Aging brings an increased risk
for heart disease and cardiovascular events.
In fact, heart disease is the number one cause of death for adults over
the age of 65. That’s why understanding
the value of a heart-healthy lifestyle is so important for older adults
including our patients, clients, parents, spouses and
ourselves.
Some older adults believe that
heart disease is an inevitable part of aging, but a heart-healthy lifestyle can
help prevent heart disease. Others
underestimate the importance of heart health because they believe heart disease
can be cured with surgery or medicine. The
truth is heart disease is a lifelong condition that never goes away once it
presents.
What is heart disease? The term heart disease refers to a group of
cardiovascular diseases which are diseases of the heart and blood vessel
system. The most common form of heart
disease is coronary artery disease (CAD).
CAD is often associated with heart attacks, heart failure, chest pain
and irregular heartbeat. Other
cardiovascular diseases include stroke, high blood pressure and rheumatic heart
disease.
The American Heart Association
has developed a simple seven-step list to help people live longer, healthier,
happier lives. The list includes the
following:
·
Get
active
·
Eat
better
·
Lose
weight
·
Stop
smoking
·
Manage blood pressure
·
Control
cholesterol
·
Reduce
blood sugar
A heart-healthy lifestyle is
possible at any age, but it does require a conscious effort. In addition to the recommendations provided
by the American Heart Association, the following recommendations are also
meaningful:
·
Consider
reducing alcohol intake. Excess
alcohol consumption can negatively impact health conditions that contribute to
heart disease like blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
·
Work to
reduce stress. Stress might be a
risk factor or it could be that high levels of stress compound common chronic
illnesses associated with aging like high blood pressure or diabetes.
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