Feb. 9, 2023 | February is American Heart Month, created to raise awareness about the number one killer of Americans and how it can be prevented. The term “heart disease” is often used interchangeably with the term “cardiovascular disease.” Cardiovascular disease generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain or stroke. Heart disease usually cannot be cured but treatments are now available that unblock arteries, repair or replace heart valves and control heart rhythm disturbances.  Many of these procedures can be accomplished with minimally invasive surgery performed through the blood vessels. But traditional heart surgery may also be necessary in some cases.  Heart disease can be prevented or at least slowed through lifestyle habits including maintaining an ideal body weight, a healthy diet, regular exercise and either quitting or not starting to smoke cigarettes.

Feb. 9, 2023 | Atherosclerosis is a heart disease in which plaque builds up inside your arteries. Plaque is a sticky substance made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. Over time, plaque hardens and narrows your arteries. That limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your body. Atherosclerosis usually doesn’t cause any symptoms until it severely narrows or totally blocks an artery, when angina or a heart attack may happen. Many people don’t know that they have it until they have one of these medical emergencies. A physical exam, imaging, and other diagnostic tests can tell if you have it. Cholesterol lowering medicines can slow the progress of plaque buildup. Your doctor may also recommend procedures such as angioplasty to open the arteries. Occasionally heart surgery may be necessary to bypass blocked arteries.  You can prevent or at least slow the progression of atherosclerosis by changes in your lifestyle.

Feb. 9, 2023 | Hypertension or high blood pressure is a form of vascular disease that can lead to heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and other health problems. Your blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. Blood pressure is measured as systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic refers to blood pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood while diastolic refers to blood pressure when the heart is at rest between beats. The blood pressure numbers are written with systolic before the diastolic, such as 120 over 80. There are many things you can do to maintain a healthy blood pressure. Losing weight, eating a healthy low salt diet and regular exercise have all been shown to promote healthy blood pressure. But you doctor may also prescribe medications to lower blood pressure. Control of blood pressure has been shown to reduce heart failure, kidney failure and strokes, among other adverse outcomes.

Feb. 9, 2023 | A heart attack is a form of heart disease that occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked, most often by a build-up of fat and cholesterol. The interrupted blood flow can damage or destroy part of the heart muscle. Dr. Paul Mounsey, director of the UAMS Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, says someone having a heart attack may experience several symptoms, including chest and left arm pain or discomfort, often associated with profuse sweating and nausea, that doesn’t go away after a few minutes. They may also have feelings of weakness breathlessness and light-headedness. According to Dr. Mounsey, women are more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms like shortness of breath and back or jaw pain. If you think that you or someone you know is having a heart attack, call 911 immediately. If you don’t have access to emergency medical services, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital.

Feb. 9, 2023 | Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped or is about to stop working. It means that your heart is not able to pump blood the way it should. Certain conditions such as high blood pressure gradually leave your heart too weak to fill and pump efficiently. Some of the symptoms of possible heart failure include shortness of breath and swelling in your legs, ankles and feet.  Breathlessness can be worse at night, and patients will often feel the need to sit up to sleep.  Be sure to see a physician if you experience any of these symptoms. Not all conditions that lead to heart failure can be reversed, but treatments can improve the symptoms of heart failure and help you live longer. Lifestyle changes, such as exercising, reducing salt in your diet, managing stress and losing weight, can improve your quality of life, but medications will usually be needed.