FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- With Valentine's Day just around the corner we all know that February has special meaning when it comes to matters of the heart.
February is also Heart Health Awareness Month.
Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women?
More than 610,000 people die each year in the United States from heart disease, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in every 4 deaths is the result of heart disease.
Heart disease can include several types of heart conditions, coronary heart disease (CAD) being the most common in the United States.
CAD is the narrowing of blood vessels that carry blood to the heart. It is caused by a buildup of plaque, which is a substance of cholesterol and fat which collect on artery walls that supply blood to the heart. The buildup of plaque narrows the arteries which could partially or totally block the flow of blood. This narrowing is known as atherosclerosis.
How does heart disease develop?
There are both controllable and uncontrollable factors of heart disease.
One uncontrollable risk factor include is age, because some hardening of the arteries occurs as we get older.
Family medical history and ethnicity are also uncontrollable factors. So be aware of any heart conditions that run in your family or that are common to your specific ethnicity and speak to your primary care provider about any questions you may have.
Risk factors you can control include, but not limited to, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, alcohol consumption, diabetes, and tobacco use.
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries. Having high blood pressure means the blood in your arteries is flowing too forcefully which puts pressure on artery walls causing tearing and making your heart work harder than it needs to.
High cholesterol is also a controllable risk factor for heart disease. Cholesterol is a soft waxy substance found in blood and in the body's cells. It is normal to have some cholesterol in our body because it is needed to serve other functions.
Cholesterol can also be found in certain foods such as meats, eggs and butter.
Too much cholesterol can cause the buildup of plaque, which again can lead to heart disease.
Obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease because it puts one at a higher risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and diabetes. Managing your weight is the best way, other than to quit smoking, to prevent heart disease.
Diabetes is another risk factor because the chances of having a stroke or heart attack increase by four times with diabetes. Diabetics causes blood sugar spikes that rise to dangerous levels. After long periods of time this cause damage to the heart. Getting regular checkups to monitor your glucose will help keep your blood sugar at a safe level.
Tobacco use in any form is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. Tobacco negatively affects every part of your body. It reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood, raises your heart rate and blood pressure, and ultimately increases your risk of coronary artery disease. Tobacco also increases your chance of developing blood clots which can lead to a stroke.
Did you know that every cigarette you smoke increases your chances of getting heart disease?
Roughly 1 out of 5 deaths from heart disease is directly related to tobacco. People who use tobacco are 2-4 times more likely to get heart disease.
If you or someone you know is interested in quitting tobacco, The General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital Public Health Clinic offers a Tobacco Cessation Program.
If you sign up for the 2-hour Tobacco Cessation class, you'll meet in a group setting with others interested in becoming tobacco free. This meeting is taught by a Public Health Nurse, a Pharmacist, and a Nutrition Specialist.
You can talk with your primary care provider for a referral to the GLWACH Community Public Health Clinic, or you can do a self-referral by calling 573-596-0491 to get scheduled for an upcoming class. You can also just stop by the GLWACH Community Public Health Clinic office in room 111.
Remember, any step you take to improve your health is a step in the right direction.
(Editor's note: Linda Sanford is a Public Health nurse at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital)
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