African American and Heart Disease
Heart disease is the #1 killer for all American’s, and the fourth leading cause of death. As scary as this sounds African-Americans are at a much higher risk for getting heart disease, 44% men and 48% women.
There is good news however, African-Americans can improve their odds of preventing this disease, by taking simple steps to prevent them.
First you need to understand how the heart works. The heart is muscle, with blood vessels leading in and out. It works like a large pump, pushing blood from the bag and through the blood vessels. The blood carries oxygen, nutrients, and waste products. Blood is pumped from the heart, to lungs, picks up oxygen, then blood returns to the heart and is pumped to the rest of the body. The blood delivers oxygen to tissues and picks up and distributes nutrients and waste products and then returns to the heart and gets pumped back to the lungs.
Causes and Risk Factors of:
Heart Failure
Fatigue, weakness, tired
Shortness of breath during activity
Unable to breath lying flat
Edema: swelling in feet, ankles, legs
Rapid weight gain
Lack of appetite, full feeling, nausea
Memory loss, disorientation, confusion
Heart palpitations, heart racing
Irregular heart beat
Anxiety, restlessness
Decreased urine output
Cold, sweaty skin (greyish in color)
Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol
Lack of Exercise
Smoking
Obesity
Diabetes
Stress
Alcohol
Family History
Abnormal Heart Valve
Coronary Artery Disease
Heart Muscle Disease
Congenital Heart Disease
Lung Disease
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Heart Disease
We Care About Your Heart, Do You?
Warning Signs of a Heart Attack
Pressure, fullness, uncomfortable pain in the middle of the chest lasting more than a few minutes
Pain spreading beyond the chest to the shoulders, neck, arms, back, teeth and jaw.
Pain in the upper abdomen that lasts for more than a few minutes, sometimes people think its heartburn or indigestion.
Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing
Fainting, unsteadiness, or lightheadedness
Nausea and vomiting
Confusion
Guidelines For a Healthy Heart
Eat a variety of foods
Achieve and maintain a healthy weight by controlling calorie intake
Limit total salt consumption to less than one teaspoon a day
Eat foods low in fat and cholesterol, eliminating fried foods
Limit sugar intake
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
Limit alcohol intake
Do not smoke
Monitor blood pressure
Regular check ups
Follow Heart Healthy Diet
Regular Exercise, talk to your doctor before beginning a new physical activity, find an activity that is enjoyable. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing, exercise with a friend or group. Remember to warm up before and after exercising.
American Heart Association (2014).retrievedfromhttp://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/African-Americans-andHeartDisease_UCM_444863_Article.jsp
WebMD(2009). retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/why-african-americans-greater-risk-heart-disease
Centers for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_aa.htm
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