How To Prevent the Number One Killer of Americans

1. How To Prevent the Number One Killer of Americans Sara Allinder April 19, 2011

2. Heart Disease • Number one killer in United States • Killed > 1 million men and women in 2010 • Most common form of heart disease is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack. • more women than men die of heart attacks each year. One in three in fact.

3. Atherosclerosis • condition in which fatty material and other substances form plaque build-up on the walls of your arteries. As the arteries narrow, the blood flowing to the heart will slow down or even stop • Over time, too much pressure in the arteries will make the walls thick and stiff, restricting blood flow to your organs and tissues. This process is called arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries

4. Risk Factors • Family History • Blood Pressure • Cholesterol • Body Mass Index • Blood sugar

5. Family History • Family members share their genes, as well as their environment, lifestyles and sometimes even habits. Everyone can recognize traits that run in their family, such as curly hair, dimples, leanness or athletic ability. Risks for diseases such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease can also run in families.

6. Blood Pressure • Your blood pressure reading (e.g., 120/80) is expressed in two important numbers: systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number). Systolic is the bloods pressure in the arteries when the heart beats, while diastolic measures pressure at rest. • The National Institute of Health report, the increase in stroke and heart disease risk begins at blood pressures as low as 115/75 mmHg and doubles with each increase of 20 mmHg systolic blood pressure and 10 mmHg diastolic. • One of the key elements is a new “pre-hypertensive” classification (blood pressure falling between 120/80 and 130/89), which gives people at risk an early head start at improving their odds.

7. Cholesterol • Total cholesterol (LDL plus HDL) that is below 200 mg/DL • LDL at 100 mg/DL and below • HDL at 50 mg/DL and above • Triglycerides below 150 mg/DL

8. Body Mass Index (BMI) • An ideal BMI falls between 18.5 - 24.9 • A BMI of 25 - 29.9 puts a person in the overweight category. • A BMI of 30 is clinically obesity

9. Blood Sugar • Normal fasting blood sugar is less than 100 mg/DL. • Fasting blood sugar levels of 100 to 125 mg/DL point to pre-diabetes. • Anything above 125 mg/DL falls into the diabetic range

10. Signs and Symptoms • Discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm, or below the breastbone • Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat, or arm • Fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn) • Sweating, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness • Extreme weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath

11. Conclusions • Excess weight taxes your heart, raises blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels while lowering good cholesterol level even modest weight increases of 10 to 20 pounds in a typical 30 to 64-year-old adult can increase a person’s risk of death. • You can reduce your risk of heart disease by maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, a healthy diet, and especially by avoiding smoking. • It is our responsibility to live proactively if we want a healthy heart. Your heart will give back to you if you provide for it.