Heart Health
About
When you choose healthy behaviors, you can lower your heart disease risk as well as the risk for ongoing conditions such as type 2 diabetes and some cancers. To help maintain a healthy heart and prevent heart events it is important to live a heart-healthy life
- Learn your health history
- Eat a healthy diet
- Move more, Sit Less
- Quit smoking
- Take medicine as directed
- Rethink your drink
- Monitor your blood pressure at home
Your Numbers
To take control of your health, you need to know and understand your numbers. These tests are done at most yearly exams: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, body mass index and waist circumference. Understanding what the numbers mean can help you understand your risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Heart Events
Stroke
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked or bursts. If you think you are having a stroke, you should call 9-1-1 immediately.
Stroke signs (spell F-A-S-T):
Other signs include:
- Severe headache & confusion
- Numbness or tingling
- Loss of balance
- Vision changes
- Loss of movement in face or limbs, especially on one side
Heart Attack
Heart attack signs:
- Sudden dizziness
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or vomiting
- Cold sweat
- Unusual tiredness
- Heartburn-like feeling
- Discomfort or tingling in arms, back, neck, shoulder or jaw
Coronary Artery Disease
CAD signs:
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Nausea or vomiting
Heart Failure
Heart failure signs:
- Extreme tiredness/fatigue
- Fast weight gain
- Weakness
- Swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen and neck
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
DASH Eating
Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension, most often referred to as the DASH eating plan, is a heart healthy eating plan that helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol and lowers the risk of many other chronic conditions.
To learn more about this eating plan and examples of what to eat go to The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dash Eating Plan.
Resources
- Cardio Smart – American College of Cardiology (Preparing for your Health Visit)
- American Heart Association
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (DASH eating plan information)
- CDC Heart Disease Quiz
- Million Hearts – heart disease prevention (Risks, prevention, & heart-healthy recipes)