Heart Health

Heart Health Dr. Beth Bates, RN, BS, ND School of Nursing The Pennsylvania State University Why are we talking about this? • Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. • Some variation for women and different cultures • One out of three deaths in U.S. • Largely preventable First Things First • The heart is a muscle about the size of your fist Keeping your heart muscle healthy Principles: Reduce interference with its work in pumping blood to the body Make sure the heart muscle itself gets the blood or circulation it needs How do we keep the heart healthy? There are some things we cannot control: Family history (your genes) Race Sex Age * Some other diseases/conditions Risks to the heart that we can control: Smoking Tobacco Use Smoking – single most preventable cause of death About quitting – difficult to quit without support Don’t be discouraged. Try and try again. Risks to the heart that we can control: High Blood Pressure • What is blood pressure? • What do blood pressure numbers mean numbers? • What numbers are good? What Blood Pressure is: • Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. • Top number • Bottom number Blood Pressure Numbers • 120/80 or lower is normal blood pressure • 140/90 or higher is high blood pressure • 120 and 139 for the top number, or between 80 and 89 for the bottom number is prehypertension • Hypertension is the term doctors use for high blood pressure. Either or both of these numbers may be too high. Treatable • Variety of causes • Treatable – by changing the lifestyle, controlling the factors that are causing high pressure • Limit salt intake • Medication? When Blood Pressure is NOT controlled • Damage to other parts of the body (brain and kidneys) • Heavy work load for the heart • Too much work to pump blood can cause thickening of the heart muscle and damage over time. High Blood Pressure Usually no symptoms but sometimes: • • • • • • • • • • • Confusion Severe headache Shortness of breath Significant sweating Vision changes Chest pain Ear noise or buzzing Irregular heartbeat Nosebleed Vision changes Nausea and vomiting Risks to the heart that we can control: High Cholesterol • What is it? A somewhat soft substance normally produced in the liver – it is needed for body functions. The liver generally produces the cholesterol we need for health. ALSO found in diet – we can get too much What happens when we get to much? • May clog arteries • Different kinds of cholesterol • Good and Bad cholesterols/fats Cholesterol Measures • Everyone age 20 and older should have their cholesterol measured at least once every 5 years. It is best to have a blood test called a "lipoprotein profile" to find out your cholesterol numbers. This blood test is done after a 9- to 12-hour fast and gives information about your: • Total cholesterol • LDL (bad) cholesterol--the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries • HDL (good) cholesterol--helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries • Triglycerides--another form of fat in your blood Know Your Numbers • • • • Total Cholesterol Level & Category Less than 200 mg/dL - Desirable 200-239 mg/dL - Borderline High240 mg/dL and above –High More numbers • LDL (Bad cholesterol) Less than 100 is optimal • HDL (Good Cholesterol) – Above 60 is optimal; Below 40 is a risk • Triglycerides - can also raise heart disease risk. Levels that are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more) may need treatment in some people. What we can do about to control high cholesterol levels: • Choose foods that are low in cholesterol and saturated fats (Food labels) • Fruits and veggies • Lose weight if you are overweight – it improves your cholesterol numbers • Exercise Healthy Foods • There are four major dietary fats in the foods we eat: saturated fats, trans fats, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. The four types have different chemical structures and physical properties. The bad fats, saturated and trans fats, tend to be more solid at room temperature (like a stick of butter), while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats tend to be more liquid (like liquid vegetable oil). Tips • Limit overall fat intake (Avoid deep frying, gravies, thick sauces) • Choose meats with lower fats (chicken, turkey instead of bacon.) Trim away visible fat on beef. • Generally plant sources for fats are best (Olive oil, canola but not coconut) • Fish sources • Healthy heart symbol on packaging More tips • Avoid solid fats like butters, Crisco, lard • Consider beans, peas, lentils, or meat substitutes instead of meats to get protein • Egg whites instead of egg yolks • More fruits and vegetables • Whole grain, brown rice, & flax seed – part of heart healthy diet Fast Foods Often fatty! Treatment of High Cholesterol • Medications may be prescribed • Will be based on numbers and other risk factors such as family history • Like all medications – use as directed. • Always important to let health care provider know what else you are taking. Some medications may interact with herbs and other medications. Risks to the heart that we can control: Weight • Obesity • More burden on heart • Ways to calculate and evaluate: BMI Waist measurement What is BMI? • BODY MASS INDEX – a number or score that gives a measure of obesity based on height and weight. Body Mass Index Scores • • • • • BMI Categories: Underweight = <18.5 Normal weight = 18.5-24.9 Overweight = 25-29.9 Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater Waist measurement The apple and the pear shapes Belly fat is a problem STATISTIC SHOW: • This risk increases with a waist measurement of over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women Apple and Pear Bodies Controlling what and how much you eat • • • • • Chew slowly Plan ahead Food diary Follow heart health choices Aim for 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week • Lots of diet plans out there! Risks to the heart that we can control: Exercise General guideline: 30 minutes most days of the week Recommendations have been increased Health benefits are numerous! General Exercise Recommendations • About 150 minutes of moderate activity each week plus • Strengthening activities 2 day per week • Can do in small intervals (10 minutes at a time) Goal is to get your heart rate up (shopping, cooking, laundry is work but usually not strenuous to count as exercise) You could…. Take a brisk walk for 10 minutes 3 times a day 5 days each week or a 30 minute walk 5 days each week. Use stairs – park far away What is moderate activity? Walking fast Water aerobics Riding a bike (no hills) Playing doubles tennis Rushing a lawn mower Vigorous exercise • • • • • • 10 minutes at a time Swimming laps Jogging or running Singles tennis Basketball Bike riding fast or on hills Other Risks You Can Control: • Diabetes – Manage – follow treatment plans • Alcohol intake – Limit! Putting it together • Heart Attacks = Myocardial Infarction (MI) Signs of a Heart Attack May have no symptoms – “silent heart attack” Symptoms may differ between men and women and with age. In one study 95% women had sx before heart attack Usual Signs • Chest pain – most common for both men and women • But many women do not complain of chest pain Shortness of breath Sweating Pain in one or both arms Signs of a heart attack • • • • • • • • Chest sensations – tightness, pressure, ache Back, neck, or jaw pain Vomiting Indigestion Weakness Fatigue Dizziness Lightheadedness Time Counts • The Golden Hour • Early identification and help is a predictor for recovery IMPORTANT FOR BOTH HEART ATTACK AND STROKE Stroke: Damage to brain • DON'T DELAY • Call 911 or seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms of stroke: • Unexplained dizziness. • Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body only. • Sudden confusion; trouble speaking or understanding. • Sudden trouble seeing out of one or both eyes. • Sudden, severe headache. About stokes…3rd leading cause of death Summary – Steps for Heart Health • • • • • • • • • Control blood pressure Stop smoking Control weight Low fat diet Control diabetes Limit alcohol Exercise Know your numbers Know when to call for help! Other issues • • • • • Sleep Dental care Infections Birth control pills Hormone replacements • MANY OTHER HEART CONDITIONS Thank you!