Contents:
Heart Disease
and Strokes
What Causes
a Heart Attack or a Stroke?
Warning Signs
Prevention
For More Information
Honey-Roasted
Chicken
University
News
February is National Heart Health Month, and this issue of Health in Our Hands will focus on heart disease and strokes. These two illnesses account for thousands of deaths each year. Coronary heart disease is the number one killer in America. Strokes are the third leading cause of death as well as a leading cause of severe disability.
What Causes a Heart Attack or a Stroke?
A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to the heart muscle is either completely blocked or partially reduced. This happens when the blood vessels around the heart are blocked and cannot allow the proper amount of blood to flow into the heart. A buildup of plaque in the vessel causes most blockages. Plaque builds up in arteries over time, and it may eventually rupture or tear. This makes a blood clot form which can then block off an artery and lead to a heart attack. If the blood supply to the heart is severely reduced for a long period of time, the heart muscle will become irreversibly damaged, and heart muscle cells will begin to die. When a large portion of the heart muscle is damaged, disability or death may occur. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is severely reduced or completely blocked. If this occurs, the brain will not receive adequate circulation. Then, brain tissue will begin to die, leading to death or disability.
The American Heart Association has described the top three warning signs of a heart attack as :
1. An uncomfortable feeling of pressure, fullness,
squeezing, or pain, centered in the chest area and that lasts longer than
a few minutes
2. Pain that spreads from the chest out to the
shoulders, neck, or arms
3. Severe discomfort in the chest accompanied by
lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath
There are also a few less typical signs of a heart attack. These include the following:
* atypical chest, stomach, or abdominal pain
* dizziness and sudden nausea
* sudden shortness of breath
* unexplained, sudden anxiety, weakness, or fatigue
* Heart palpitations, cold sweats, or sudden paleness of the skin
The American Heart Association has also defined
several warning signs for strokes. These can include:
1. A sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body** Heart attacks and strokes and are very serious, life-and-death emergencies. If you see someone with these warning signs, call 911 immediately. Treatment is most effective when given quickly.
2. Sudden confusion or trouble speaking
3. Sudden vision trouble in one or both eyes
4. Sudden trouble walking, or severe dizziness
5. Sudden, extremely severe headache with no apparent cause
6. One major warning sign of a stroke is referred to as a transient ischemic attack (TIA). These occur when the blood flow to the brain becomes temporarily disrupted. It can be the best warning sign of an actual stroke.
There are many known risk factors
for heart disease and strokes. Some of these risk factors, such as
age or gender,
cannot be modified. Others, such as high blood
pressure and high cholesterol, can be changed. These modifiable risk
factors can greatly lower your risk of heart disease
or stroke.
The major nonmodifiable risk
factors for coronary heart disease include:
*Increasing age - Four out of five people who die of
coronary heart disease are age 65 or older.
* Gender - Males have a greater heart attack risk than
women, and they are at a greater risk to have a heart attack earlier in
life. Estrogen seems to play a role in lowering the risk of heart
disease in women.
* Heredity and Race - People whose parents had heart
disease are more likely to develop heart disease themselves. The
risk of heart disease is greater in African Americans, Mexican Americans,
American Indians, native Hawaiians, and some races of Asian Americans.
While we cannot control the risk factors
listed above, we can modify some important lifestyle factors in order to
decrease the risk of developing heart disease. The modifiable risk
factors include:
* Smoking - A smoker’s risk of a heart attack is twice
that of a nonsmoker. It is also the biggest risk factor for sudden
cardiac death. Secondhand smoke can also increase non-smokers’ risk
of heart disease.
* High blood cholesterol and high blood pressure - It
is very important to have both of these tests done regularly in order to
determine if you are at an increased risk.
* Physical inactivity - Regular exercise can decrease
your risk of heart disease. Some good examples of exercise include
walking, swimming, cycling, or even moderate exercises such as gardening.
It is very important to make exercise a regular and long-term part of your
life.
* Obesity - Excess weight increases the strain on the
heart. Losing ten-twenty pounds can greatly help lower your risk
of heart disease.
* Diabetes mellitus - If you have diabetes, it is extremely
important to see your physician and work out a treatment plan for this
disease.
Many of the important risk factors
are similar for a stroke and heart disease. Some of the risk
factors for strokes include:
* Increasing age - Risk doubles for each decade of life
after age 55.
* Gender - The latest research shows that the overall
incidence of stroke is about equal for men and women. However, women
account for more than half of the stroke deaths each year.
* Prior stroke - After one stroke, the risk of having
another stroke becomes much higher.
* High blood pressure - Blood pressure is considered
high when it is over 140/90. This is the biggest risk factor for
a stroke.
* Smoking - Quitting smoking can effectively help reduce
your risk of stroke. Smokers who use birth control pills have a much
greater risk of a stroke.
* Diseases such as diabetes mellitus, carotid artery
disease, or heart disease- Diseases such as these can affect circulation
and increase your risk for stroke.
* Excessive alcohol intake - Binge drinking or excessive
drinking (defined as an average of more than one drink per day for women
and more than two drinks per day for men) can increase the risk of a stroke.
* Socioeconomic status - Some research proposes that
people with lower incomes and educational levels have higher risks for
strokes.
The information for this newsletter came from the American Heart Association’s Website. This is a very informative site with information on exercise, definitions dealing with heart disease, medications, and much more. There is also a link to many heart-healthy delicious recipes. Check this site out at http://www.americanheart.org/. Here is one heart-healthy recipe to try.
Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken pieces (breasts thighs, drumsticks),
skinned, with all visible fat removed
1 cup honey
½ cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse chicken and pat
dry. Place in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. In a
medium bowl, stir together remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken
pieces.
Bake uncovered, basting with the honey mixture occasionally,
for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.
Calories: 321, Protein: 23 g,
Total fat: 4 g, Saturated fat: 1 g, Sodium: 625 mg, Cholesterol:
58 mg
* Now is the time to get your team ready for the College of Nursing and Health Professions Chili Cookoff on March 10th! Contact Bill Payne at wpayne@crow for cookoff rules and an application form.
* Continue to tune in to KASU's Focus On Health radio program on Sundays at 12:30 on 91.9 FM for the best talk about health in the region.
ooOoo
The Arkansas State University Employee Wellness Newsletter is published monthly during the academic year by the College of Nursing and Health Professions. Health questions can be addressed to Dean Susan Hanrahan, Ph. D., ext. 3112 or hanrahan@crow.astate.edu.
Produced by Kimberly McGaughey, graduate student in the College of Nursing and Health Professions, Physical Therapy Program.