Latest Heart New Center

How can I reduce my risk for heart and cardiovascular disease?

Regular physical activity can help you reduce your risk of heart and cardiovascular disease. Being active helps women take off extra pounds, helps to control blood pressure, lessens a diabetic’s need for insulin, and boosts the level of “good” cholesterol. Some studies show that being inactive increases the risk of heart attack. Other ways to reduce your risk include:

Quit smoking - talk with your health care provider if you need help quitting.

Cut back on foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Check blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels and keep them under control.

Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most (if not all) days of the week.

Lose weight if you are overweight and keep at a healthy weight.

How much difference can diet and exercise really make on the health of my heart and cardiovascular system?

Having a low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet and getting regular exercise are excellent health habits for all women to have. These good health habits will lower blood pressure and keep blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels healthy. Studies have shown that being physically active decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Women, along with most Americans, are becoming more and more inactive. About 60% of American women do not engage in the recommended amount of physical activity needed to maintain health. The Surgeon General recommends getting 30 minutes of moderate activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week to protect heart and overall health.
This includes activities such as brisk walking, bicycling, and gardening. You do not have to do the activity for 30 minutes in a row; you can divide it into shorter periods of at least 10 minutes each. Women who have had heart attacks might worry about exercising after their recovery. Studies have shown that people who include regular physical activity in their lives after a heart attack, improve their chances of survival. If you have had a heart attack, talk with your health care provider about developing an exercise plan.

Is it safe to take an aspirin a day to prevent heart disease?

If you have already had a heart attack, aspirin helps to lower the risk of having another one. It also helps to keep arteries open in those who have had a heart bypass or other artery-opening procedure such as coronary angioplasty.

But, because of its risks, aspirin is NOT approved by the Food and Drug Administration for preventing heart attacks in healthy people. It may even be harmful for some persons, especially those with no risk of heart disease.

Talk to your health care provider about whether taking aspirin is right for you. Be sure not to confuse aspirin with other common pain relieving products such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxyn sodium (Aleve).

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I had my cholesterol checked but I do not understand the results. What do they mean?

Talk to your health care provider about the results of your cholesterol test. The following guidelines come from the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health. Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood.

Total cholesterol level - a level of less than 200 mg/dL is desirable. But even levels of 200-239 mg/dL (borderline high) can increase your risk of heart disease.

Total Cholesterol Level Category
Less than 200 mg/dL - Desirable
200 - 239 mg/dL - Borderline high
240 mg/dL and above - High

LDL (bad) cholesterol - a level of 160 mg/dL or above is high. Work with your health care provider to determine a goal LDL level that’s best for you.

LDL Cholesterol Level Category

Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal
100-129 mg/dL - Near optimal/above optimal
130-159 mg/dL - Borderline high
160-189 mg/dL - High
190 mg/dL and above - Very high

HDL (good) cholesterol - a level of 60 mg/dL or more is good and helps to lower your risk for heart disease. Remember that HDL (good) cholesterol protects against heart disease, so for HDL, higher numbers are better. A level less than 40 mg/dL is low and increases your risk for developing heart disease.

Triglyceride levels - can also raise your risk for heart disease. Levels that are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more) may need treatment in some people.