Heart affairs: doctors dispelled the most popular myths about cardiovascular diseases - ForumDaily
The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.
Переклад цього матеріалу українською мовою з російської було автоматично здійснено сервісом Google Translate, без подальшого редагування тексту.
Bu məqalə Google Translate servisi vasitəsi ilə avtomatik olaraq rus dilindən azərbaycan dilinə tərcümə olunmuşdur. Bundan sonra mətn redaktə edilməmişdir.

Matters of the Heart: Doctors Dispelled the Most Popular Myths About Cardiovascular Diseases

Doctors share the latest knowledge from research to help you understand the risks of cardiovascular disease and clear up the most common misconceptions around heart problems. TheHealthy.

Photo: Shutterstock

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2022 data, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, regardless of a person's gender, race, or ethnicity. For context, this is the equivalent of one American dying every 36 seconds. However, the American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that about 80% of these cardiovascular diseases (which include both heart disease and stroke) are likely to be preventable.

Importantly, the AHA data also suggests that by 2035, at least 45% of Americans will have some kind of heart problem. Leading cardiologists share what to do to uncover the main misconceptions many people still believe about this often preventable disease.

"Heart disease is a man's problem"

It's true that men have a higher risk of heart disease than women, but not by much, says Eugene Young, MD, chairman of the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) section on cardiovascular disease prevention and professor of medicine at the University of Washington.

On the subject: A new type of poisonous spider is rapidly spreading across the US: what you need to know

Here's what could be the main reason for the widespread belief: "We see that the risk of cardiovascular disease is generally lower in women when they are younger, but then women kind of catch up when they get older," says the doctor.

According to a study published in the journal Biology of Sex Differences, this trend comes down to how estrogen, the female sex hormone, protects the cardiovascular system. That's why, as estrogen levels begin to drop around menopause, women's rates of cardiovascular disease begin to match those of men.

Despite this phenomenon, women "still receive less preventive care for heart disease," says Sonia Tolani, MD, a cardiovascular disease specialist and assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University's Irving Medical Center. This is even more problematic because, according to the AHA study, heart disease is actually more deadly for women than it is for men, and causes two to three times more deaths than breast cancer (which the data shows is the second leading threat to women's health).

To help women better understand their risk of heart disease, doctors at Columbia University have developed a free app called love my heartto track your risk assessment and create a customized healthy lifestyle plan.

“Thin people have no risk of cardiovascular disease”

A more compact trouser size doesn't always mean someone is in great shape - perhaps especially when it comes to heart health. Research strongly suggests that weight alone is not an infallible indicator of cardiovascular disease risk.

One well-known 2008 study by scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York found that about half of overweight people had blood pressure and cholesterol levels within the normal range. Meanwhile, a quarter of normal-weight people had elevated levels of these two cardiovascular risk markers. This isn't to say that it's useless to watch your weight, but it's a reminder that looking thin doesn't mean you're in great health.

What will help? Regular movement. “Even if you are not overweight, there is no doubt that a sedentary lifestyle puts you at greater risk of heart disease,” explains Dr. Yang.
Some experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity (like brisk walking) a week, regardless of your clothing size.

"Young people don't have to worry about heart disease"

While young people are statistically less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease, Dr. Tolani said, that doesn't mean they don't have risk factors that, if left unchecked, could cause problems in the future.
And because so many cases of heart disease are considered preventable, Dr. Yang explains how important a concept called "initial prevention" is for young people.

While the idea of ​​primary prevention means treating and managing risk factors to prevent heart disease (such as taking medication if you already have high cholesterol or high blood pressure), primary prevention is about avoiding these in the first place. risk factors.

“We now believe that the earlier you develop healthy habits, the less likely you are to have a heart attack or heart problems later in life,” says Dr. Yang. “So we focus on things that people can control.”

This means leading a healthier lifestyle as early as possible – consider quitting smoking, staying active, and optimizing your diet for heart health.

"Alcohol is good for the heart"

We've all heard about the supposed cardiovascular benefits of red wine, right? It seems like every few years, studies come out suggesting a link between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease, from how it can raise "good" cholesterol for its antioxidant protection. But Dr Yang explains that more recent research disproves most of these claims.

“Now we learn that alcohol appears to increase the risk of potentially dangerous heart rhythm problems, such as atrial fibrillation, a major risk factor for stroke,” he says.

“I have normal cholesterol levels, so I have no risk of cardiovascular disease”

Yes, cholesterol is considered a key predictor of cardiovascular disease risk. “But you can have normal cholesterol levels and other risk factors,” explains Dr. Yang.

In fact, a 2017 international study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that about half of cardiovascular events occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. This is not to say that monitoring your cholesterol levels (and getting regular check-ups) is not important. Just getting a healthy cholesterol reading doesn't eliminate all of your cardiovascular risk.

“My parents had heart disease, so I have too”

Dr. Yang explains that if your mother or father had heart problems, you may have a genetic predisposition or hereditary risk that raises your overall risk. But having a family history does not guarantee that you will have heart problems. For example, if your parent has a genetically high cholesterol level, there is usually a 50% chance that you will inherit this mutation.

What if you exhibit the same risk factors as your parents? A study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that you can reduce your chances of heart disease by 46% simply by making healthy lifestyle choices.

And many people with a known family risk for heart disease may also benefit from medication. For example, genetically high cholesterol — clinically known as "familial cholesterolemia" — occurs in about one in 200 people worldwide, Dr. Yang says. For these people, medications like statins can cut their risk of heart disease by half.

"Surgery is more effective than drugs"

Stenting and bypass surgery are common procedures to treat clogged arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis that increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke. But Dr Yang says the common perception is that these invasive measures work better than drugs to protect against heart disease.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York.

A recent study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that, in most cases, these surgical procedures are no better than medications and lifestyle changes in reducing the risk of heart attack and death.

Read also on ForumDaily:

The US and EU countries have renamed the streets where Russian embassies are located: now they glorify Ukraine and Zelensky

The first village with tiny houses for the homeless opened in San Francisco: the city pays for their housing, food and utilities

Costco and Amazon will increase the cost of club cards: when and by how much

Miscellanea research сердечно-сосудистые заболевания Educational program heart problems
Subscribe to ForumDaily on Google News

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis. 



 
1071 requests in 1,076 seconds.