NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – It’s American Heart Month.
Each year, the month of February serves as a time to spread awareness about heart-related illness and encourage people to focus on their cardiovascular health.
Dr. Alexandra Ward, Medical Director of Riverside Women’s Heart Center, shared information about heart health, preventative care and more with Digital Host Sarah Goode. Watch the Digital Desk conversation in the video player on this page.
Women’s heart health
According to CDC, the month is also an opportunity to focus on health disparities faced by women, and heightened by race, ethnicity and other factors.
With a heart attack, everyone first thinks of traditional symptoms of chest pain, like an elephant is sitting on your chest, says Ward. This is common in men.
While women can present with chest discomfort, there are a variety of other symptoms that they present with. These include:
- Shortness of breath
- Hot, sweaty feeling
- Extreme fatigue
- Back pain
- Nausea and vomitting
Or, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, Ward recommends going to the emergency department.
“I always like to tell my patients, you know your body the best. So, when you think something is abnormal, you know something is wrong, to please call your doctor, your provider right away,” Ward said.
Time matters
In cases of cardiac events, time matters.
“You really want to make sure people are getting care early,” Ward said.
Time is critical, but data shows, women are less likely to receive bystander CPR.
Ward says for patients, caregivers, providers and community members it is important to first, know CPR. Then, second, to act quickly.
“So, that if we see somebody that might be having a medical emergency or cardiac emergency, that we really, one, feel empowered to act and we know the things to do and we are able to access it, to to save a life potentially,” Ward said.
Prevention
A big part of prevention is diet and exercise.
What is a heart healthy diet? Ward said that can be eating healthy proteins like lean meats, heart healthy fruits, foods low in fat and through reducing sugar.
“By doing that it will also impact blood pressure, if someone is a diabetic it can help reduce their glucose sugar levels and can help reduce cholesterol,” Ward said.
Exercise is also a valuable piece.
“And, of course exercise is wonderful for the same things, to help maintain weight or weight loss, blood pressure and it does have an effect on cholesterol and sugar levels as well.”
For exercise, Ward said even 10 minutes a few times a day, adds up and matters.
Smoking also impacts cardiovascular health. Ward said to reduce risk, stop smoking. It is hard, and there are cessation resources available to help.
Finding ways to reduce stress and anxiety is also important to overall heart health.
“Interestingly, stress and anxiety play a higher role, have higher risk for cardiovascular disease in women than in men,” Ward said.
Keep a close eye on mental health and stress levels. This includes taking time for yourself. One example is practicing 2-3 minutes of meditation and breathing techniques.
Know your numbers
Part of heart health is understanding your numbers through regular check ups and blood work. It is important to know:
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol
- Sugar levels
For some levels, medication may be recommended. Speak to your provider about what options are best for you.
“I have seen a lot of people say, you know, just give me six months I’ll get this down, I’ll get this down,” Ward said. “And, while that sometimes that does work, sometimes when we see numbers that are high enough it’s so imperative to really start that medication early because that’s really how we can reduce risk.”
When medication is needed, Ward said it can help to reduce numbers, but also to prevent death.
“One of the things I love about cardiology, is there is always research that is going on, there are always new medications coming out,” Ward said. “We’re always improving our treatment plans so we do have lots of options.”
If you have family history of cardiovascular disease, Ward recommends sharing information with your doctor to see if additional testing may be required.
Heart disease in pregnancy
Maternal mortality is on the rise, and Ward says part of that is the cardiovascular health in pregnancy.
In the Digital Desk clip, Dr. Ward speaks on maternal heart health. Watch in the video player, below.
Cardiovascular complications that can occur during pregnancy:
- Gestational hypertension
- Preeclampsia
- Clampsia
- Gestational diabetes
These complications can increase risk even after pregnancy.
“Any time I have a female patient come in and I ask the regular risk factors that everyone knows about, I also ask about their pregnancy history,” Ward said. “I’ve had some patients in their sixties say, well, ‘I haven’t been pregnant in 30 years, why are you asking me about this?’ You know, it really does matter.”
Ward said they are seeing more and more the impact of pregnancy long-term.
Riverside events
Riverside is hosting an event for the public to learn more about cardiovascular health. On Thursday, Feb. 15, Riverside will host Taking Your Health to Heart: An Evening with Riverside Cardiologists. Find out more at the link here.
Additional resources
Riverside Women’s Heart Center
