Heart Disease: Leading cause of death in the U.S.
Posted on February 1, 2012 by bob in Health
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and a major cause of disability.
About every 25 seconds an American will have a coronary event. February is American Heart Month, but with such startling statistics, we need to be aware of the risks of heart disease throughout the year, and the ways in which we can reduce that risk.
The most common heart disease in the U.S. is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack.
In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 a recurrent attack. About once a minute an American dies from a coronary event.
Conditions that affect your heart or increase your risk of death or disability include arrhythmia, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease (PAD).
High cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and secondhand smoke are also risk factors.
Signs & Symptoms
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense. However, most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:
Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.
Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.
Diet, Nutrition, Exercise & Fitness
A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons you have to fight heart disease. Many people make it harder than it is. It is important to remember that it is the overall pattern of the choices you make that counts. As you make daily food choices, read nutrition labels and base your eating pattern on these recommendations:
— Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.
— Select fat-free, 1% fat, and low-fat dairy products.
— Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.
— Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.
— Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.
— Select and purchase foods lower in salt/sodium.
— If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. That means no more than one drink per day if you’re a woman and two drinks per day if you’re a man.
— Keep an eye on your portion sizes.
Men vs. Women
Men
— The average age for a man’s first heart attack is 66 years.
— Almost half of men who have a heart attack under age 65 die within 8 years.
— Between 70% and 89% of sudden cardiac events occur in men.
Women
— Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women 65+.
— Heart disease is the second leading cause of death among women 45–64.
— Heart disease is the third leading cause of death among women 25–44.
— U.S. women account for almost 50% of heart disease deaths.
Taken from material provide by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/index.htm
