Heart Health Month: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Heart

By: Mohammad-Ali Jazayeri, MD

With February being Heart Health Month, now is the perfect time to have your cardiovascular health evaluated if you have not done so lately or if you have any concerns. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, but the good news is many of the risk factors are preventable or manageable with lifestyle changes, early detection, and proper care.

As a cardiologist with Trinity Health Michigan Heart, I'm often asked about how people can reduce their risk and what to be aware of. Here are some things you should know.  

Risk Factors
The most common risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, and obesity. These factors put extra strain on the heart by narrowing blood vessels and increasing the risk of heart-related incidents.

Other risk factors such as family history, age, and gender can also play a role. Men are typically at higher risk at a younger age, but the risk for women increases significantly after menopause.

How to Reduce Your Risk
Lowering your risk for heart disease is something you can do by adjusting some of your lifestyle choices. Some examples include:

• Eat a heart-healthy diet: Focus on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats, like those found in olive oil and avocados. Limit processed foods, trans fats, and excessive salt as much as possible.
• Exercise regularly: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week. Doing so helps control blood pressure, manage weight, and reduce cholesterol levels.
• Stop smoking: Smoking cigarettes and vaping damages blood vessels and significantly increases the risk of heart disease. Quitting can instantly lower your risk for heart disease and many other non-heart related health issues.
• Manage stress: Chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Ways to manage your stress levels include yoga, general exercise, and mindfulness.

Get Screened
It’s important to get screened for heart disease early in adulthood, especially if you have any risk factors. The American Heart Association recommends adults over the age of 20 to have their blood pressure checked at least once every two years. Adults should also have their cholesterol checked every 4-6 years beginning at age 20. If you have a family history of heart disease or any other significant risk factors, your primary care physician may recommend more frequent testing.

Some common tests include:

• Blood pressure (120/80 is considered normal)
• Cholesterol screening (also known as a lipid panel)
• Blood sugar (to check for diabetes)
• Electrocardiogram (EKG): This measures the electrical activity of your heart, which can help detect irregular rhythms and other problems.

Early Warning Signs
Heart disease often doesn’t show obvious symptoms early on, but there are some signs that should never be ignored:

• Chest pain or discomfort: One of the most common signs of a heart attack, this can feel like pressure, tightness, or fullness.
• Shortness of breath: Feeling abnormally winded during routine activities or at rest.
• Fatigue: Unexplained tiredness, especially if it comes on suddenly.
• Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet: This could be a sign of heart failure.

Take Action
By understanding your risk, making healthy choices and staying on top of screenings, you can reduce your risk of heart disease and catch any potential issues early. Take the time to evaluate your heart health and talk to your doctor about the best steps to protect your most important organ.

Take a free heart health risk assessment at trinityhealthmi.org/heart or request an appointment with a Trinity Health Michigan cardiologist at trinityhealthmi.org/cardio.