Q: February is American Heart Month. Why does this observance matter, and why is heart disease still the leading cause of death in the U.S.?
American Health Month matters because it reminds us that despite all medical advances, heart disease is the still the most common cause of death in the United States. We use this time to talk about how we can prevent and improve care for cardiovascular diseases; specifically, lifestyle changes, appropriate screening, and controlling risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Q: What heart disease risk factor do people most often underestimate or ignore?
High blood pressure is the most common risk factor in people who develop cardiovascular diseases. Almost half the population of the United States have high blood pressure. Hypertension usually does not cause any symptoms until damage is already happening.
Q: Blood pressure numbers can be confusing. What’s a simple way for people to understand them?
Blood pressure is like the pressure in pipes that are connected to a pump; the pipes are the blood vessels, and the pump is the heart. The top number is the pressure when the heart squeezes. The bottom number is the pressure when the heart relaxes. A normal blood pressure is around 120/80. Higher blood pressure usually indicates stiffness of the blood vessels requiring the heart to work harder to push blood.
Q: Are heart attack warning signs different for women compared to men?
Yes, women can have different warning signs than the typical crushing chest pain. They are more likely to have symptoms of shortness of breath, nausea, back of jaw pain, or just feeling unwell.
