Your comprehensive guide to heart health

[5 MIN READ]

In this article:

• Some of the most common risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and poor diet.

• One of the best heart-healthy diets is the Mediterranean diet, which has plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, and olive oil.

• Even if you have a family history of cardiovascular disease, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. Learn how genetic testing can help you.

Your comprehensive guide to heart health

Every 33 seconds, one person in the United States dies from heart disease.

That’s a sobering statistic — especially considering that the number is even higher when you factor in all the people for whom heart disease has resulted in a lower quality of life. While genetics are a significant risk factor for some people, there are still many steps you can take to lower your risk. This American Heart Month, take some time to learn about heart disease and how you can help yourself and your loved ones with this comprehensive guide.

Risk factors and signs of heart disease

In addition to family history and genetics, some of the most common risk factors for heart disease include:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol levels
• Diabetes
• History of smoking or other tobacco use
• Being overweight/obesity
• Lack of exercise
• High stress

The symptoms of heart disease and heart attack are often mild at first, and then they become more noticeable. They include:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or sometimes the upper belly
• Cold sweat
• Fatigue
• Heartburn or indigestion
• Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
• Nausea 

Learn more about risk factors and symptoms of heart disease.

Why exercise is so important for heart health

Physical activity can help you lower your risk of heart disease. It helps you to:

• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Reduce your risk for diabetes
• Lower your blood pressure
• Reduce inflammation throughout your body
• Improve your muscles’ ability to pull oxygen out of your blood, which takes some of the stress away from your heart
• Reduce stress hormones that can put pressure on your heart

Discover eight exercises that can help you improve your cardiovascular health.

Adopt a heart-healthy diet

Wondering what healthy foods you should eat to lower your risk for heart disease? Many health care providers suggest the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, and olive oil. The foundation of the diet is plant-based foods, plus moderate amounts of poultry, seafood and dairy. The big difference between the Mediterranean diet and other popular diets is that it limits red meat to just a small amount.

Studies have shown that people who follow a Mediterranean diet have lower incidences of stroke, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and other conditions.

Learn more about lowering your risk through diet and other factors. 

How you can lower your blood pressure

High blood pressure not only forces your heart to work harder, but it also puts stress on the walls of your blood vessels. This can put you at risk for a heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease. 

While it’s true that some people are genetically predisposed to high blood pressure, called hypertension, there are plenty of ways you can reverse that.

Discover eight ways you can lower blood pressure.

If you are at risk for high blood pressure, you may want to consider investing in a blood pressure cuff for home use. Learn how and when to take your blood pressure. 

The benefits of genetic testing

While heart disease — and its risk factors — can be genetic, there are things you can do about a genetic predisposition to heart conditions. 

Susan Patcha, who works as a registered nurse, learned that both she and her children had high cholesterol. She and her family members underwent genetic testing and learned they had a specific gene mutation.

Learn more about Patcha’s story and how she found treatment. 

Managing your cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is found in your blood and cells. While your body needs cholesterol to survive, too many low-density lipoproteins (LDL) can lead to heart disease.

You can play an active role in keeping your cholesterol (and risk for heart disease) in check. Find out how in this guide.

Well checks and screenings

You can keep close track of almost all of the above risk factors for heart disease by working closely with your doctor. First, it’s important to see your primary care provider for annual well checks and screenings. During these exams, they can take your blood pressure, check your cholesterol and ask important questions about other risk factors for heart disease, such as whether you smoke and if you exercise regularly.

If your doctor finds that you are at risk for coronary artery disease (the most common type of heart disease), they may refer you to a cardiologist, who can order one or more of the following tests for you:

• Electrocardiography (EKG), which measures your heart’s electrical activity.
• Exercise cardiac stress test, which checks if there is enough blood flow to your heart when it is stressed.
• Cardiac computed tomography (CT) for calcium scoring, which shows whether there is calcium clogging your arteries.
• Coronary CT angiogram, which uses 3D images to help your doctor find the exact location of the calcium buildup.
• Nuclear stress test, which involves injecting a small amount of radioactive material into your vein to determine the effect of stress on your heart.

When you work together with your provider, you can identify heart problems early — which means you have a much better chance of treating them and living a heart-healthy life. 

Find a doctor

If you are looking for a Providence cardiologist, search for one in our provider directory.

Download the Providence app

It’s all in the app: easily stay connected with Providence and your health. With the Providence app, you can schedule appointments, have virtual visits from the comfort of your own home, get health recommendations personalized for you, access your health records and so much more. Learn more and download the app.

Related resources

5 at-risk behaviors for heart disease 

How sleep apnea affects heart health

Preventing heart disease in Black and Hispanic women

This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional’s instructions.