CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH PREVENTION BEGINS WITH ASSESSMENTS

By Garett Dickinson

The heart sustains our existence, and an amazing chain of events unfolds with every heartbeat. An electrical signal makes its way from the top of the heart to the bottom, signaling the atriums and ventricles to pump blood in and out of the heart in a coordinated dance.

Our cardiovascular system enables our bodies to move oxygen from the lungs throughout our bodies. In addition to feeding our cells with vital oxygenation, the cardiovascular system helps cleanse metabolic waste, supports our immune system’s response to an attack, and much more.

A Serious Matter

Our cardiovascular system’s workload increases when we increase our activity level, either through work or recreation. Serious health issues can develop if the system is weak or otherwise vulnerable.

Cardiovascular health is a major predictor of longevity. According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of mortality among men and women, and someone dies from cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds.

Given these sobering facts, what can be done to ensure the best possible cardiovascular health? Prevention is composed of many facets, and diet and exercise are often focused on, for good reason. However, there are other elements to prevention, and it’s important to include selfassessment and professional opinions.

Self Assessment

When it comes to your health, it’s essential to be honest with yourself, so you can develop an accurate assessment. Begin by looking at your lifestyle. Compare your activities and health to the risk factors listed by the American Heart Association or Centers for Disease Control. Are you out of balance in a controllable area, like alcohol consumption or physical inactivity?

Another self-assessment task is to learn your average heart rate. Take your resting pulse a few times to determine your average beats per minute. Most Americans fall between 60100 beats per minute, with factors like age and fitness affecting this.

Certain things, such as medication, can affect your heart rate, so consult your physician before implementing new exercise programs or other changes. There’s more to cardiovascular health than just heart rate, leading to the other important assessment element.

Professional Assessment

Schedule an appointment with your primary care provider. Initially, they will ask you questions, take your vitals, and listen to your heart and lungs. Your healthcare provider will also physically examine your neck, chest, abdomen and extremities. They will be listening and feeling for any abnormalities.

Another important assessment will be a blood test to determine cholesterol and blood glucose levels, important elements of cardiovascular health. This will help inform future considerations, such as diet.

You can determine your estimated maximum heart rate with this simple formula from the American Heart Association. Minus your age from the number 220, this is your estimated maximum heart rate. Now when you work or exercise, you can check your increased heart rate. The American Heart Association suggests 50-70% of your maximum heart rate for moderate exercise and 70-85% for vigorous exertion. Keeping a record of your heart rate results is helpful in assisting you and your healthcare provider in tracking changes.

In addition, a stress test may be ordered, also known as an EKG or electrocardiogram. This will measure the electrical activity of your heart during stress, most commonly induced by exercise, while you are in a safe environment. An echocardiogram, a noninvasive ultrasound that provides images of the heart’s movement, may also be taken.

The Beat Goes On

Utilizing professional and personal assessment for cardiovascular health is a winning combination. Healthcare practitioners provide important information and parameters regarding our condition, and routine self-assessment allows us to monitor our status.