February marks Heart Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular health and encouraging individuals to take proactive steps toward maintaining a healthy heart. Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death globally, highlighting the importance of understanding how to care for our hearts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 695,000 people died from heart disease in 2021 in the United States which is 1 in every 5 deaths. * This month we will look at some important aspects of heart health, risk factors for heart disease, and tips for maintaining a healthy heart. Read more
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February is the month to focus on your heart health and make sure you are taking all the measures necessary to keep your heart strong. In 2020, about 697,000 people died from heart disease. [1] This is a stat that can’t be ignored.
Heart disease can mean different types of heart conditions for everyone. Coronary artery disease is the most common type and it affects the blood flow to your heart – having a decreased flow can lead to a heart attack. Heart disease can go undiagnosed for some time until symptoms start to occur and can lead to a heart attack, heart failure, or arrhythmia.
Symptoms of a heart attack can include pain or discomfort in the chest, back, neck, jaw, and one or both arms. Other possible symptoms are heartburn, nausea, lightheadedness, and shortness of breath.
Heart failure symptoms can happen over time and may include the following: shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing which produces mucus, swelling of ankles and feet, constant fatigue, increased heart rate, and confusion.[2]
An arrhythmia has to do with the rhythm of your heart. Sometimes your heart may beat too fast or slow, causing an irregular heartbeat. There are several types of arrhythmias such as Atrial Fibrillation and Tachycardia. When you have an irregular heartbeat, blood is not pumped properly throughout your body, making your lungs, brain, and other organs not function the way they should.[3]
It is vital that we learn about the warning signs and symptoms of a heart that needs tending to. Many of us get so busy in our daily life that we forget to pause and take care of ourselves and listen to our bodies. Talk to your doctor if you have any of these symptoms or feel that something isn’t quite right.
More heart-healthy articles will be coming soon. CalCPA Health understands how important it is to shed light on different health topics – so our members can have the tools and resources needed to be the best health advocate possible!
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[1] https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm
[2] https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/warning-signs-of-heart-failure
[3] https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia/about-arrhythmia
The first step to understanding heart health is to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of a heart attack.
According to Heart.org, the main sign of a heart attack is having discomfort in your chest, usually in the center, that can longer than a few minutes or the pain could come and go. The discomfort could be described as pressure or squeezing and can be painful. Some may feel pain or discomfort in their legs, arms, jaw, neck, or stomach. You may feel lightheaded or experience shortness of breath, cold sweat, or nausea.
Educating yourself on the symptoms of a heart attack may one day help yourself or a loved one. Know the signs and be ready to CALL 911.
February is American Heart Month when it is our call to action to make sure we make sure we take control of our heart health. Over the course of the month, we will provide educational tips and short articles on how to recognize when something isn’t feeling right with your heart, understanding blood pressure, how to reduce the risk heart disease and stroke, and the promotion of healthy habits.
Make it a point to educate yourself on heart health this month so you can start to take care of YOU. Here’s a stat that may make you start thinking about how important it is to take the necessary steps to have a reset of your daily food intake and activities: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in the United States, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds and about 805,000 people have a heart attack every year.
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