Cardiovascular Disease and how to avoid it

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Cardiovascular Disease(and how to avoid it!)
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Heart Disease is the 1 killer of women in
America.
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Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

• Most risk factors are controllable
• High Blood Pressure
• Smoking
• Lack of exercise
• Obesity / overweight
• High stress
• Poor eating habits
• High Cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Some risk factors are not controllable
• Family history of heart disease
• Age

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Blood Pressure

• The top number is the pressure when your heart
  pumps blood. It is called the systolic
  pressure.
  
• The bottom number is the pressure between pumps.
  It is called the diastolic pressure.
  
• Your blood pressure is considered high if
• The top number is 140 or more
• The bottom number is 90 or more.

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A Healthy Blood Pressure Goal is

• Less than
• 120/80
• If you are diabetic, your goal is less than
  130/80.

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Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

• Discomfort, pressure, fullness, squeezing, or
  pain in the middle chest that persists for
  several minutes. It may go away and return
  later.

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Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

• Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, shortness
  of breath, nausea, sweating, or fainting.
  

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Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

• Pain that radiates to the shoulders, neck, or
  arms.
  

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Few women perceive heart disease as their
greatest health threat.
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Determining Your Cardiovascular Disease Risk

• Cholesterol level
• Activity Level
• Smoking
• Blood Pressure
• Personal History of Heart Disease
• Testing (Stress EKG)
• Diabetes
• Family History
• Age
• Excessive Body Fat
• Tension Stress
• Testing (Resting EKG)
• Triglycerides

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Cholesterol

• A waxy substance found only in foods from animals
  such as meats, dairy, eggs and animal fats.
  
• Our bodies need some cholesterol to digest food,
  make hormones, and build cell walls.
  
• Our bodies make all the cholesterol we need.
• Cholesterol is carried in packages LDLs,
  HDLs, Triglycerides.

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Total Cholesterol Guidelines
240 mg/dl or greater High Risk
200-239 mg/dl Borderline
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Take Charge of Your Health!
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Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

• Control your weight
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet (rich in
  fruits, vegetables, low fat foods)
  
• Learn to read food labels
• Exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes daily
  most days of the week)
  
• Dont smoke or use tobacco products
• Take medication to lower cholesterol or blood
  pressure if prescribed
  
• Control your blood sugar if your have diabetes
• Limit stress. Learn and use stress relieving
  techniques.

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• Increase Your Activity!
• Stand while talking on the phone
• Brainstorm project ideas with a co-worker while
  taking a walk
  
• Walk to speak to someone instead of using the
  phone
  
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Use your break to take a brisk walk or to use the
  fitness center on the 1st floor
  
• Use half of your lunch to walk
• Wear a pedometer to track your activity

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Smoking

• Smoking has been linked to cardiovascular
  disease.
  
• Smoking speeds up the process of atherosclerosis
  ( the buildup of plaque in the inner walls of the
  arteries) increases the risk of death from a
  heart attack.
• Smoking increases heart rate, raises blood
  pressure, and irritates the heart. Smoking is
  also destructive to the heart membranes around
  the arteries and encourages clot formation.
• Smoking decreases HDLs.
• The risk for cardiovascular disease begins
  decreasing the moment you quit smoking.
  

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Visit www.americanheart.org for additional heart
health information.
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Have a heart healthy day!