1. Heart Healthy:
It’s Your Heart!
Western New England College Health Services Presents
Lauren Dansereau ANP
Michelle McGrath ANP

2. What Is Cardiovascular Disease?
#1 Cause of death in the United States
Affects 13 million Americans each year
Heart and blood vessel diseases affecting the
circulatory system

3. Cardiovascular Diseases
• Coronary Heart Disease
(Heart Attack)
• Cerebrovascular Disease
(Stroke and TIA)
• High Blood Pressure
• Congestive Heart Failure
• Congenital Cardiovascular
Defects
• Peripheral Vascular Disease

4. Risk Factors
• High Blood Pressure • Poor Diet
• Smoking • Obesity
• Diabetes • Physical Inactivity
• Arrythmia, Heart Condition • Postmenopausal Hormone
Therapy
• Dyslipidemia
• Asymptomatic Carotid Artery
Stenosis
• Sickle Cell Disease

5. Controllable Risk Factors
• Smoking
• High Blood Pressure
• Physical Inactivity/
Exercise
• Obesity/Diet
• Cholesterol
• Diabetes

6. Cardiovascular Disease And
Women
• Heart Disease- #1
cause of death in
women
• Stroke- #2 cause of
death in women

7. High Blood Pressure
• The greatest risk factor for heart
disease.
• Uncontrolled, can injure or kill you.
• The “Silent Killer" because it often
has no symptoms.
• 1:3 Adults has HBP AND 21% don’t
know they have it.
• Of those with HBP, 69% are
receiving treatment,
--and only 45% have blood
pressure under control.

8. High Blood Pressure Effects On
Arteries
• Blood running through
arteries flowing with too much
force.
• Pressure on the arteries may
cause stretching past their
healthy limit and cause
microscopic tears.
• The artery then must kick into
injury-healing mode and repair
these tears with scar tissue.
• Scar tissue traps plaque and
white blood cells which can form
into blockages, blood clots, and
hardened, weakened arteries.

9. High Blood Pressure Greater
Effects...
Blockages and blood clots mean
less blood to vital organs.
Without blood-->tissue dies.
*That’s why high blood pressure can
lead to: stroke,heart attack, kidney
failure, heart failure.

11. Blood Pressure Reading
• Target Blood Pressure
<120 systoloic pressure
<80 diastolic pressure

13. Risk Factors HBP
Age
Family History
Race
Obesity
Sedentary Lifestyle
Tobacco
Increased Alcohol
High Salt Diet
Low Potassium
Stress
Diabetes
Kidney Disease
Cholesterol
Sleep Apnea

14. Cholesterol
• Cholesterol - a soft, fat-like, waxy
substance found in the bloodstream and
in all your body's cells.
• It is made in your body from your liver
and cells -75% and the other 25%
ingested in food.
• It's normal and healthy to have
cholesterol.
• Produces cell membranes and some
hormones, and serves other needed
bodily functions.
• Excess in the blood is a major risk for
coronary heart disease and stroke.

15. What is Cholesterol Level?
• All adults age 20 or older should have a
fasting lipoprotein profile once every 5
years.
• This test is done fasting. It gives
information about total cholesterol, LDL
(bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol
and triglycerides.
• To determine how your cholesterol levels
affect your risk of heart disease, your
health provider will also take into account
other risk factors: age, family history,
smoking and high blood pressure

16. What Are HDL & LDL?
• HDL is known as the "good cholesterol",
because it removes excess cholesterol from
circulation
• High density lipoproteins, also known as .
HDL, are molecules consisting of cholesterol
and protein that carry cholesterol back from
tissues or organs to the liver, where
cholesterol will be degraded or recycled.
• LDL cholesterol is the “bad” cholesterol. When too
much of it circulates in the blood, it can clog
arteries, increasing risk of heart attack and stroke.
• LDL cholesterol is produced naturally by the body,
many people inherit genes that cause them to
make too much. Eating saturated fat, trans fats and
dietary cholesterol also increases how much you
have.

17. Cholesterol Levels

18. Cholesterol Levels

19. What are Triglycerides?
• A type of lipid found in your blood. • Normal — Less than 150 milligrams
per deciliter (mg/dL), or less than 1.7
millimoles per L (mmol/L)
• When you eat, your body converts
any calories it doesn't need to use • High triglycerides may contribute to
right away into triglycerides. atherosclerosis, increases the risk of
stroke, heart attack and heart
disease.
• Stored in your fat cells.
• Treat with Niacin, Fibrates, Statins,
Omega-3 Fatty acid supplements
• Later, hormones release
triglycerides for energy between
meals.
• If you regularly eat more calories
than you burn, particularly "easy"
calories like carbohydrates and
fats, you may have high
triglycerides .

