Keep the beat: Understand heart disease and prevention | Mahoney – Tallahassee Democrat

Mark A. Mahoney, Guest columnist Published 12:09 p.m. ET Oct. 26, 2020

Obesity and high cholesterol are contributing factors in heart disease and stroke. Here, the ingredients for dietician Anna Jones' heart-healthy Roasted Vegetable Pesto Pasta.(Photo: Hali Tauxe/Democrat)

Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States with 1 in 4 deaths caused by heart disease every year. Fortunately, it is largely preventable and there are many things people can do to reduce their risk.

It is important to understand the many-varied aspects of heart health from risk factors for cardiovascular disease and treatment modalities for heart disease to mechanics of heart functionality and warning signs of a heart attack.

An understanding of disease conditions affecting your heart and ways to address this can provide a basis for helping prevent this reality from affecting you, your family, and friends.

Cardiovascular disease, heart disease, coronary heart disease whats the difference?

Because these terms sound so similar, people use them interchangeably. The following information will help you understand how these conditions differ.

The big umbrella cardiovascular disease is the term for all types of diseases that affect the heart or blood vessels, including coronary heart disease (clogged arteries), which can cause heart attacks, stroke, congenital heart defects and peripheral artery disease.

Heart disease is a catch-all phrase for a variety of conditions that affect the hearts structure and function. Keep in mind all heart diseases are cardiovascular diseases, but not all cardiovascular diseases are heart disease. The most common type of heart disease is coronary heart disease. In fact, when people talk about heart disease they often mean coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease is often referred to simply as heart disease, although its not the only type of heart disease. Another term for it is coronary artery disease. Coronary heart disease occurs when plaque (a combination of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood) builds up in your arteries. You may have heard this called clogged arteries or atherosclerosis.

The plaque reduces the amount of oxygen-rich blood getting to your heart, which can cause chest pain (also called angina). Plaque can also lead to blood clots, which block blood flow and are the most common cause of a heart attack.

What you can you do to protect yourself from cardiovascular diseases?

Although you lack the power to change some risk factors such as family history, age and race there are some key heart disease prevention tips you can follow.

Theres a lot you can do to protect your heart:

One such way is to move with your heart. You should strive for at least 150 minutes (2 hours) each week of physical activity that gets your heart pumping and leaves you a little breathless. There are flexible ways to break it into amounts of daily activity, and even small amounts add up and can have lasting heart health benefits.

Another important approach is to follow a healthy eating pattern as part of healthy lifestyle. Two such approaches that fit this pattern are the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and Mediterranean diets.

Did you know that cardiovascular disease occurs every 39 seconds and is the No. 1 killer of all Americans? When you join Heart Walk, you join more than a million people in 300+ cities across America in taking a stand against heart disease and helping save lives.

The virtual 2020 Big Bend Heart Walk will be on Nov.7. Register for the digital event and get moving. Visit www2.heart.org.

Go to the following websites at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Heart Association and the Florida Department of Health for more information including a focus on evidence-based and best practices related to cardiovascular disease:

Thanks to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the CDC and the AHA.

Mark A. Mahoney, Ph.D. has been a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for over 34 years and completed graduate studies in Nutrition & Public Health at Columbia University. He can be reached at marqos69@hotmail.com.

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Keep the beat: Understand heart disease and prevention | Mahoney - Tallahassee Democrat