Myths and facts about heart health

Looking to improve your heart health? If you've started doing some research on how to get a healthy heart, you know there's a lot of information out there. However, not everything you read is true. It's important to separate the myths from the facts.

Myth 1: Heart problems affect only older people.

This is a common misconception. TV and movies often show older people having heart attacks and heart disease. However, heart disease can impact people of all ages. In fact, people younger than age 45 account for up to 10% of all heart attacks in the United States. However, risk does increase with age, so establishing heart-healthy habits early in life can make you more likely to stick with them as you get older.

Myth 2: I'd know if I had high blood pressure.

You probably wouldn't. Many conditions related to heart health, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol, are known as "silent killers" because you may not experience any noticeable symptoms.

Although there are some symptoms associated with high blood pressure, they typically don't occur until blood pressure is dangerously high. It's important to have your blood pressure checked regularly and take steps to lower it if it's high.

Myth 3: Heart health supplements can reduce my risk of heart disease.

It sounds like an easy fix to be able to take a supplement to protect your heart health. Although some vitamins, like beta carotene, may have a small protective effect for your heart, studies haven't shown a direct connection between supplements and improved heart health.

Instead, experts recommend getting heart-healthy vitamins, such as beta carotene, vitamin E, and vitamin C, through your diet. The body can more easily absorb the nutrients and antioxidants in food.

Myth 4: I have a family history of heart disease, so there isn't anything I can do to prevent it.

Wrong. You may be at a higher risk for developing heart disease, but you can still take steps to reduce your risk.

Talk with your primary care provider or cardiologist about ways you can protect your heart. Using your family history as a guide, he or she can recommend heart-healthy lifestyle habits, such as regular exercise and a balanced diet, as well as tests that can reveal your personal risk.

Myth 5: I've smoked for years. Quitting now won't help my heart health.

Quitting tobacco now absolutely will help your heart health. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death among Americans, and it's a major risk factor for heart health issues, including heart attack.

When you quit smoking, your health improves almost immediately. A year after you quit, your heart attack risk will decrease by half, and 15 years after you quit, your risk is the same as someone who never smoked. Talk with your provider about a smoking cessation strategy.

Myth 6: Heart disease is a "man's" disease.

For a long time, people thought this was true. But heart disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women, and the American Heart Association reports more women than men die of heart disease.

Your best strategy for keeping your heart healthy is to talk with your provider about your personal risk factors. He or she can check your blood pressure and order tests that check your cholesterol and blood sugar, which all tie into heart health.

Visit the Reid Health Heart & Vascular Center to learn more about our heart health services and experienced providers. Make an appointment today to learn how we can help.