By Dr. Gerard Muraida
President Lyndon B. Johnson, known for chain-smoking 60 cigarettes a day for many years, is credited with proclaiming February as American Heart Month after his nicotine habit took a severe toll on his health. Though he quit smoking at age 47, after suffering his first of five heart attacks, Johnson died from advanced heart disease at age 65.
Heart disease has been the No. 1 killer of Americans for more than a century, according to the American Heart Association, with one person dying from cardiovascular disease (CDV) every 33 seconds and suffering a heart attack every 40 seconds.
Key risk factors include elevated blood pressure (hypertension), elevated cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol use. Many of these can be controlled with some effort.
Tobacco use is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Nicotine, a chemical in cigarettes and e-cigarettes, causes the heart to beat faster and blood pressure to rise. It can also promote plaque buildup in arteries and even cause blood to clot more easily. Second-hand smoke also increases the risk of heart disease. If you smoke, seek help to quit. Many effective tools are available. These include behavior change programs, nicotine replacement therapy, and medications. Speak to your doctor about these options.
High blood pressure increases the heart’s workload, causing the heart muscle to thicken and become stiffer. This condition is referred to as cardiomyopathy, or an enlarged heart. This stiffening of the heart causes the heart to function abnormally and may increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and even kidney failure.
Regular physical activity can reduce the risk for coronary artery disease and help control cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. It can also help lower blood pressure in some people. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, according to the AHA.
The CDC suggests older adults do yard work, take dance classes, hike, do yoga, ride a bike, swim, or take water aerobics classes, as safe aerobic activities.
While exercise is important, a heart healthy diet is equally critical. Ask you primary care physician about what dietary modifications may be right for you. The old adage, “You can’t out-exercise a bad diet,” is true.
Overweight and obese adults, especially those who have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, should make lifestyle changes to lose weight. While weight loss may be difficult, attaining a healthy weight may lead to significant reductions in some risk factors. Greater sustained weight losses can improve blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.
Regular restful sleep is also vital to cardiovascular health. It benefits the whole body, including the heart and the brain, and can also improve mood, memory, and reasoning. The amount and quality of your sleep can even influence eating habits. Adults should aim for an average 7-9 hours a night.
Excessive alcohol intake can raise blood pressure and increase the risk for cardiomyopathy, stroke, cancer and other diseases. It can also contribute to high triglycerides and cause irregular heartbeats. Excess alcohol consumption also contributes to obesity, alcoholism, suicide and accidents. If you don’t drink, don’t start. If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to no more than two drinks per day for men or one drink per day for women.
Besides his 60 cigarettes per day habit, President Johnson was also 30 pounds overweight, drank excessively, and slept only four hours per night.
