Get Smart, Protect Your Heart Did you know someone in the U.S. dies from heart disease every 33 seconds? Heart disease refers to a variety of health conditions that affect your heart and how it functions. It’s the leading cause of death in the U.S., and military personnel and veterans are at higher risk. Yet, heart disease is usually preventable and can be managed with healthy lifestyle behaviors. What Is Heart Disease? Heart disease refers to various heart-related conditions, with the most common being coronary artery disease (CAD). This condition occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries of the heart, making it hard for blood to get through. If these blood vessels become blocked, the heart can’t get enough oxygen. This can cause you to experience chest pain, abnormal heartbeat, heart attack or heart failure. Heart disease is often called a “silent killer” because you may not have symptoms until these serious signs appear. How Do I Know My Risk and How Can I Protect Myself? Damaged arteries and impaired blood vessel function can lead to heart disease. These problems are caused by various factors. The more factors you have, the more likely you are to develop heart disease. However, there are several actions you can take to reduce your risk. WEIGHT Being overweight or obese can make you more likely to develop many health conditions, including heart disease. Even if you are not overweight, having extra belly fat around your waist can increase your risk of heart disease. Keeping your bodyweight within a healthy range is one of the best things you can do for your health. Staying hydrated, eating nutritious foods and being regularly active can help you control your weight. Physical Activity Not being active can reduce blood circulation, slow down your metabolism and make it harder for your body to digest fats and sugars. This can increase your risk of several health conditions, including heart disease and stroke. Aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week, no matter what that looks like for you. Try to limit long periods of sitting and remember that even short bursts of movement can improve heart function. Learn more. Nutrition Eating high amounts of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars can lead to high cholesterol and blood pressure, which both raise your risk of heart disease. Following a balanced eating plan with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can improve your heart health. Choose foods that are rich in nutrients and try to limit foods that are high in saturated fat, added sugars and sodium. Learn more. Sleep Not getting enough quality sleep can increase your risk of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, which all contribute to heart disease. Aim to sleep for 7-9 hours each day, even if work duties require that it be split between multiple sleep sessions. Resting in a dark, quiet environment and limiting caffeine and nicotine before bed can help you sleep better. Learn more. Stress Experiencing extreme stress for long periods of time can strain your body and make your heart work harder. Stress can also raise blood pressure, which contributes to heart disease risk. Knowing how to manage stress levels with healthy coping mechanisms is important for your mental and physical health. Consider using relaxation techniques, meditation and/or yoga to help reduce stress. Learn more. Smoking Smoking, no matter the amount, damages your heart and blood vessels. This increases your likelihood of heart disease and stroke. If you don’t currently smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, you can lower your risk of heart disease by quitting. Talk to your health care provider about smoking cessation programs and make a plan for stopping use. Learn more. Alcohol Drinking too much alcohol can raise your cholesterol and blood pressure, which are linked to heart disease. Overall, drinking less is better for your health. If you choose to drink, do so moderately. This means consuming no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women. Learn more. Cholesterol Too much cholesterol, especially LDL, can block your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease and heart attack. High levels of triglycerides can also make you more likely to develop heart disease, especially if you’re a woman. Knowing your blood cholesterol level is the first step towards understanding your risk of heart disease. Having a total cholesterol under 200 is ideal. If your cholesterol is above 200, you can make dietary changes to move towards a heart-healthy range. Learn more. Blood Pressure If you have high blood pressure, your heart is working harder to pump blood to the rest of your body. Over time, this can increase your risk of heart disease and other related conditions. Blood pressure is an indicator of how well your heart is functioning, so it’s important to have it checked at least once a year. Having a blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg is considered healthy. If your blood pressure is higher than this, your health care provider may recommend lifestyle changes or medication to improve it. Learn more. Glucose Levels High glucose levels can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control them, which can lead to heart disease. Managing your glucose plays an important role in heart health, especially if you have diabetes. Having a glucose level under 100 mg/dL is considered normal. If your glucose is above 100, switching to a heart-healthy eating plan may help control glucose levels. Learn more. You cannot change some factors that increase your risk of heart disease, but being aware of them can help you be more prepared. These include: Age: Risk increases as you get older and affects men and women differently. Men experience a spike in heart disease risk around age 45, while women’s risk doesn’t increase until about age 55. Sex: Women are more likely than men to develop types of heart disease that are harder to diagnose. Women are also at higher risk of other health conditions that are associated with heart disease. Family history: You may be at increased risk if a close family member had heart disease at an early age, especially if: your father or brother was diagnosed before age 55 your mother or sister was diagnosed before turning 65 Race/ethnicity: Some groups have higher rates of heart disease than others. Those who identify as Native American or Other Pacific Islander, Asian, Black or White may be at higher risk of dying from heart disease. There are many ways to protect yourself from heart disease, even if you are at increased risk. Having close relationships with others can help you feel supported and make it easier to sustain these heart-healthy behaviors. You can ask loved ones for encouragement, join an exercise class or get involved in your community to boost social wellness. Your heart and health will thank you! Additional ResourcesAmerican Heart Association - “Healthy Living”National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - “What is Heart-Healthy Living?”ReferencesAmerican Heart Association - “Coronary Artery Disease – Coronary Heart Disease”Assari S. - “Veterans and Risk of Heart Disease in the United States: A Cohort with 20 Years of Follow Up”Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - “About Heart Disease”Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - “Heart Disease Facts”Medline Plus - “Heart Diseases”Medline Plus - “How to Prevent Heart Disease”National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - “Take Action for Your Heart: Get Started! Fact Sheet”National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - “What is Coronary Heart Disease?”National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - “Diabetes, Heart Disease, & Stroke”Shrestha A et al - “Comparison of Cardiovascular Health Between US Army and Civilians”
