REDUCING YOUR RISK OF

HEART DISEASE

Margaux Guidry, MA, CSCSUniversity of Connecticut

American Heart Association

Outline

• Define Heart Disease & Stroke

• Risk Factors:– High blood pressure

– Stress

– Physical inactivity

• Goals for your blood pressure, cholesterol and diet

Heart Disease

Is the single largest killer

of men and women

in this country

Risks for Heart Disease• Excess body weight (obesity)

• Inactivity

• High cholesterol and lipids

• High blood pressure

• Smoking

• Diabetes

What is Heart Disease?

• Myocardium infarction (heart attack)– Prolonged blockage of blood to an area of

the heart resulting in muscle tissue damage.

• Symptoms of a heart attack– Pressure in chest, fullness, squeezing pain.

– Pain spreading to shoulders, neck, or arms

– Lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea

Heart Disease Risk Factors

• High blood pressure

• Family history

• Cigarette smoking

• High LDL and total cholesterol levels

• Low HDL levels

• Diabetes

• Obesity

• Stress

• Physical inactivity

Who is at Risk for Heart Disease?

• Prevalence with age

• Men at greater risk before age 50

• Women’s risk after menopause

• Women more likely than men

to die from a heart attack

What is a Stroke?

Tissue damage to area of the brain

due to disruption in blood supply,

depriving that area of the

brain of oxygen.

• Sudden – weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or

leg (usually on one side of the body)

– dimness or loss of vision (usually one eye)

– Loss of speech or trouble talking or understanding speech

– Unexplained, severe headache

– Dizziness, unsteadiness, or sudden fall

Symptoms of a Stroke

• Infarction – blockage in cerebral artery that cuts off or reduces blood supply

– Thrombosis – blood clot

– Embolus – piece of plaque becomes lodged in the artery

• Hemorrhage – happens suddenly. Less frequent than infarction but more damaging and more likely to cause death.

Causes of Strokes

Stroke Risk Factors

• Risk after age 55

• More common in men but women

more likely to die from them.

• Highest among blacks and lowest

among Asians.

• Family history

• Heart has to work harder.

• Since heart muscle is working harder, it can become enlarged.

• Wear and tear on the arterial wall can increase the likelihood of lipid and calcium deposits adhering to the arterial wall. This leads to hardening of the arteries.

Why is High Blood Pressure a Risk Factor?

Why is Stress a Risk Factor?

• Exaggerated increases in blood pressure, heart rate, catecholamines, corticosteroids

• High levels of these hormones can damage heart and blood vessels

• Presence of epinephrine (a catecholamine) increases the formation of clots.

Why is Physical Inactivity a Risk Factor?

Why is Obesity a Risk Factor?

• Body weight at least 20%

more than desirable weight body mass index (BMI) waist size increases

risk of heart disease

Blood Lipids (Fats)Normal Artery

Source: Pfizer, Inc.

Blood Lipids (Fats)Occluded (clogged) Artery

Source: Pfizer, Inc.

Blood Lipids (Fats)• LDL (bad) cholesterol

• Total Cholesterol

• HDL (good) cholesterol

• Triglycerides

Have blood fats checked every

5 years after age 20

LDL Cholesterol

Goal depends on risk status

• Less than 130 mg/dl for most people

Less than 100 mg/dl if diabetes

or heart disease

Total Cholesterol

General goal:

Less than 200 mg/dl

HDL Cholesterol

• Low HDL (good cholesterol)

increase heart disease risk

• Less than 35 mg/dl is too low

• If diabetes > 45 mg/dl - men

>55 mg/dl - women

Triglycerides

Goal: less than 200 mg/dl

for most people

less than 150 mg/dl if

diabetes

Factors That Increase Cholesterol

• Inactivity

• Saturated and trans

fat, cholesterol

• Smoking

• Heredity

Hypertension• Systolic (upper number) - measures the

force blood exerts on artery wall when

the heart beats

Diastolic (lower number) - measures

the force on the arteries

between heart beats

Hypertension

Blood pressure goal for most people: 140/90

With diabetes:

130/80

General Principles• Habits throughout life affect

heart and overall health

• Good health depends on overall

eating pattern - not just one meal

• Any modifications depend on

one’s health, preferences

and culture

LDL Cholesterol

• Major foods that increase LDL:– Saturated fats– Trans fatty acids– Cholesterol (lesser extent)

Ways to lower LDL:• Polyunsaturated fats

• Monounsaturated fat when

substituted for saturated fat

• Soluble fiber and soy protein

(lesser extent)

Weight loss in some

people

Fat Consumption• Less than or equal to 30% of calories

• Saturated and trans fatty acids less than 10% of calories or 7% if already have

heart disease or diabetes

Words for Look For WhenAvoiding Trans Fats

Hydrogenated Vegetable

Oil

Partially Hydrogenated

Vegetable Oil

Maintain Healthy Weight

• Limit foods high in calories

– Less high sugar foods

– Less than fat• Avoid emphasis on low-fat

or fat-free foods

Maintain Healthy Weight• Exercise at least 30-60 minutes

most days

• Watch less T.V. and sit less

• Balance calories consumed

and calories expended

Summary• Consume a variety of fruits,

vegetables and grains

• Include non-fat and low fat dairy,

fish, legumes, poultry and

lean meat

Control weight

Questions?

Margaux Guidry, MA, CSCS

University of Connecticut

School of Allied health

Phone: 860-486-5975

Email: margaux.guidry@uconn.edu

WEBSITES

• www.americanheart.org

• www.justmove.org

• www.americaonthemove.org