Tips For Your Ticker

Though we’re saying goodbye to American Heart Month, you should take care of that muscle every day of the year. Here’s some advice on how.

Every February, we observe American Heart Month, which puts a spotlight on cardiovascular disease and health. It’s certainly worthy of that spotlight: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, across genders and ethnic groups. Heart attacks specifically are deadly.

Though February is coming to an end (and, we hope, taking all this snow with it), you should prioritize your heart every day of the year. Here, Kate Raiti, M.D., a cardiologist who practices at Valley Medical Group Cardiology in Montvale, offers advice on how to do just that.

“Patients often feel nervous about seeing a cardiologist,” says Dr. Raiti. “But we can help estimate their risk of heart disease—and then how to mitigate it. We really can help you understand your heart and body better.”

Some things to keep in mind:

Know the classic symptoms. The symptoms of a heart attack are oft repeated for a reason. If you experience chest discomfort that is heavy, not sharp, and that feels like an elephant on the chest, along with pain radiating down the arm that gets worse in a few minutes, you should call 911 and get to an emergency room as soon as possible.

Of course, heart disease doesn’t always take the form of a heart attack itself. A pounding or racing heart (heart palpitations, in some cases called tachycardia), increased exercise intolerance and dizziness or fainting spells are signs you should be evaluated.

Know the less classic symptoms. Same patients, especially women, people with diabetes and those over age 75, are more likely to experience heart attack symptoms such as shortness of breath and abdominal discomfort.

“Both of them are multifactorial symptoms, meaning it can be caused by many things,” says Dr. Raiti. “When people get short of breath, they think, ‘Well, this must be a symptom related to my lungs.’ But decreased oxygen in the blood from a heart problem can also feel like that.” If you find yourself becoming winded doing something you usually do with ease, such as climbing a short flight of stairs or moving a trash can, pay attention.

As for abdominal discomfort, notice when “It’s vague in nature,” she says. “Patients don’t know exactly where it’s coming from or why. Along with that comes nausea and vomiting. That symptom comes from congestion in the abdomen building up from your heart not working properly.” Dr. Raiti reiterates that these symptoms are a concern when they are sudden-onset or very unusual. “If this is new, strange and severe enough that it’s stopping you from doing something you usually have no trouble doing, that’s a reason to get evaluated.”

Keep healthy habits. The advice for a heart-healthy lifestyle has remained consistent for a reason, according to doctors: because the science keeps backing it up. A healthy diet high in vegetables and lean meats (the doctor flags the tried-and-true Mediterranean diet as a heart-healthy staple), consistent physical activity and avoiding smoking (including second-hand exposure, e-cigarettes and vapes) are all essential, as is managing your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.

Keep an eye on your sleep. One aspect of heart health that is often overlooked, Dr. Raiti says, is “sleep health. Your sleep duration and quality have an incredible impact on your heart.” She continues: “When I see patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure, the first thing I ask is if they’ve had a sleep study, or been evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep plays a huge part in our blood pressure and therefore our overall cardiovascular health.”

Want more advice from Bergen-based experts? Check out the newest issue of BERGEN magazine.