Tag Archives: Heart health

February is National Heart Month: American Medical Response shares heart attack warning signs

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People are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health during February (Courtesy, pxhere.com)


By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org



Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart disease and often can lead to heart attacks.

February is National Heart Month, and American Medical Response (AMR) is providing tips to help you know the risks and signs of a heart attack and what to do if you witness these signs.

“Heart attacks can be sudden, but most start slowly with mild pain and discomfort,” stated John Robben, AMR Regional Director for Western Michigan. “Often, people who are having a heart attack aren’t sure what’s wrong and therefore delay seeking help.”


(Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Warning signs of a heart attack

Robben says to look out for these signs of a heart attack:

Chest Pain – Most heart attacks cause discomfort or pain in the center of the chest that can last for several minutes. The pain may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

Discomfort in Other Areas of the Upper Body – This can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

Shortness of Breath – May occur with or without chest discomfort.

Other signs – Other symptoms might include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Warning Signs can be Different for Women – The most common symptom for both women and men is chest discomfort, but one can have a heart attack and not experience chest pain or pressure. Women are more likely to have symptoms such as back pain, jaw pain, shortness of breath, indigestion and nausea or vomiting.


(Courtesy, American Medical Response)

What to do

If you or someone you are with has chest discomfort, especially with one or more of the signs of a heart attack, call 911 immediately.

Calling 911 is the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services can begin treatment when they arrive. EMTs and paramedics are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped.

If a person’s heart stops before the ambulance arrives, you should begin CPR and send someone to find an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Be Prepared: It only takes a few minutes to learn compression-only CPR. Call Guardian Flight to find out where you can learn this life-saving skill.

For more information on heart attacks, visit heart.org.

Got insomnia? Watch your heart health

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People with a genetic predisposition to insomnia had a higher risk of heart disease, heart failure and stroke that affected large blood vessels, according to a recent study. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Serena Gordon, HealthDay


If you spend a lot of nights watching the clock instead of sleeping, new research suggests you may need to be as concerned about your heart health as you are about lost shut-eye.


People with genetic variants linked to insomnia have an increased risk of heart disease, heart failure and stroke, according to the study.


“Good sleep is important for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said study author Susanna Larsson. She’s from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.


“A potential explanation for our observed associations between insomnia and heart disease and stroke is that insomnia problems potentially lead to the metabolic syndrome, including high blood pressure, increased body weight and type 2 diabetes, which increase the risk of coronary artery disease and stroke,” she said.


Insomnia affects up to 30% of the general population, the study authors said. More than 200 genetic variants are associated with insomnia complaints.


For the new study, the researchers looked at health information on more than 1.3 million people in Europe. The investigators compared whether or not genetic variants linked to insomnia were also associated with the risk of heart conditions and stroke.


The study found that people with a genetic predisposition to insomnia had a higher risk of heart disease, heart failure and stroke that affected large blood vessels. Other types of stroke were not increased.


The researchers also noted that the risk of a potentially dangerous irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation wasn’t linked to insomnia.


Certain conditions, including heart disease and risk factors for heart disease, such as sleep apnea, may cause difficulty sleeping—and that makes it hard to tease out which condition comes first.


But, that’s a strength of this research, Larsson said.


Because they used genetic information to define insomnia instead of symptoms, it’s easier to see if sleep woes are directly related to the increased risk of heart problems and stroke.


There’s a flip side to that argument, however.


Because it’s not clear if the study volunteers actually had sleep troubles, or if they just had genes that made insomnia more likely, it’s hard to say if insomnia symptoms are truly the cause of these heart concerns and strokes.


Dr. John Osborne, an American Heart Association spokesperson and director of cardiology at State of the Heart Cardiology in Southlake, Texas, said he won’t be losing any sleep over the findings.


“It’s interesting and they used a powerful statistical technique that appears to be pretty accurate at identifying causal relationships. But the study didn’t identify how severe insomnia was or if people just have a tendency to insomnia,” he explained.


And, he said, the links they did find between insomnia and other conditions were only weak associations. Plus, the study was done in a European population. The findings may not be the same in more diverse groups of people.


Still, both experts said it’s a good idea to get the sleep you need for your health.


