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Keep your heart healthy

The Herald-Mail - 3/12/2018

One million people will have a heart attack or die from coronary heart disease this year, according to the American Heart Association.

With an increase in obesity, sedentary lifestyles and an aging population, heart disease is a real threat.

Heart disease refers to conditions that can affect how the heart works. Arteries supply blood to the heart muscle and brain, but when there is a buildup of plaque-containing cholesterol inside the artery walls, they narrow or become blocked, resulting in a decrease in blood flow. This accumulation of plaque can cause a heart attack, heart failure (known as congestive heart failure), coronary artery disease or stroke.

Dr. Ever Ponciano, internist with Meritus Internal Medicine, explained that risk factors outside of your control include age and family history, but you can decrease your risk for developing heart disease by changing or controlling:

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Diabetes

Tobacco use

Alcohol abuse

Unhealthy diet

Obesity

Lack of exercise

Stress

Poor dental hygiene

The annual well visit or physical exam is an ideal time to discuss your overall health with your primary care provider. Ponciano looks at your risk for developing heart disease, and with you, formulates a plan to control or reduce risk factors. During an office visit with Ponciano he might discuss:

Diet. Carbohydrates do count and have a significant effect on weight, blood sugar, blood pressure and triglycerides or fat in the blood. Reducing bread, pasta, sweets, starchy vegetables and soda can reduce or even reverse risk factors.

Weight. The older you get, the more likely you put on extra pounds. Carrying too much body fat raises cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increases blood pressure and the chance of developing diabetes. Losing a few pounds can help.

Smoking. This troublesome habit puts you at two-to-four times the risk of developing heart disease and three times the risk of having a stroke. Quitting can lower your blood pressure and heart rate almost immediately in addition to lowering cholesterol and improving lung function.

Sleep and stress. Lack of sleep (less than six hours a night) and stress changes the cortisol levels in your body and increases blood pressure and blood sugar. Sleep apnea, where breathing stops and starts, is also a risk factor for developing heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Ponciano encourages his patients to monitor sleep patterns and try relaxation techniques like deep breathing or yoga to offset the response to stress.

After a two-way discussion, patients often leave Ponciano's office with an agreement to adjust behaviors to improve health; however, in some cases, Ponciano might prescribe a statin to lower cholesterol. Statins do come with side effects like muscle and joint pain and mental fuzziness, so medication benefits and risks are discussed.

You can prevent heart disease by making real changes to your lifestyle. Start with an honest conversation with your primary care provider.

Meritus Health, at 11116 Medical Campus Road, east of Hagerstown, is the largest health system in the area, providing hospital and outpatient services to the community. For more information about programs and services, go to MeritusHealth.com.

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