A Healthy HeartA Healthy Heart

Cardiovascular BasicsCardiovascular Basics

What is Cardiovascular What is Cardiovascular Disease?Disease?

A common term describing

a group of diseases that cause

a blockage of blood flow,

affecting circulation in the

heart, brain, eyes, kidneys, and legs.

AtherosclerosisAtherosclerosis

• Build up of plaque inside arteries

• Arteries become narrow

• Blood flow through arteries limited

• Less oxygen reaches body tissues

Coronary Artery DiseaseCoronary Artery Disease• Usually a result of “hardening of the

arteries” or arteriosclerosis.• Can lead to:– Angina– Heart attack– Cardiomyopathy – Irregular heartbeats– Heart failure

Heart FailureHeart Failure

• Heart unable to pump sufficient blood to the body

• Likely to develop in people who have other types of heart disease

StrokeStroke

• Artery to the brain becomes blocked• Results in injury to the brain

Risk Factors forRisk Factors forHeart DiseaseHeart Disease

• Diet

• Cholesterol

• High Blood Pressure

• Inactive Lifestyle

• Smoking

• Alcohol

• Stress

DietDiet• An unhealthy diet high in fat and

cholesterol increases risk

• Make healthy food choices

CholesterolCholesterol• High level is a major risk for

coronary heart disease, heart attack, & stroke

• A total cholesterol of <200 mg/dL will lower your risk

• A fasting “lipoprotein profile” will tell you your numbers

DesirableDesirableCholesterol Numbers Cholesterol Numbers

Total: less that 200 mg/dLLDL: less than 130 mg/dLHDL: 40-60 mg/dL or greater 

Source: American Heart Association

Factors for High Factors for High CholesterolCholesterol

• Diet high in fat and cholesterol

• Family history

• Excess weight

• Physical inactivity

• Age and gender

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?

• Eat a diet low in fat and cholesterol

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Exercise

High Blood PressureHigh Blood Pressure

• Makes heart work harder than normal

• Causes heart to enlarge and weaken

• Shows no specific warning signs• (Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80

mmHg).

Factors for High Factors for High PressurePressure

• Family history

• Ethnicity

• Gender

• Age

• Heavy salt consumption

• Obesity• Physical

inactivity• Heavy alcohol

consumption• Pregnancy• Oral

contraceptives

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?

• Eat lots of fruits, vegetables• Choose fat-free & low-fat dairy

products• Reduce sodium• Drink alcohol in moderation• Maintain a healthy weight• Stay physically active

Inactive LifestyleInactive Lifestyle

Physical inactivity combined with overeating, excess weight, & high blood cholesterol raise your risk of heart disease.

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?• American Heart Association recommends

30-60 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week

• Exercise helps to control– Blood cholesterol– Diabetes (blood sugar)– Obesity (weight)– Blood pressure

SmokingSmoking• Doubles your risk of heart attack• Reduces oxygen in blood• Damages blood vessel walls• Contributes to high

blood pressure• Contributes to low levels of

HDL cholesterol

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?• If you smoke, get the help you

need & QUIT!

WeightWeight• Excess body fat increases your

risk for–High blood pressure

–High blood cholesterol

–High triglycerides

–Diabetes

–Heart disease

Your Body Mass Index Your Body Mass Index (BMI)(BMI)

• BMI values from 18.5 to 24.9 are healthy

• BMI of 25.0-29.9 – overweight

• BMI of 30.0 or greater – obese

• BMI of 40 or greater – extreme obesity

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?

If you are overweight,

losing 10 to 20 pounds

can help lower your

heart disease risk.DIET Exercise

StressStress

Handling stress poorly increases your risk of heart disease.

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?• Set realistic goals for yourself• Reject excessive demands on your time• Learn to cope– try relaxation–meditation– exercise– breathing techniques

Risk Factors Risk Factors You Can’t ControlYou Can’t Control

• Age• Gender– Men have greater risk beginning around age 45– Women’s risk begins to increase at about age

55– After menopause, more women die of heart

attacks• Ethnicity– African Americans, Hispanics, American

Indians, & Native Hawaiians have higher risk

Risk FactorsRisk FactorsYou Can’t ControlYou Can’t Control

• Family History– If immediate family member had heart attack

before age 65

• Diabetes– Greater chance of developing atherosclerosis– 80% of diabetics die from cardiovascular

disease– Requires special precautions

Warning SignsWarning SignsFor A Heart AttackFor A Heart Attack

• Uncomfortable chest pressure, squeezing or pain lasting for more than a few minutes

• Pain that spreads to shoulders, neck, arms• Chest discomfort with– Lightheadedness– Sweating– Nausea– Fainting– Shortness of breath

Warning SignsWarning Signs For A Heart Attack For A Heart Attack

• Women may experience more subtle signs–Angina – chest pain

–Difficulty catching breath

–Fatigue

–Swelling - especially ankles & lower legs

Warning Signs for Warning Signs for StrokeStroke

• Sudden weakness in arm, hand, or leg• Loss of feeling on one side of face or

body• Sudden trouble seeing with one or both

eyes• Loss of balance or difficulty walking• Confusion or difficulty talking• Sudden, severe headaches

Think!Think! Think about your current activities and

lifestyle choices. Imagine yourself in 10 to 20 years from a health perspective.

What do you look like?

What changes do you need to make?

ReferencesReferences• Bullock, Carol. Your heart a user’s guide. American Heart

Association. 2002.• Anatomy of the human heart. (n.d.). Retrieved July 13 2005, from

http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/anatomy2.html• Coronary heart disease explained. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2005,

from Http://nhlbisupport.com/chd1/chdexp.htm•  Chronic disease fact sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2005,from

http://www.health.ms.gov/msdhsite/index.cfm/43,116091,214,html•  Heart and stroke facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.americanheart.org.•  Springhouse Corporation Staff. (2005). Anatomy and physiology

made incredibly easy. (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.