February is American Heart Month, making it a great time to get proactive about preventing heart disease, the number one killer of both men and women in the United States.
But really, it’s always a good time to be heart smart, said Dr. Vaani Panse Garg, a board-certified cardiologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
Garg shared nine steps with WTOP that everyone can take to improve their heart health.
Heart-Smart Tip 1: Know your numbers
Do you know what your cholesterol and blood pressure? If not, Garg suggests you schedule a visit with your doctor to find out.
“See either your primary care doctor or a cardiologist so you know where you stand,” she said. “From there, decisions can be made about what treatments, if any, might be needed.”
Heart-Smart Tip 2: Keep track of your cholesterol
Cholesterol is a sticky, fatty substance made in the liver. Human bodies need it for healthy cell growth. But problems can arise when cholesterol people eat food sources that add more, Garg said.
“The extra cholesterol has nowhere to go. That’s when it can get deposited in either the arteries of the heart or the brain, or other blood vessels in the body.”
When it comes to cholesterol levels, there is “bad” low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and “good” high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). The ratio between the two is important in predicting heart disease.
Total cholesterol levels under 200 are considered normal.
“Risk factors such as diabetes, previous heart disease, smoking history and family history can play a role in cholesterol levels,” Garg said.
Heart-Smart Tip 3: Modify your diet
Different oils, animal products, dairy, soy, cheeses and yogurts all have fats so how do you control your cholesterol levels?
“It’s important not to have an overwhelming amount of them,” Garg said. A balanced diet is the best approach. Data that supports the most change in cardiovascular health and health outcomes is the Mediterranean diet.”
It’s a diet heavy in vegetables, chicken and fish that calls for using olive oil instead of butter and baking rather than frying most foods.
Heart-Smart Tip 4: Add in regular exercise
Daily exercise can also play a critical role in preventing heart disease. Garg recommends 40 minutes of moderately intense activity two to four times a week.
“That means something that gets your heart rate up and your body sweating,” she said, adding that patients with limitations can try seated exercises.
“Overall, exercise releases natural chemicals in the body that are proven to be more reflective in positive health — positive mental health and positive heart health,” Garg added.
Heart-Smart Tip 5: Talk with your doctor about medication options
If diet and exercise don’t move the needle in lowering your blood cholesterol level, have a conversation with your doctor about whether medication might be needed. There are a variety of options available, she said.
Heart-Smart Tip 6: Monitor you blood pressure
“Blood pressure measures the stress of the arteries on the body and what stress the heart is seeing,” Garg said.
The more stress on the arteries from high blood pressure, the more likely it is for a heart attack or stroke to occur.
When it comes to ideal blood pressure numbers, a reading above 130 over 85 is considered high. For low blood pressure, a reading of 100 over 60 is low, but “would be considered fine in a younger, petite female, as long as there is no accompanying dizziness, headache or fatigue,” she said.
Track your blood pressure numbers at home. “If your numbers are high at home, that’s usually an indication to us that you need to be started on treatment,” Garg said.
Heart-Smart Tip 7: Learn your heart calcium score
Another diagnostic tool that can help track heart health is coronary artery calcium score. A computerized heart scan takes a snapshot of the heart’s arteries and gauges calcium buildup.
Your CAC score is a rough estimate that gives doctors a sense of cardiovascular risks before symptoms arise and can help determine the need for interventions.
Heart-Smart Tip 8: Know the red flags of a potential heart attack
Classic symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain with activity that usually goes away with rest. Other symptoms can include shortness of breath, palpitations, heart fluttering or racing, dizziness or lightheadedness and fatigue.
“A change in your activity level, such as fatigue with normal activities or with exercise that you would otherwise be able to do, can also be a red flag,” Garg said.
Heart-Smart Tip 9: Build a relationship with your doctor
“Trust is so important when it comes to choosing a doctor,” she said. “Patients should find a doctor they feel comfortable with. Once you have a trusting relationship, patients are more likely to see their doctor regularly. I tell patients all the time that trust in your doctor and with your doctor is the most important.”
Learn more about MedStar Health cardiology care and services now.
