Heart Month: A Heart-to-Heart For People of All Ages

Certainly, the collective effort of the healthcare industry to promote improved heart health practices is important and moving the needle among older adults.
However, a significant challenge remains when it comes to younger individuals caring for their hearts. According to a recent survey of Americans aged 18 and older by The Ohio State University Wexler Medical Center, 47% of participants under age 45 don’t think they are at risk for heart disease. Moreover, 46% of participants under age 35 don’t feel high blood pressure is a health risk for them, and about one-third don’t feel they would recognize if they were having a heart attack.
Here at home, the AtlantiCare Heart and Lung Institute and AtlantiCare Physician Group Cardiology work to ensure people of all ages have the knowledge, resources and professional care they need to lower risk of heart disease.
Our number one goal is to prevent patients from coming to us reactively—because they experience a significant physical issue. Instead, we aim to help individuals realize their risk and to motivate them to take steps proactively to slow the progression, or, better yet, stop the onset, of heart problems. Here are some tips I give my patients to help them get on the right path to a healthier heart.
Understand different generational risk factors.
If you look at the lifestyle of some of today’s younger individuals, you may see that everything from more screen time to longer hours at a desk job equates to a more sedentary life.
Fun innovations—electric skateboards, scooters and skates—that make people more mobile with less effort, further decrease the likelihood of walking and cardio.
Eating habits can also vary by generation. Poor diet represents another major contributor to the onset of heart disease at any age. This includes eating foods that are bad for your heart—such as those high in sodium and fat and low in nutritional value and fiber—as well as having a high caloric intake and eating too quickly.
Poor sleeping patterns, or not getting adequate sleep is another factor. So, too, is stress. Where we may see generational differences here comes from the way people deal with that stress—or things they practice out of enjoyment or habit. Some of these “coping mechanisms” that can contribute to heart disease include drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and vaping.
Finally, it’s important to understand the COVID connection. Patients infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 could have a damaged cardiac muscle.
Know your risk.
It’s important at every age to know your risk factors for heart disease and talk regularly with your primary care and/or cardiac care provider about these factors and your heart and overall health. I encourage people to use AtlantiCare’s online Heart Check Risk Evaluation tool—you can complete it in a few minutes. Also, be aware of these leading risk factors for heart disease and stroke:
·         High blood pressure
·         High LDL cholesterol
·         Diabetes
·         Smoking and/or exposure to second-hand smoke
·         Obesity
·         Unhealthy diet
·         Low levels of physical activity
In addition, family history can play a role. If you have a family member with diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, you may be at greater risk of heart disease.
Recognize the signs and seek help immediately.
When a heart attack, stroke or other potentially life-threatening event occurs, it’s important that you recognize the signs and seek help by immediately calling 9-1-1. The most common signs of a heart attack include: pressure or tightness in the chest; pain or discomfort in the center of chest that lasts for more than a minute and may radiate to the shoulder, arm or neck; chest pain that grows more intense and isn’t relieved by rest; shortness of breath; fainting or dizziness; indigestion, nausea or vomiting; weakness or fatigue without a reason for it; and clamminess of the skin.
Start living heart healthier—today!
A great place to start is with the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8™” steps for enhancing and maintaining heart health. These are:
·         Eat healthier
·         Be more active—2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week
·         Stop tobacco use
·         Get a healthy sleep—7-9 hours for most adults
·         Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
·         Keep your cholesterol in check
·         Manage your blood sugar levels
·         Keep your blood pressure within in acceptable range—with optimal being less than 120/88 mm HG
Remember, having a regular heart-to-heart with your primary care provider and cardiac specialist can improve your health and quality of life. To learn more about the AtlantiCare Heart and Lung Institute or to make an appointment with AtlantiCare Physician Group Cardiology, visit atlanticare.org/heart, or call 1.888.569.1000.