February is American Heart Month

When you or someone you love is experiencing chest discomfort or shortness of breath you want to be able to take appropriate action, which is not necessarily turning to your computer.That’s why every February for 60 years U.S. health officials have been shining the light on heart attack symptoms, prevention and other issues related to heart health.

Lots of progress has been made on the heart disease front since 1964 when President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first American Heart Month proclamation, most notably a sharp decline in smoking rates and better management of cholesterol, both risk factors.

But the danger remains, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups;
• one person dies every 33 seconds from cardiovascular and someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds;
• one in 20 adults age 20 or older have coronary artery disease.

 Let’s start with symptoms

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, others start slowly with mild pain or discomfort. The American Heart Association recommends you call 911 if you have:

• Chest discomfort. Most people having a heart attack feel discomfort in the center of the chest. It can last more than a few minutes, or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain;
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in the arms (one or both), back, neck, jaw and stomach;
• Shortness of breath;
• Other possible signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, vomiting, rapid or irregular heartbeat, feeling unusually tired and feeling lightheaded.

 The American Heart Association has put together a simple one-page infographic highlighting the 5 common warning signs. You might want to make a copy and have readily available.

And while women’s most common symptom is also chest discomfort or pain, women may have other symptoms that are less commonly associated with a heart attack such as upper back pressure that feels like squeezing or a rope being tied around them, anxiety, upset stomach, shortness of breath, and unusual tiredness and weakness.

How to reduce your risk

While you can’t do anything about your age or family genetics, there are many heart disease risk factors that you can control. Here are 4 of them.

1. Your diet

 “A healthy diet that is low in sodium and saturated fat is key to heart disease prevention,” according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH), which recommends the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan. DASH diet is packed with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, fat-free or low-fat dairy and limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, sodium and sugar and other sweeteners.

2. Your physical activity

 Keeping active is key. Health experts recommend at least 2 ½ hours of physical activity a week, plus muscle strengthening exercises. (Check first with your doctor.) Staying active can also decrease other medical conditions that are risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

3. Your body size

The number that pops up on your scale is just one indicator if your weight is in a healthy range. “Before deciding whether you should gain or lose weight, it’s important to talk with a doctor. They may use your BMI or waist circumference to help with this decision, but they’ll also consider your age, ethnicity, body composition, health history, and risk for health conditions,” according to Healthline.

Along with following a healthy diet and physical activity, you may want to ask your doctor about supportive services to lose weight such as enlisting a dietician or weight loss specialist. Bottom line: Being overweight is hard on your heart.

4. Your stress and sleep patterns

High stress and not enough quality sleep are both risk factors for heart disease. “Practicing meditation, being more physically active, doing relaxation therapy and talking with someone you trust can help you cope with stress and sleep better,” NIH says.