Give Your Heart a Break this Valentine's Day

While we spend February 14 trying to win hearts, be sure to take care of your own the rest of the month during Heart Health Awareness Month.

For decades, heart disease was considered a man's disease, when in fact, researchers say, heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women resulting in approximately 500,000 deaths annually.

One out of four women will die of it, so it's important for both men and women to speak with their primary care doctors about signs and symptoms, as well as what they can do to prevent heart disease.

While it's commonly known that heart attacks cause chest pain, there are also other symptoms and signals, including:

  • Pain that radiates to the jaw, shoulder or arm;
  • Nausea;
  • Vomiting
  • Intense sweating

Helping to prevent or slow the progression of heart disease depends on the patient's unique needs, specialists say. Dr. Sharonne Hayes at the Women's Heart Clinic at Mayo Clinic, suggests that people should aim for the following:

  • Blood pressure reading of less than 120/80 millimetres of mercury;
  • Lipid level below 200 milligrams of total cholesterol per decilitre;
  • Body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9 (pounds per inches squared).

More health-related information available online at www.mayoclinic.org/canada

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www.newscanada.com

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Comments

Showing 1 to 2 of 2 comments.

Regarding BP. At age 58 my BP was 125/75? In my 60's it was 138/75-80? (memory)
Now it averages 140-145/90. All drs. want me on BP pills. Before I comment further, my 2 comments. A friend visited a sister in Germany in a semi-assisted facility. She was 79. My friend noticed on her chart her BP was 155/90? She inquired of nurse. "What BP medicine is she on?" Nurse replied, "Why none. It is natural a woman of this age to have elevated
pressure. We wouldn't give her pills." And the Germans are VERY health conscious. Another Dr. told another friend this," I have no BP but when I do, I won 't take what's offerred out there for it." Has the requirement been lowered (120 etc) to get more people one BP pills? The norm used to be 140 over whatever. With 119 reasons why BP goes up, how can 1 pill really solve these issues? And when I did take BP pills my BP went high when upset anyway! No BP pills last 5 months, going the route of Homeopathy. All Western medicine just masks problems, never any healing which is possible.Native Americans had cures for everything. No side effects. How any Dr. can prescribe a pill that causes side effects and call himself a healer is beyond my grasp. No Dr. has ever discussed diet with me except my family Dr. when in high school and college. Now he was a true physician.House calls. Phone calls. Warm touch on shoulder, a pat on knee. Kind. Patient, he radiated caring. Have met none like him today.

Posted by Joyce | February 10, 2012 Report Violation

I agree - no pill is magically going to fix your health problems. And I try to avoid taking any types of prescription medication - unless I really have to. Diet and exercise can go a long way. Even if you have to take pills, having a healthy lifestyle in combination is really the best method.

Posted by Steffany | February 14, 2012 Report Violation

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