1. We've made only modest progress in reducing the toll of heart disease.
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Heart-attack deaths have fallen 60 percent in five decades, according to the NHLBI.
Still, more than 80 million Americans suffer from cardiovascular diseases linked
with heart attacks and strokes, according to the AHA. More progress could be made
if we could reduce the smoking rate, control blood pressure, screen and manage cholesterol,
and become more physically active, the NHLBI says.
2. Heart disease kills more women than all types of cancer combined.
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Many women don't realize how much risk they face when it comes to heart disease,
the NHLBI says. Men's risk rises after age 40, and women's risk rises about 10 years
later, after menopause. Though more men have heart disease, women are more likely
to die from a first heart attack. The average 50-year-old woman is three times more
likely to develop coronary heart disease than breast cancer, the NHLBI says.
3. No clinical studies have shown that stress plays a role in heart disease.
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The link between mind and body is getting clearer. Studies following Japanese earthquakes,
for instance, found heart attacks caused more deaths than injuries during and just
after tremors. Other studies indicate that in some stressful situations, blood flow
to the heart falls for up to three out of four heart patients. And in a study of
1,551 people, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health found those who
were depressed were four times more likely to suffer a heart attack than those who
were not depressed. "There is no doubt that the heart is an emotional organ," says
James M. Rippe, M.D., author of "The Healthy Heart for Dummies" and other books.
"Levels of stress and the way we relate to others are very important for cardiovascular
health."
4. An aspirin can have a great impact on your heart.
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Doctors recommend that many mature patients take a daily low-dose aspirin (such
as a "baby aspirin" or half of an adult aspirin) to help prevent heart-attack-causing
blood clots in coronary arteries. In fact, some experts believe we could save up
to 10,000 lives a year if everyone swallowed one regular aspirin at the first sign
of a heart attack (after dialing 911). Doctors warn, however, that daily aspirin
isn't for everyone—especially people who take blood thinners or are prone to digestive
irritation. Ask your doctor. Aspirin and cholesterol-lowering medication are no
substitute for lifestyle changes, warns Philip A. Ades, M.D., the University of
Vermont's director of cardiac rehabilitation.
5. Sexual activity is dangerous for people with heart disease.
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"The actual stress on the heart during sex is fairly moderate," says Richard A.
Stein, M.D., an AHA spokesman. "It's no more dangerous than a brisk walk or reasonable
gardening."
6. Denial can be an important component of heart disease.
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Even with all the information available about risk factors such as age, smoking,
obesity, sedentary lifestyle, hypertension, diabetes, and family history, many of
us deny these factors will affect our lives. "It's a lot easier to believe nothing
is wrong than it is to take steps to see a doctor and to change the way we live,"
says Dr. Stein.
7. If you have a risk factor for heart disease, your chances of reducing your risk
are minimal.
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If you have one risk factor, you should address it. But in most instances, multiple
risk factors do the damage. For instance, "even if heart disease runs in your family,
you can substantially reduce your risk of a heart attack by keeping your cholesterol
in check, your blood pressure within normal limits, increasing physical activity,
quitting smoking, and so on," says Dr. Ades. "Don't just take a look at what happened
with your parents and believe, fatalistically, that you're doomed."
8. For a healthy heart you must exercise strenuously each day, just like an athlete.
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Many people avoid exercise in the belief that it will do no good unless they perspire
heavily and gasp for breath. "But if your goal is to help prevent heart disease,
you can do that without vigorous exercise," says Dr. Rippe. Work on accumulating
at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week.
9. If you think you might be having a heart attack, you've got two hours to decide
what to do.
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Lives can be saved if people act sooner. If you suffer chest discomfort or shortness
of breath, do not wait! Call 911 and get to the nearest emergency room. "Many people
wait an hour or two after symptoms begin before going to a hospital," Dr. Rippe
laments. Extra time increases the chances for death or permanent damage. Medications
that break up heart-attack-causing blood clots can be given quickly at a hospital—possibly
saving your life.
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