Keep your Heart Healthy

The Basics: Overview
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Take steps today to lower your risk of heart disease.
To help prevent heart disease, you can:
Eat healthily.
Get active.
Stay at a healthy weight.
Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
Control your cholesterol and blood pressure.
Drink alcohol only in moderation.

Manage stress.

Am I at risk for heart disease?
Everyone is at risk for heart disease. But you are at higher risk for heart disease if you:

Have high cholesterol or high blood pressure
Smoke
Are overweight or obese
Don't get enough physical activity
Don't eat a healthy diet
Your age and family history also affect your risk of heart disease. Your risk is higher if:

You are a woman over age 55
You are a man over age 45
Your father or brother had heart disease before age 55
Your mother or sister had heart disease before age 65
But the good news is there's a lot you can do to prevent heart disease.

The Basics: What Is Heart Disease?
What is heart disease?
When people talk about heart disease, they are usually talking about coronary heart disease (CHD). It’s also called coronary artery disease (CAD). This is the most common type of heart disease.

When someone has CHD, the coronary arteries (tubes) that take blood to the heart are narrow or blocked. This happens when cholesterol and fatty material, called plaque, build up inside the arteries.

Plaque is caused by:

Too much fat and cholesterol in the blood
High blood pressure
Smoking
Too much sugar in the blood (diabetes)
When plaque blocks an artery, it’s hard for blood to flow to the heart. A blocked artery can cause chest pain or a heart attack.

Take Action: Sign of Heart Attack
What is a heart attack?
A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked. Part of the heart may die if the person doesn’t get help quickly.

Some common signs of a heart attack include:

Pain or discomfort in the center or left side of the chest – or a feeling of pressure, squeezing, or fullness
Pain or discomfort in the upper body – like the arms, back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper stomach (above the belly button)
Shortness of breath or trouble breathing (while resting or being active)
Feeling sick to your stomach or throwing up
Stomach ache or feeling like you have heartburn
Feeling dizzy, light-headed, or unusually tired
Breaking out in a cold sweat

Not everyone who has a heart attack will have all the signs.

Don’t ignore changes in how you feel.

Signs of a heart attack often come on suddenly. But sometimes, they develop slowly – hours, days, or even weeks before a heart attack happens.

Talk to your doctor if you feel unusually tired for several days, or if you develop any new health problems (like pain or trouble breathing). It's also important to talk to your doctor if existing health issues (like pain) are bothering you more than usual.

If you’ve had a heart attack in the past, it’s important to know that symptoms of a new heart attack might be different from your last one – so talk with your doctor if you have any concerns about how you feel. 

Take Action: When to Call 911

Call 911 right away if you or someone else has signs of a heart attack.

Don’t ignore any signs or feel embarrassed to call for help. Acting fast can save a life. Call 911 even if you aren't sure it’s a heart attack.

An ambulance is the best and safest way to get to the hospital. In an ambulance, EMTs (emergency medical technicians) can keep track of how you are doing and start life-saving treatments right away.

People who call an ambulance often get treated faster at the hospital. And, if you call 911, the operator can tell you what to do until the ambulance gets there.

Take Action: Food and Alcohol

Eat healthily.

Eating healthy can help lower your risk of heart disease. A heart-healthy diet includes foods that are low in saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium (salt).

Heart-healthy items include high-fiber foods (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) and certain fats (like the fats in olive oil and fish).

Drink alcohol only in moderation.

If you choose to drink alcohol, drink only in moderation. This means limiting your drinking to no more than 1 drink a day for women and no more than 2 drinks a day for men. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of heart disease.

Take Action: Physical Activity

Get active.

Getting active can help prevent heart disease. Adults need at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. This includes walking fast, dancing, and biking.

If you are just getting started, try walking for 10 minutes a day, a few days each week. Then add more activity over time.

Stay at a healthy weight.

People who are overweight or obese are at an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. If you are overweight or obese, losing just 10 pounds can lower your risk of heart disease. 

If you don't know if you are at a healthy weight

Take Action: Healthy Habits

Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.

Quitting smoking helps lower your risk of heart disease and heart attack. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free support and to set up your plan for quitting.

Avoiding secondhand smoke is important, too – so keep your home smoke-free. If you have guests who smoke, ask them to smoke outside. If someone in your home smokes, use these tips to start a conversation about quitting.  

Manage stress.

Managing stress can help prevent serious health problems like heart disease, depression, and high blood pressure. Deep breathing and meditation are good ways to relax and manage stress.