YOUR BODY
GE T TO KNOW YOUR
KEEPING YOUR HEART HEALTHY TAKES WORK,
BUT YOUR FUTURE SELF WILL THANK YOU
Your heart. It’s one of the body’s hardest working
organs, beating more than 100,000 times each
day. The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood through
the 60,000 miles of blood vessels that feed our
organs and tissue, making heart health essential for
overall wellbeing. “When you have a healthy heart,
you’re going to feel better – you’ll breathe better,
sleep better, move around better. You’ll feel better
emotionally as well,” says Maggie McCormick,
RN, who manages the women’s heart program at
Park Nicollet Heart and Vascular Center (HVC).
“The road to heart health starts with knowing your
risk factors, because the more control you have
over those, the lower your chance of developing
heart disease,” says Katie Larkin, RN, an HVC
supervisor. Heart disease occurs when the arteries
that supply blood to the heart become hardened
and narrowed due to plaque buildup. It’s the
leading cause of death for both men and women
in the United States, and is on the rise throughout
the rest of the world.
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WINTER 2013
Certain risk factors, such as getting older, can’t
be changed. For women and men, middle age is
a time of increasing risk because people are more
likely to develop heart-related health conditions
during this stage of life. Fortunately, there are
things you can do – no matter what your age – to
lower your risk.
“Little steps can go a long way to reducing your risk
of heart disease,” says Elizabeth Bisinov, MD,
an HVC cardiologist. “Regular physical activity is
important, but it doesn’t have to be formal exercise.
Find creative ways to get activity into your life. Strive
to eat healthier foods when possible, and work on
portion control with unhealthy foods. Those simple
changes should have a positive impact over time.”
To learn more about heart care,
visit parknicollet.com/heart.
heart healthy
AT
A NY
AG E
CARING FOR YOUR HEART IS A LIFELONG JOURNEY THAT REQUIRES DIFFERENT ACTIONS AT DIFFERENT
AGES. WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TODAY – AND TOMORROW – TO ENSURE A HEART-HEALTHY FUTURE?
20s &30s
40s &50s
60s &beyond
This is the time to develop
healthy habits, learn
your family history and
be on the lookout for
risk factors. “Establishing
exercise and healthy
eating habits early on will
increase the likelihood of
continuing them through
your lifetime,” says
Elizabeth Bisinov, MD. “I
also recommend an initial
cholesterol test at age 20,
as well as regular blood
pressure checks. Your
primary care provider can
help you set goals based
on your risk factors.”
After age 40, you may want to
consider a coronary calcium score,
which looks at plaque buildup in
your arteries, and a blood glucose
test, which diagnoses diabetes and
pre-diabetes. These tests provide a
baseline for continued monitoring
with your primary care doctor
or cardiologist. As you get into
your mid-50s, the hormonal drop
accompanying menopause puts
women at increased risk of heart
disease, and more women start taking
medications for cholesterol and blood
pressure. This is still a good time to
introduce lifestyle changes and be a
role model for your children, in terms
of exercise and eating habits.
Because age is a ma jor
risk factor for heart
disease, work closely with
your doctor to manage
medications and watch
for changes or symptoms.
Remaining physically active
is especially important as
you age. Regular physical
activity makes you more
in tune with your body, so
you’ll realize quickly if you’re
in pain, short of breath or
have lowered stamina – all of
which could be symptoms of
a heart issue and should be
checked out by your doctor.
FA S T FA C TS F O R H E A R T H E A LT H
DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH?
Small amounts of alcohol –
especially red wine – may
help protect against heart
disease by raising your
HDL “good” cholesterol.
But Maggie McCormick, RN,
warns that alcohol only
benefits your heart when
consumed in moderation.
“Women can have one drink
a day, and men can have
two,” she says. “More can
actually increase cholesterol
and blood sugar.”
NUMBERS COUNT
Knowing your numbers can help
keep your risk in check.
Total cholesterol: Under 200 – For women,
HDL “good” cholesterol should be above 50;
LDL “bad” cholesterol should be below 100
Waist circumference: For women, a waist
measurement of more than 35 inches
increases the risk of heart disease
Glucose: Under 100
Blood pressure: Under 120/80
BMI: Under 25
Smokers risk having a heart attack 19 years earlier than nonsmokers.
OPEN WINTER 2013 ISSUE
PA R K N I C O L L E T B E W E L L
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