For information about Healthy Hearts - click here For more information on heart related topics - click here. For further information on heart related procedures, topics, and diseases please visit the following websites. www.cardiosource.com www.heartauthority.com/ Quick Facts About... Click on the link next to the topic to view information. Angina Cardiovascular Disease High Blood Pressure Heart Attacks Quick facts about Angina • Also called chest pain • Due to lack of blood and oxygen to the heart • A common symptom of Coronary Artery Disease • May feel like pressure, squeezing, or tightening in the chest area • May be accompanied by nausea or indigestion • May experience pain in back, arms or jaw • May experience shortness of breath • Does not mean you are having a heart attack When does Angina occur? • Strenuous physical activity • Cold weather • Stressful events • Large meals What to do for Angina? • First time episode stop all activity and REST, if not relieved call 9-1-1 • If your physician has prescribed NITROGLYGERIN (NTG) tablets for angina follow these steps: 1. take one dose of NTG 2. wait five minutes 3. If your angina is not relieved take one more dose of NTG 4. wait five minutes 5. If your angina is still not relieved take a third dose of NTG 6. wait five minutes 7. IF YOUR ANGINA IS NOT RELIEVED AFTER TAKING 3 DOSES CALL 9-1-1. 8. If your pain is relieved, rest and then notify your physician of the episode. Types of Angina • Stable – your symptoms are the same over time and do not change • Unstable – your symptoms become more severe and can lead to a heart attack. Back to top     Quick facts about Cardiovascular Disease • Normal smooth arteries are damaged and blood flow is restricted through these arteries. • Fatty deposits or plaque are built up on the artery walls causing the artery to become narrow and eventually damaged. • This build up of plaque is called atherosclerosis and when it occurs in the coronary arteries it is called Coronary Artery Disease. Coronary Artery Disease • Occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle (the coronary arteries) become hardened and narrowed. • This narrowing leads to blockage of blood supply to the heart • The leading cause of death in the United States among men and women • Over time CAD can weaken the heart muscle and lead to Heart Failure or arrhythmias or a change in the normal beating of the heart You should know your CARDIOVASCULAR Risk Factors! • Risk factors increase the likelihood that you will develop cardiovascular disease • Family history, if any family member developed cardiovascular disease before age 60 you have a greater risk of developing the disease • Men over 45 have a greater risk • Women post menopause have a greater risk • Smoker • High Blood Pressure • High Cholesterol • Obesity or being overweight • Sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise • High Stress level • Diabetes To view more information about Cardiovascular disease in PDF format, click here. Back to top     Quick facts about High Blood Pressure • Also called Hypertension • Occurs when your blood is exerting too much force on artery walls. • Over time if your blood pressure remains high, it damages the arteries, your heart and other organs. • Blood pressure can be controlled through diet, exercise and medications. To view more information about High Blood Pressure in PDF format, click here. Quick facts about Treatment of High Blood Pressure 1. Diet first     Tips       •  Eat less sodium – too much sodium causes you to retain fluids           Try these foods – fresh meats and vegetables verses canned, use lemon juice, herbs, garlic, or onion           to season food.       •  Eat less fat – limit high fat foods such as, fried foods, cheeses, whole milk,  and salad dressings 2.  Limit alcohol: 1-2 servings per day, too much can increase the blood pressure and damage the heart. . 3.  Find your healthy weight and maintain it, being overweight can lead to high blood pressure. 4.  Exercise Consistently       •  Lowers Blood pressure       •  Aim for 30 minutes of aerobic activity 5 to 6 days per week       •  Before starting a new program, see your doctor 5.  Quit smoking now       •  Tobacco constricts blood vessels thus increasing blood pressure. 6.  Stress management: stress increases the blood pressure by producing chemicals. 7.  Medication:  there are many excellent medications available to help manage blood pressure. See your doctor for the one that is best for you. 8.  Monitor Blood Pressure regularly; this can be done at your doctors office or you may purchase a portable blood pressure cuffs at your local pharmacy. Back to top     Quick facts about Heart Attacks (Myocardial Infarction) When blood flow in one of the coronary arteries stops for a period of time, the heart muscle that is fed by that particular artery suffers from lack of oxygen and nutrients and the muscle becomes damaged or may even die. Blockages can develop in any part of the artery or in several arteries and are caused by factors such as: • Fatty buildup in the artery (atherosclerosis) • Blood clots • Prolonged spasm • Fatty buildup All of the arteries in our body experience wear and tear after years of use. They become less elastic and fatty layers build up along the inside of the artery walls. If enough blockage is present, the heart muscle may not get enough oxygen. When this happens, you may feel the symptoms known as angina. You also may have a heart attack. The symptoms of a heart attack are similar to those of angina, but they are usually more intense. The pain may be more widespread and may radiate down either arm. Rest and nitroglycerin usually will not bring quick relief if you are having a heart attack. • Blood Clot Blood is naturally thick, but it flows easily through arteries that are smooth and unclogged.  When fat builds up in an artery, blood flows slowly. Different materials in the blood can stick to these fatty layers and start to form a clot. Once the clot closes off the artery completely, blood flow stops and a heart attack begins. • Spasm A spasm in a coronary artery can cause angina or a heart attack. If the spasm only lasts a few minutes, brief symptoms of angina are present. A longer spasm may stop blood flow long enough to damage the heart muscle.The cause of a spasm in the artery is unknown. Any artery can spasm at any time, whether a person is healthy or unhealthy. It is thought that, on occasion, chemicals such as nicotine or hard drugs (cocaine, etc.) may lead to spasms in the coronary arteries. Whatever happens, the result is the same, not enough blood and oxygen reach part of the heart and it begins to die. To view more information about Heart Attacks in PDF format, click here. Back to top