An extra day to put your heart health first this year

2/29/2024

This year we aren’t just celebrating American Heart Month in February, but another leap year. Giving everyone an extra day to make heart-healthy decisions or simply learn more about taking care of your heart, which is central to overall health. Because, while leap year may add an extra day to the calendar, maintaining good cardiovascular health can help add years to your life.

Although an estimated 80% of cardiovascular disease is preventable, one person dies every 36 seconds of heart disease in the United States, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Heart disease is also the leading cause of death in Dallas County according to the 2022 Dallas County Community Health Needs Assessment.

Parkland cardiologists say that lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of heart disease, but first it is important to know the basics of heart health and how these diseases come into play.

“The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD), which causes heart attacks. Fortunately, coronary artery disease is very preventable with lifestyle changes and medications,” Jose Joglar, MD, director of cardiology at Parkland Health explained.

A buildup of cholesterol plaques in the walls of the heart artery causes CAD. Over time, this can limit the blood flow to the heart, causing chest pain or “angina.” The more feared complication of CAD is a heart attack, where part of the cholesterol breaks off in the artery, a blood clot forms and blood flow in the artery is blocked.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance your body needs to build cells, make vitamins and produce hormones. But too much of it can pose a problem. Your liver produces all the cholesterol you need while the remainder comes from your diet. For example, meat, poultry and dairy products all contain dietary cholesterol.

“It takes years if not decades to build up enough cholesterol in the arteries to cause disease, but during that time most people don’t have any symptoms. That’s why it’s so important to think about heart disease prevention early, to prevent the cholesterol from depositing in the arteries in the first place,” said Dr. Joglar.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, can be a major contributing factor for heart disease. Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have hypertension, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is defined as a systolic blood pressure (top number) higher than130 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) higher than 80 mmHg.

“Hypertension is often referred to as a ‘silent’ disease or the ‘silent killer’ because many people with high blood pressure have no symptoms from it, and many people with hypertension don’t even know they have it,” said Dr. Joglar. “Even without symptoms, high blood pressure increases someone’s risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.”

Parkland cardiologists recommend checking your blood pressure at home regularly and keeping track of the numbers to share with your provider at each visit. Following a heart-healthy diet, managing stress and staying activeare great ways to make regulating your blood pressure part of your daily routine.

Once you understand heart disease, it’s time to understand your own risks. Some elements could increase an individual’s risk for coronary artery disease, according to Dr. Joglar:

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Smoking

• Obesity and diet quality

• Diabetes

• Not exercising regularly

• Environmental factors, like air pollution

• Genetics, more specifically having a first-degree family member with a heart attack or stroke before the age of 55 in men or 65 in women.

But putting yourself first and making the time for your health is the best place to start. Make the most of this extra day by scheduling a doctor’s appointment. Parkland cardiologists emphasize the importance of regular checkups to identify and treat other risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Dr. Joglar adds that there are safe and effective medications that can be used to treat these risk factors and lower a person's risk of heart attack or stroke.

Sharing this information with your loved ones is a great way to keep spreading the love this February. And remember, there are signs that signal something isn’t right. According to Dr. Joglar, the most common sign of a heart attack is chest pain or pressure. Sometimes that pain can radiate to the back, neck, jaw or down the arm. If you or someone you know is experiencing these signs of heart attack, call 911 immediately.