Supplement: Patient Handout: Heart Disease Is the No. 1 Cause of Death
Patient Handout: Heart Disease Is the No. 1 Cause of Death
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the united states and is a major cause of disability. Almost 700,000 people die of heart disease in the United States annually. That's about 29% of all U.S. deaths. Heart disease is a term that includes several specific heart conditions. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack.
The chance of developing coronary heart disease can be reduced by taking steps to prevent and control factors that put people at greater risk. Additionally, knowing the signs and symptoms of heart attack are crucial to the most positive outcomes after having a heart attack. People who have survived a heart attack can also work to reduce their risk of another heart attack or a stroke in the future.
Diseases and conditions that put your heart at risk
Other conditions that affect your heart or increase your risk of death or disability include arrhythmia, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, tobacco, and secondhand smoke are also risk factors associated with heart disease. For a full list of disease and conditions along with risk factors and other health information associated with heart disease, visit the American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org).
Know your signs and 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. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.
The American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (www.nhlbi.nih.gov/actintime/index.htm) have launched a new "Act in Time" campaign to increase people's awareness of heart attack and the importance of calling 9-1-1 immediately at the onset of heart attack symptoms.
Healthy diet and nutrition
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, base your eating pattern on these American Heart Association 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.
- Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Aim to eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day (or less than 1,500 mg if you are in a higher risk group for high blood pressure).
- 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.
- Follow the American Heart Association recommendations when you eat out, and keep an eye on your portion sizes.
Heart disease in men
In 2002, 340,933 men died from heart disease, the leading cause of death for men in the United States. Major risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, tobacco use, diabetes, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition.
- The age-adjusted death rate for heart disease in men was 297 per 100,000 population in 2002.
- About 8.9% of all white men, 7.4% of black men, and 5.6% of Mexican American men live with coronary heart disease.
- The average age of a first heart attack for men is 66 years.
- Almost half of men who have a heart attack before age 65 die within eight years.
- Results from the Framingham Heart Study suggest that men have a 49% lifetime risk of developing coronary heart disease after the age of 40.
- Between 70% and 89% of sudden cardiac events occur in men.
- Studies suggest that a 10% decrease in total cholesterol levels may reduce the development of coronary heart disease by as much as 30%.
Women and heart disease
Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a "man's disease," it is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States and women account for 51% of the total heart disease deaths. Of the 1,244,123 deaths among women in 2002, 28.6% were due to diseases of the heart.
Heart disease is often perceived as an "older woman's disease," and it is the leading cause of death among women aged 65 years and older. However, heart disease is the third leading cause of death among women aged 25-44 years and the second leading cause of death among women aged 45-64 years.
According to surveys by the American Heart Association, the percentage of women who spontaneously identified heart disease as the number one killer of women increased from 30% in 1997 to 46% in 2003. Unfortunately, only 13% of the women in the 2003 survey perceived heart disease as their greatest health problem. Although this is an increase from the 7% level in 1997, it still reflects an attitude that heart disease is "not my problem."
There is a range of risk for heart disease depending on family and personal health history and the treatment recommendations from a physician will depend on a woman's level of risk. Regardless of the risk level, these lifestyle modifications are recommended for all women:
- Cigarette smoking cessation
- 30 minutes physical activity most days
- Heart-healthy diet
- Weight maintenance/reduction
- Evaluation and treatment of depression
CDC's Wisewoman program
The mission of CDC's Wisewoman program is to provide low-income, under- or uninsured 40- to 64-year-old women with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to improve diet, physical activity, and other lifestyle behaviors to prevent or delay cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.
WISEWOMAN provides these additional services:
- Screening for chronic disease risk factors
- Dietary, physical activity, and smoking cessation interventions
- Referral and follow-up as appropriate
For more information on how you can take advantage of these services, visit www.cdc.gov/wisewoman/index.htm.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/announcements/american_heart_month.htm. Accessed Feb. 15, 2007.
Patient handout: Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death. Altern Med Alert 2007;10(3 Suppl):S1-S2.Subscribe Now for Access
You have reached your article limit for the month. We hope you found our articles both enjoyable and insightful. For information on new subscriptions, product trials, alternative billing arrangements or group and site discounts please call 800-688-2421. We look forward to having you as a long-term member of the Relias Media community.