Heart Disease

What is Cardiovascular (Heart) disease Cardiovascular disease is caused by narrowed, blocked, or stiffened blood

vessels that make it so your heart, brain, or other parts of your body don’t receive enough blood. It includes conditions affecting the heart such as congestive heart failure, heart rhythm problems, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and congenital heart disease.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S.

Heart Healthy Habits: Quit smoking Control your blood pressure Get your cholesterol checked Manage stress: practice healthy techniques for managing stress such as muscle

relaxation and deep breathing Healthy eating: A heart-healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables, and whole

grains, and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium-can help you control your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Eating one or two serving of fish a week is also beneficial.

Maintain a healthy weight Exercise: Exercise has a protective effect on the heart: studies have shown that

regular leisure time physical activity is associated with a reduced rate of cardiovascular disease, independent of other risk factors. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), getting at least 150

minutes a week (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity can put you at a lower risk for cardiovascular disease. You can reduce your risk even further with more physical activity

On a 10-point scale, where sitting is 0 and working as hard as you can is 10, moderate-intensity aerobic activity is a 5 or 6. It will make you breathe harder and your heart beat faster. You'll also notice that you'll be able to talk, but not sing the words to your favorite song.

For persons of 65 years old, brisk walking is a form of moderate-intensity aerobic activity

Talk to your physician about specific medications and instructions

Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease

In order to increase your chance of survival, it is important to call 911 or get to a hospital right away if you experience and of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack: Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint Chest pain or discomfort Pain or discomfort in arms or shoulder Shortness of breath