THE HEART TRUTHWelcome!

What is motivating YOU to learn more

about heart disease and stroke?

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• The Heart Truth

• What are heart disease and stroke?

• What are the warning signs?

• What are women’s risk factors?

• How can you reduce your risks?

• How to talk to your doctor

Today’s presentation

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• Research

• Healthy living promotion

• Advocacy

The Heart and Stroke Foundation

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• Developed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation to:

- Raise awareness

- Encourage healthy lifestyle choices

- Help women share the truth with others

The Heart Truth campaign

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Why The Heart Truth?

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• Heart disease and stroke

- NOT just a “man’s disease”

- Is a leading cause of death for women in Canada

- Kills seven times more women than breast cancer

BUT…many heart attacks and strokes can be prevented through lifestyle changes.

• Damage to the heart

• Most common type is coronary artery disease

- angina caused by reduced blood supply and oxygen to the heart

- heart attack caused by reduction or stoppage of blood supply/oxygen

What is heart disease?

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Do you know the warning signs of a heart attack?

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• Chest discomfort - uncomfortable chest pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain, burning or heaviness

• Discomfort in other areas - upper body: neck, jaw, shoulder, arms and back

• Shortness of breath - difficulty breathing

• Nausea - indigestion, vomiting

• Sweating - cool, clammy skin

• Light-headedness

Heart attack—warning signs

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• Damage to a part of the brain

- Four out of five strokes are caused by reduced or stopped blood flow

What is stroke?

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Do you know the warning signs of a stroke?

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• Weakness - Sudden loss of strength or sudden numbness in the face, arm or leg, even if temporary

• Trouble speaking - Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding or sudden confusion, even if temporary

• Vision problems - Sudden trouble with vision, even if temporary

• Headache - Sudden severe and unusual headache

• Dizziness - Sudden loss of balance, especially with any of the above signs

Stroke—warning signs

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Heart disease and stroke share many risk factors.

RISKS YOU CAN’T CONTROL INCLUDE:

- Family history

- Ethnicity

- Gender

Risk factors

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Heart disease and stroke share many risk factors:

RISKS YOU CAN CONTROL INCLUDE:

- Smoking

- Obesity

- Inactivity

- Stress

- Diabetes

- High blood pressure

- High cholesterol

Controllable risk factors

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• doubles the risk of stroke

• reduces blood oxygen

• blocks arteries

Risk factors—smoking

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• doubles the risk of stroke

• reduces blood oxygen

• blocks arteries

One in four

Risk factors—smoking

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Obesity can lead to:

• high cholesterol

• high blood pressure

• diabetes

Risk factors—obesity

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Obesity can lead to:

• high cholesterol

• high blood pressure

• Diabetes

More than 50 per cent

Risk factors—obesity

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• Three to seven times the risk of heart disease - four out of five people with diabetes die of heart disease

• High risk of stroke

• Greater risk for women than men

Risk factors—diabetes

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• Three to seven times the risk of heart disease - four out of five people with diabetes die of heart disease

• High risk of stroke

• Greater risk for women than men

Two million have diabetes

One million have diabetes and don’t know it

Risk factors—diabetes

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• Leading cause of stroke

• Increases heart disease risk up to four times

Risk factors—high blood pressure

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• Leading cause of stroke

• Increases heart disease risk up to four times

One in five

Risk factors—high blood pressure

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• Increases risk of- narrowed arteries

- blood clots

• Invisible - no symptoms

• Can indicate high triglycerides

Risk factors—high cholesterol

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• Increases heart disease risk twofold

• Increasing activity levels reduces risk

Risk factors—inactivity

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• Increases heart disease risk twofold

• Increasing activity levels reduces risk

Close to 50 per cent of Canadian women over age 12 are inactive

Risk factors—inactivity

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• May indicate higher cholesterol and blood pressure levels

Risk factors—stress

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• What kinds of additional risks do you think women may have for heart disease and stroke?

Women’s unique health issues

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• Menopause

• Cholesterol/triglycerides

• Hormone Replacement Therapy

• Pregnancy

• Oral contraceptives

Women’s unique health issues

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Women are:

- juggling multiple priorities

- more likely to ignore symptoms of a heart attack or stroke

- less likely to receive the same medical treatment as men

Taking action

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What stops women from taking action to reduce their risks?

Taking action

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What do you do to maintain your heart health?

Taking action

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• Eat seven to eight servings of vegetables and fruit per day

• Quit smoking - avoid second hand smoke

• Get a minimum of 3 sessions of weight-bearing exercise plus 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week

• Limit consumption of saturated and trans fats

• Limit consumption of sodium to one teaspoon per day

• Talk to your doctor

Suggested steps

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• MAKE THE TIME

• Do it BEFORE you experience symptoms

• Make a list of questions to ask (see handout)

• Write down what your doctor says

• Discuss genetic AND lifestyle factors

• Ask your doctor what tests you need

Taking action—talking to your doctor

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Make a commitment to your heart health!

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Make a commitment to your heart health!

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thehearttruth.ca

facebook.com/thehearttruth

The Heart Truth helps you share the truth with:

• Interactive website: thehearttruth.ca

• The Heart Truth Presentation Kit (like this one!)

• The Heart Truth Viewing Party Kit

• The Heart Truth Fashion Show Kit

• Red Dress pin

• Fundraising

Share the truth

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SHARING THE TRUTH BRAINSTORM

•Who could YOU share with?

•What are YOUR networks?

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• Heart disease and stroke prevention are up to you!

• It’s time to make your heart health a priority!

You have the power!

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Questions?

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