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How much do we really know about our heart’s health? It’s easy to be fooled by misconceptions. After all, heart disease only happens to our elderly neighbor or to our fried food-loving uncle, right? Or do we know the real truth – that heart disease can affect people of any age, even those who eat right?
Relying on false assumptions can be dangerous to our heart. Cardiovascular disease kills more people each year than any other disease. But we can boost our heart smarts by separating fact from fiction. Let’s set the record straight on some common myths.
- “I’m too young to worry about heart disease.” How we live now affects our risk for cardiovascular diseases later in life. As early as childhood and adolescence, plaque can start accumulating in the arteries and later lead to clogged arteries., but not all are senior citizens. Even young and middle-aged people can develop heart problems – especially now that obesity, type 2 diabetes and other risk factors are becoming more common at a younger age.
- “I’d know if I had high blood pressure because there would be warning signs.” High blood pressure is called the “silent killer” because we don’t usually know we have it. We may never experience symptoms, so don’t wait for our body to alert us that there’s a problem. The way to know if we have high blood pressure is to check our numbers with a simple blood pressure test. Early treatment of high blood pressure is critical because, if left untreated, it can cause heart attack, stroke, kidney damage and other serious health problems.
- “I’ll know when I’m having a heart attack because I’ll have chest pain.” Not necessarily. Although it’s common to have chest pain or discomfort, a heart attack may cause subtle symptoms. These include shortness of breath, nausea, feeling lightheaded, and pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the jaw, neck or back. Even if we’re not sure it’s a heart attack.
- “Diabetes won’t threaten my heart as long as I take my medication.” Treating diabetes can help reduce our risk for or delay the development of cardiovascular diseases. But even when blood sugar levels are under control, we’re still at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. That’s because the risk factors that contribute to diabetes onset also make us more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. These overlapping risk factors include high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, physical inactivity and smoking.
- “Heart disease runs in my family, so there’s nothing I can do to prevent it.” Although people with a family history of heart disease are at higher risk, we can take steps to dramatically reduce our risk. Create an action plan to keep our heart healthy by tackling these to-dos: get active; control cholesterol; eat better; manage blood pressure; maintain a healthy weight; control blood sugar; and stop smoking.
- “I don’t need to have my cholesterol checked until I’m middle-aged.” It’s a good idea to start having a cholesterol test even earlier if our family has a history of heart disease. Children in these families can have high cholesterol levels, putting them at increased risk for developing heart disease as adults. We can help ourselves and our family by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
- “Heart failure means the heart stops beating.” The heart suddenly stops beating during cardiac arrest, not heart failure. With heart failure, the heart keeps working, but it doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. It can cause shortness of breath, swelling in the feet and ankles or persistent coughing and wheezing. During cardiac arrest, a person loses consciousness and stops normal breathing.
- “This pain in my legs must be a sign of aging. I’m sure it has nothing to do with my heart.” Leg pain felt in the muscles could be a sign of a condition called peripheral artery disease. PAD results from blocked arteries in the legs caused by plaque buildup. The risk for heart attack or stroke increases five-fold for people with PAD.
- “My heart is beating really fast. I must be having a heart attack.” Some variation in our heart rate is normal. Our heart rate speeds up during exercise or when we get excited, and slows down when we’re sleeping. Most of the time, a change in our heartbeat is nothing to worry about. But sometimes, it can be a sign of arrhythmia, an abnormal or irregular heartbeat. Most arrhythmias are harmless, but some can last long enough to impact how well the heart works and require treatment.
- “I should avoid exercise after having a heart attack.” No! As soon as possible, get moving with a plan approved for! Research shows that heart attack survivors who are regularly physically active and make other heart-healthy changes live longer than those who don’t. People with chronic conditions typically find that moderate-intensity activity is safe and beneficial. The recommends are, at least two and a half hours of moderate intensity physical activity each week.
Dr. A.G.K.Gokhale
Chief Cardiothoracic,Transplant
Minimal Access Cardiac Surgeon & HOD
Yashoda Hospital, Secunderabad. AP
Mobile: +91 98480 45810
Email: drgokhale@drgokhale.com
Web:- www.drgokhale.com