL (“good”) cholesterol—and triglycerides, a fatty substance in the blood.

Lower cholesterol by following a heart-healthy eating plan, being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, and, if needed, taking medication. Your doctor should order a lipid profile for you and review your numbers and what they mean for you.

 

Overweight/Obesity 

Obesity increases the risk not only of heart disease, but also a host of other conditions, including stroke, gallbladder disease, arthritis, and some cancers. If you’re overweight, even a small weight loss will help lower your risk.

At the very least, try not to gain more weight. Lasting weight loss needs a change of lifestyle—adopt a healthy, lower-calorie eating plan and get regular physical activity. Aim to lose no more than 1 pound per week.

 

Physical Inactivity

Physical activity is crucial for good health, including heart health. Try to do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity such as brisk walking on most, and preferably, all days of the week. If you need to, divide the period into shorter ones of at least 10 minutes each.

 

Diabetes

About 37.3 million Americans—about 1 in 10—have diabetes. In addition, about 1 in 5 people with diabetes don’t know they have it. About two-thirds of those with diabetes die of a heart or blood vessel disease. The type of diabetes that adults most commonly develop is “type 2.” Diabetes can be diagnosed with a blood test. Modest changes in diet and level of physical activity can often prevent or delay the development of diabetes.

TAKING ACTION

Begin taking the steps to heart health—don’t smoke, follow a heart-healthy eating plan, be physically active, and maintain a healthy weight. Start today to keep your heart strong.