WORK SCHEDULE:
24 hours a day,
7 days a week.
How would you like to have that
in your job description? For the
human heart, 24/7 is the standard.
Subpar performance may not seem
like an option when talking about
the heart’s work habits, but for
roughly 5.7 million Americans liv-
ing with heart failure, it’s a round-
the-clock reality.
Heart failure is a form of heart
disease that simply means your
heart isn’t working as well as it
should. A healthy heart pumps
about 100,000 times a day, deliv-
ering blood to and from the far
reaches of your body. An unhealthy
heart still pumps, but it may not
pump enough blood or with enough
force to send a sufcient supply
to all of your body’s tissues and
organs.
Signs of trouble
People with heart failure often
complain of:
➜
➜
Feeling tired or short of breath.
➜
➜
Trouble sleeping.
➜
➜
Abdominal pain and loss of
appetite.
➜
➜
Unexplained weight gain or
swollen legs and ankles.
➜
➜
Frequent dry cough.
See your doctor if you have
any of these symptoms. Your
doctor will perform a physi-
cal exam and ask about your
symptoms. He or she may take
a look at your heart with x-ray,
echocardiogram or other imag-
ing tests.
Ticker TLC
If you are diagnosed with heart
failure, your doctor will develop a
Lifestyle changes can head of heart failure
mended. Talk with your doctor to
learn more about these procedures.
Take control
Tere are certain risk factors for
heart disease that can’t be avoided,
such as being over age 65, male or
African American or having a fam-
ily history of heart disease.
But, according to the American
Heart Association, there are three
basic lifestyle choices that will help
you defend against heart disease.
Avoid tobacco.
If you smoke, it’s
time to quit. If there’s a smoker in
your home, it’s time to help him or
her quit. Smoking doubles your risk
of developing heart disease.
Exercise regularly.
Any exer-
cise is better than none, and just
30 minutes a day on most days of
the week will help lower your risk.
Studies show that people with
moderate ftness levels are much
less likely to die early from heart
problems than those with poor ft-
ness levels.
Eat healthfully.
Te foods we eat
can contribute to high cholesterol,
high blood pressure, diabetes
and weight gain—all major
risk factors for heart disease.
Build your diet around
vegetables, fruits and
whole grains, and cut
back on salt.
If you already
have heart dis-
ease or haven’t
exercised in
a while, speak
to your doctor
about creat-
ing a diet and
exercise plan
that’s best for
you.
Source: American
Heart Association
Take heart
—andmake it healthy
treatment plan for you. It is very
important that you follow the plan
and communicate with your doctor
on a regular basis, especially early
in the process.
Your treatment plan may include
medications such as angiotensin-
converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
and beta-blockers, which reduce
blood pressure and ease the strain
on your heart. Your doctor can also
set up a diet and exercise plan for
you that will help strengthen your
heart and improve your overall
health.
When a faulty heart valve or
blocked artery is causing your heart
to underperform, surgical and
nonsurgical options—such as
heart valve replace-
ment, coronary
bypass or
angioplasty—
may be
recom-
16
Health Scene • www.bmhsc.org