Larsson suggested that “individuals with poor sleep should try to change their habits and reduce stress in order to improve their sleep. Our genetic make-up has only a very minor influence on our risk of insomnia, which is mainly driven by behaviors, stress and other environmental factors.”


Osborne said stress management can help with sleep, as can avoiding stimulating substances like cigarettes and caffeine. He said to talk to your primary care doctor if you’re having a lot of trouble getting a full night’s sleep.


The study was published recently in the journal Circulation.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



Ladies, cherish your heart

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Work with a care team to reduce your cardiovascular disease risks. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


For many women, cardiovascular disease is personal because they have lost their mom or sister to a heart attack or stroke.


They get how heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and that too many women are robbed of happy years with family and friends. They have experienced firsthand a loss that could have been prevented.


Women’s heart disease is more common than thought, and especially increases after menopause if women do not take estrogen medication.


There are other risk factors, which include belly fat, pre-diabetes or diabetes, lack of exercise, sleep deprivation, and a diet high in processed foods, unhealthy carbohydrates and saturated fats.


Prevention of heart attacks and strokes is possible, but has to start with a goal and a plan.


Once a woman decides to not have heart disease, or if she survives a heart attack and wants to prevent another, she needs a team. On that team, at minimum, should be a preventive cardiologist and a certified menopause specialist. This team will put the patient in the middle, and partner with her to help her achieve her wellness goals.


An example of how such a team collaborates might be best told by a patient I’ll call Laura.


Laura came to see our menopause specialists because her hot flashes would not go away and interfered with her life.


She had been told hormones might not be safe because she was overweight, had high cholesterol and took blood pressure medication. Her family had a history of cardiovascular disease and her loved ones had suffered heart attacks.


Her biggest concern? To not have a heart attack herself. She was also desperate to get the hot flashes to stop.


As menopause specialists, the first thing we do after understanding a woman’s story and risk factors is to consider treatment options.


We always start with the SEEDS and Laura definitely had room for improvement in this area. She realized she needed to drink more water, cut the sugar, and get more restful hours of sleep each night.


These lifestyle habits alone could significantly ease her symptoms, but since she was only two years out from her last period, we also had the option of considering hormones. We know that FDA-approved hormone medications used the correct way can actually help reduce risk factors for heart disease and could definitely help her feel better.


In reviewing her history, I saw she had enough risk factors that I wanted the opinion of preventive cardiologist Thomas Boyden, MD. After an evaluation, testing and suggestions for how to prevent heart disease, Laura was cleared to proceed with our treatment plan.


The end result? Laura felt more informed, had the tools to be successful from her care team, and she could start taking hormones because they would be a safe option for her.


Laura now had hope for how she could age differently than her relatives.



Reprinted by permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

5 heart-warming tips for cold weather

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Be careful with your ticker when temperatures plummet. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)


By Health Beat Staff


Winter is here and isn’t leaving anytime soon.


That means it is time to take precautions when exercising or spending any length of time outside.


We asked Thomas Boyden, MD, a Spectrum Health Medical Group preventive cardiologist, for tips on keeping your heart healthy during this time of year.


“Individuals with a known heart condition or heart disease should be particularly careful when shoveling snow or breathing in cold air during the winter,” Dr. Boyden said.

Five tips for helping your heart stay healthy and warm this winter:

  1. If you have any questions or concerns before engaging in outdoor winter activities, consult your physician first.
  2. Wrap a scarf around your mouth and nose so the cold air is warmed before it reaches your lungs. This eases strain on both your heart and lungs.
  3. Limit shoveling to the level of activity you are already used to. If you haven’t been active for months, don’t engage in this vigorous, weight-bearing activity. Too much exertion increases the risk of a heart-related episode.
  4. If you feel any tightness or pain in your chest, stop shoveling or walking in the cold and seek medical attention.
  5. Try to maintain your exercise routine throughout the winter by finding warm, indoor places to walk such as the mall, health club or senior center.

This advice isn’t just for people with a known heart condition, Dr. Boyden said. A long, cold winter can be challenging for otherwise healthy people as well.


Bundle up, stay active and be smart when it comes to winter heart health.



Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.