Most of us can guess that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. But did you know nearly 655,000 Americans (or 25%) die each year from heart disease? Pretty staggering statistics. The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common is coronary heart disease, which has to do with the blood flow to the heart. Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack.
According to the NC Department of Health and Human Services’ most recent statistical data, there were one hundred-eight deaths in Scotland County associated with heart disease in 2019 alone, at a rate of 310.1 compared to the rate of 187.5 for North Carolina. For most, statistical data doesn’t mean much, but to those of us in healthcare/public health, statistical data is important because it helps us navigate our health priorities or what we should focus on.
We can all agree it is important to put our health and wellness first! And, we can all make healthy changes to lower our risk of developing heart disease, right? Controlling and preventing risk factors, the biggest ones being high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and smoking, are also key. Other risk factors include:
· Diabetes
· Overweight and Obesity
· An unhealthy diet
· Not being physically active and
· Excessive alcohol use
Did you know about half of Americans (47%) have at least one of these risk factors? That’s pretty scary and why it is so important we all understand the importance of being physically active – even at a young age! Eating healthier! Not smoking or quitting if you do smoke.
Most important, we should all know what the signs and symptoms of a heart attack are as well. Here are a few:
· chest pain or discomfort
· upper back, jaw or neck pain
· indigestion, heartburn
· nausea or vomiting
· extreme fatigue
· upper body discomfort
· dizziness, and
· shortness of breath
If you or someone you know experiences any of these symptoms, know what to do! Call 911. The sooner you get to an emergency room, the sooner you can get treatment to reduce the amount of damage to the heart muscle. At the hospital, health care professionals can run tests to find out if a heart attack is happening and decide the best treatment.
Health Department staff have been involved in several heart health awareness activities this month. Join us this last Friday by wearing RED to help us promote awareness of heart disease. Check out Scotland County Health Department’s Facebook page! For more information on heart disease please visit the American Heart Association’s webpage or go to www.cdc.gov/heartdisease.
Kathie Cox is a health educator and healthy communities coordinator with the Scotland County Health Department.
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