If you want to live a long, active life (most of us do!), then you must understand the importance of heart health. Your heart beats about 100,000 times a day and powers your entire body. The better you take care of your heart, the better it will take care of you.
In this article, you’ll learn what doctors check for to see if a heart is in good shape, the signs of heart disease to watch for, and seven tips for keeping your heart healthy. We will also share some frequently asked questions about the importance of heart health.
Taking good care of our hearts is literally a matter of life or death. Heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide. And nearly one in three deaths in the U.S. is caused by heart disease and stroke every year, according to the CDC.
Fortunately, with some healthy lifestyle changes, most types of heart disease are preventable.
Keeping your heart healthy can help you live longer and improve the quality of your years. By embracing the importance of heart health and taking an active role in your wellness, you will feel better and minimize your disease risk. But how can you tell if your heart is healthy or not?
To truly understand and monitor your heart health, it’s important to see your doctor regularly. Several factors they use to measure heart health include:
There are four categories of heart disease: heart valve problems, arrhythmia, heart attack, or stroke. The most common type of heart disease is called coronary artery disease, which affects blood flow to the heart.
While the symptoms of each heart condition vary, there are some common early warning signs for heart disease, including:
Most types of heart disease can be managed or prevented with healthy lifestyle choices and medical treatment. If you have any of the above symptoms of heart disease, make an appointment with your doctor immediately.
The earlier you can start treating heart disease, the better.
Learn more about the early signs of heart disease
We’ve discussed the importance of heart health; now, let’s talk about how you can take action to strengthen your heart and improve your overall wellness. Here are seven tips for living a more heart-healthy life:
Below are some frequently asked questions about why heart health is important and what you should know about certain cardiovascular conditions.
All the tips listed above are excellent ways to care for your heart. Being physically active, eating a healthy diet, and seeing your doctor regularly are important steps to maintaining a healthier heart. And, if you smoke, quitting is critical to your heart health.
Congestive heart failure happens when the heart muscle doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. This leads to blood getting backed up and fluid building up in the lungs, which then causes shortness of breath. Some heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease or high blood pressure, cause the heart to become too weak to fill and pump blood properly.
According to the American Heart Association, of all adults 40 and older, one in five Americans will develop heart failure in their lifetime. Heart disease risk increases as we age, so the sooner you develop heart-healthy habits, the better.
An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is one of the diagnostic tests used by doctors to check for heart failure. The ECG shows if parts of the heart are damaged, too large, or overworked. It can also show if you’ve had a heart attack or abnormal heart rhythm.
Heart failure can be life-threatening, but the right treatments and lifestyle changes can improve symptoms and help people live longer. Some people with heart failure may need a ventricular assist device (VAD) or heart transplant.
The best way to prevent heart failure is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent or properly manage the conditions that cause it, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and coronary artery disease.
We believe in the importance of heart health. Logansport Memorial Hospital’s cardiopulmonary department offers high-quality, critical care close to home, with inpatient and outpatient care for our heart patients.
Our individualized services include certified heart health education for patients and family members, diet consultations, monitored exercise, stress management, risk factor and behavior modification strategies, and support groups.