HEALTH CHECK Your Health Deserves ExtraCare
How many of you reading this have heart? Not a heart but have heart. February is recognized as American Heart Month, and red is worn to represent and bring recognition to it. This month delves into cardiovascular diseases and reminds us of ways to combat it. So, back to my first question. How many of you have heart? The heart to assist in the battle against cardiovascular disease by raising awareness and spreading the word about the multiple ways to prevent it. COMMON CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES:
• Coronary Artery Disease • Heart Attack • Stroke • Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) • Heart Failure • Congenital Heart Defects (an individual born with a cardiac defect)
• Cardiomyopathy (pertains to the heart muscle making it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body) • Peripheral Artery Disease (narrowing of the peripheral arteries serving the legs, stomach, arms and head)
COMMON RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: • Age • Family history • Poor diet/Obesity • Lack of exercise • High blood pressure • High cholesterol
HOW TO HELP IMPROVE OR PREVENT IT:
• Do not smoke • Maintain a healthy weight • Healthy diet (low in salt/ • Stay in control if diagnosed saturated fat) with diabetes, high • Exercise (at least 30 minutes cholesterol, or high blood a day) pressure • Lower/manage stress
WHEN TO SEEK EMERGENT MEDICAL CARE: • Chest pain • Slurred speech • Shortness of breath • One sided facial droop
• Fainting • Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
Be aware emergent symptoms may not present the same for all, so if you are experiencing something out of your normal and it concerns you then please seek medical advice. Your heart health is extremely important. Remember you only have one, so take good care of it. More information on cardiovascular disease can be found at https://www.heart.org/ and CDC.gov.
• Smoking • Diabetes • Stress • Gender (Males are at greater risk; women are after menopause)
COMMON SYMPTOMS: • Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest discomfort • Shortness of breath • Pale gray or blue skin color • Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms (the vessels in these areas may be narrowed) • Fainting or near fainting
• Swelling in the legs, abdomen, or areas around the eyes • Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back • Fluttering in your chest • Racing and/or slow heartbeat • Lightheadedness and/or dizziness
Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant. - Robert Louis Stevenson
Patrice Graham is from Atlanta, GA. She completed her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing in 2012. She has worked as a bedside RN for 8 years. She specializes in Medical Surgical, Intensive Care, Perioperative, Women’s, Pediatric, and Neonatal nursing. In 2017, she returned to school and graduated with her Master’s of Science in Nursing in 2019. Currently, Patrice is pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice while continuing to be at the bedside for her patients.
