Cancer, by comparison, claims a little more than half that number (about 550,000). But most causes of cardiovascular disease are preventable. This week, the American Heart Association released a new set of guidelines to help Americans reduce their risk of developing the deadly disease. For the first time, doctors are also being advised to routinely evaluate the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients as young as 20.
The new guidelines represent a dramatic shift from the way that heart disease has traditionally been viewed: as a condition only afflicting the middle-aged, elderly and obese. As more is learned about the risk factors for heart disease and the process by which mild injury to the heart accumulates through the years, health advocates have begun focusing more attention on preventive measures. While they realize it’s important to develop treatments to help patients recover from heart attacks, it is even more critical to try and prevent the attacks from happening at all-especially since many first-time heart attacks or strokes are fatal or disabling.
The new guidelines recommend that every two years, beginning at the age of 20, patients undergo a “risk factor screening.” This includes recording blood pressure, heart rate, waist circumference and BMI (body mass index, a measure of whether one is overweight). Every five years, a cholesterol levels should be measured and analyzed and glucose testing should be performed, which also helps to reveal early signs of diabetes.
In addition, a process known as “global risk elimination” should be done every five years for those who are 40 years or older or have two or more risk factors. The test combines information from all existing risk factors to determine a person’s percentage risk for developing cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years. Having many areas of even slight risk can be more significant than having one area of very high risk.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has always recommended aspirin for those already suffering from heart disease, but these new guidelines advance that recommendation even further. It’s now suggested that low doses of aspirin even be used in people who don’t have heart disease yet, but simply face an increased risk of developing the disease. There are, of course, risks with chronic aspirin consumption such as gastrointestinal bleeding and allergic reactions, but the benefits for most people outweigh the relatively low incidence of these side effects. Still, it is important to check with your doctor before beginning aspirin therapy.
There are also lifestyle changes that you can make on your own to reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Those include: preventing exposure to tobacco smoke, maintaining blood pressure below 140/90, sticking to a healthy eating plan, participating in 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week (preferably all), keeping cholesterol lowered to appropriate levels based on individual risk, and achieving and maintaining a desirable weight (a body mass index of 18.5 to 24.9).
While doctors will likely be more vigilant about talking to patients about their risk factors, it’s important to remember that you are your own best advocate. There are many steps you can take on your own to decrease your risk of developing this often deadly disease. Let these new guidelines be a blueprint for your next conversation with your doctor and you’ll be well on the road to maintaining a healthy heart.
