February is all about the heart – and we’re not only talking about Valentine’s Day. Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death for all Americans, making “Heart Month” the ideal time to help raise awareness for this serious yet treatable epidemic.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year. That’s one in every four deaths. While CVD can affect anyone, gender, race and ethnicity can increase the risk for the disease. For example, research from the CDC shows that African American men are at the highest risk for heart disease, with two in five suffering from high blood pressure, a leading contributor to CVD. Other contributing factors to CVD include smoking (as well as secondhand smoke), obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol.
A number of organizations, including the American Heart Association (AHA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have found racial and ethnic minority populations confront more barriers to CVD diagnosis and care due to a number of complex factors. Differences among African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans in terms of rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and tobacco use can also present a greater risk for developing heart disease.
Are you at greater risk for developing CVD? Visiting your doctor to have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked is a good first step to determining your risk. If you are at risk for CVD, your doctor will likely tell you to consider making some key lifestyle changes, which can include:
- Quitting smoking or use of tobacco products.
- Eating a healthier diet. Specifically, too much salt can raise your risk for high blood pressure and try to avoid foods and drinks that are high in added sugars, like soda, to help maintain a healthy weight.
- Increasing your physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight.
If these changes aren’t making enough of an impact, your doctor may consider additional steps, such as medicines, medical and surgical procedures and cardiac rehabilitation.
During Heart Month, take steps to ensure you and your loved ones are in the know about the conditions associated with CVD, precautions you can take, and management tips you can use to make positive changes your life.