20. Cholesterol Medications
• Statins-(Lipitor)This class of drugs
works in the liver to prevent the formation of
• Fibrates(Gemfibrozil)Fibrates are
best at lowering triglycerides and in some
cases increasing HDL (good cholesterol)
cholesterol. Statins are most effective at
levels. These drugs are not very effective in
lowering the LDL (bad) cholesterol, but also
lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol. That's why
have modest effects on lowering
fibrates are generally used in people whose
triglycerides (blood fats) and raising HDL
triglycerides are high or whose HDL is low,
(good) cholesterol.
after reaching LDL goal. Fibrates are most
effective at lowering triglycerides (blood
• Selective Cholesterol Absorption
fats). Additionally, they act to raise the levels
of HDL (good) cholesterol. Fibrates may be
Inhibitors (Questran)This relatively used in combination therapy with the statins.
new class of cholesterol-lowering
medications works by preventing the
absorption of cholesterol from the intestine.
Selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors
• Niacin This drug works in the liver by
affecting the production of blood fats. Niacin
are most effective at lowering the LDL (bad) is prescribed to lower triglycerides and LDL
cholesterol, but may also have modest cholesterol and raise HDL ("good")
effects on lowering triglycerides (blood fats) cholesterol.Niacin side effects may include
and raising HDL (good) cholesterol. flushing, itching and stomach upset. Your
liver functions may be closely monitored, as
niacin can cause toxicity.

21. Alcohol
• Drinking too much alcohol can raise triglycerides
• Excess can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure and an
increased calorie intake- obesity, diabetes.
• Excessive drinking and binge drinking can lead to stroke, fetal
alcohol syndrome, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia and
sudden cardiac death.
• If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
• Up to 1 drink a day for women and up to 2 drinks for men.
• 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of
80-proof distilled spirits count as a drink.
• *Alcoholic beverages have calories but are low in nutritional
value.

22. Smoking
• Many studies show that cigarette smoking is
a major cause of coronary heart disease,
• Cigarette smoking combined with a family
history of heart disease also seems to
which leads to heart attack. greatly increase the risk.
• Cigarette smoking is the most important risk
• Increases risk of coronary heart disease.
factor for young men and women.
• It produces a greater relative risk in persons • Increases blood pressure.
under age 50 than in those over 50.
• Decreases exercise tolerance.
• Women who smoke and use oral
contraceptives greatly increase their risk of
coronary heart disease and stroke
• Increases blood clotting.
compared with nonsmoking women who
use oral contraceptives. • Increases risk of recurrent coronary heart
disease after bypass surgery.
• Smoking decreases HDL (good) cholesterol.
• Smoking also creates a higher risk for
peripheral arterial disease and aortic
aneurysm.

23. Diabetes
• Diabetics are at greater risk for
HBP, high cholesterol and
• Heart disease and stroke are the triglycerides, obesity making them
No. 1 causes of death and at higher risk for cardiac
disability among people with type diseases.
2 diabetes.
• 65 percent of people with
diabetes die from some form of
heart disease or stroke.
• Adults with diabetes are 2-4
times more likely to have heart
disease or a stroke than adults
without diabetes.

24. What is the Link Between
Stress and Heart Disease?

25. • Stress sets off a chain of events.
• The body reacts to it by releasing a hormone, adrenaline, -->causes
your breathing and heart rate to speed up and your blood pressure to
rise.
• These physical reactions prepare you to deal with the situation by
confronting it or by running away from it — the "fight or flight"
response. When stress is constant (chronic), your body remains in
high gear off and on for days or weeks at a time.
• The link between stress and heart disease is not clear. However,
chronic stress that causes an increase in heart rate and blood
pressure may damage the artery walls.

26. pain or discomfort in one or both
arms,,back, neck, jaw or stomach.
with or without chest discomfort.
may include breaking out in a cold
sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

27. Healthy Diet
Vegetables and fruits- high in vitamins, minerals
and fiber — and they’re low in calories, help control
weight and lower blood pressure.
Unrefined whole-grain foods contain fiber help
lower your blood cholesterol and help you feel full,
which may help you manage your weight.
Fish at least twice a week. Recent research shows
that eating oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids
(salmon, trout, and herring) may help lower your
risk of death from coronary artery disease.
Lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare
them without added saturated and trans fat.
Dairy-Select fat-free, 1 percent fat, and low-fat
dairy products.
Reduce Trans Fats-Decrease foods containing
partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce
trans fat in your diet.
Low Cholesterol-Aim to eat less than 300
milligrams of cholesterol each day.
Low Sodium-Choose and prepare foods with little
or no salt, less than 1500mg/day.

28. Exercise!
• Among Americans age 20 and older, 145 million are
overweight or obese (BMI of 25.0 kg/m2 and higher).
• 76.9 million men and 68.1 million women.
• Increased body fat — especially if a lot of it is at your
waist — increases risk of health problems including high
blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes.
• Those overweight/obese can significantly reduce risk for
heart disease by weight loss.
• When coming up with a fitness and nutrition plan to lose
weight, one must understand calorie intake and amount
of energy calories you’re burning off with different levels
of physical activity.
• It’s a matter of balancing healthy eating (caloric energy)
with the (molecular) energy that leaves your body through
a healthy level of exercise.

29. Why Exercise?
30 minutes each day reduce your risk of
heart disease, lower BP, increase HDL,
control blood sugar by improving use of
insulin, reduce stress, control body weight,
improve well being.
American Heart Association Guidelines:
At least 150 minutes per week of moderate
exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous
exercise.
Or a combination of moderate and vigorous.
Physical activity is anything that makes you
move your body and burns calories,
Strength and stretching exercises are best for
overall stamina and flexibility.
No regular physical activity-body slowly loses its
strength and ability to function well. Physical
activity = living a longer, healthier life!

30. Healthy Heart!
The Simple Seven..
• Get Active
• Manage Blood Pressure
• Control Cholesterol
• Manage Weight
• Monitor Blood Sugar
• Don’t Smoke
• Eat Healthy