HEART ATTACK

HEART ATTACK

HEART ATTACK

Most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot resulting from ruptured plaque.
Men suffer heart attacks an average of 10 years younger than women do, and
they’re more likely to die of heart disease than women of the same age. The
death rate for African-American men is even higher than it is for whites. Sadly,
half of the men who die of heart disease weren’t even aware that they had a
p r o b l e m .
If you experience any of the following, contact your doctor immediately:
• Pressure or squeezing in the center of the chest
• Pain that spreads over the shoulders, neck, and arms
• Increased heartbeat
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Irregular heart beat

ANGINA

About 7 million men have this condition. Symptoms (pressure in the chest or
down the left arm) are temporary—lasting 15 minutes or less. Most people who
have angina describe their symptoms as “uncomfortable,” as opposed to
“ p a i n f u l . ”
If you have any symptoms of angina, consider yourself lucky (better to have a
little pain and get treatment, than no symptoms and a sudden heart attack), and
make an appointment to see your doctor immediately.

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

Congestive heart failure—a reduction in the heart’s pumping capacity—is usually
a condition that starts many years before it’s ever noticed and gradually worsens
over time. The heart tries to compensate for lost capacity by getting bigger and
by pumping faster. In order to make sure that the most important organs—the
heart and the brain—have adequate blood supply, the body diverts blood away
from other less-important organs. At the same time, the body starts retaining
fluids, which back up into the lungs and other parts of the body.
Over 2 million men currently suffer from heart failure and about 300,000 more
are diagnosed each year. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in people 65
and older. Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, low blood
pressure, sudden large weight gain, frequent nighttime urination, and swelling
of the lower legs and ankles.
There is no cure for heart failure. However, if you manage it correctly, you can
live a long, healthy, productive life.

STROKE

When one of the blood vessels that keep the brain supplied with oxygen gets
blocked or bursts, the brain doesn’t get the oxygen it needs to function. Nerv e
cells start dying within a minute, and as they die, the functions they controlled
stop working. Although your body replaces dead cells everywhere else in your
b o d y, brain cells aren’t replaced, which means that any damage done by a stroke
is permanent.
The most common side effects of a stroke are numbness or inability to move the
arm or leg or facial muscles on one side of the body, depression, visual problems,
and difficulty speaking or understanding speech.
Warning signs of a stroke come on suddenly
and unexpectedly and include:
• Confusion, or difficulty speaking or
understanding (speech).
• Numbness or difficulty controlling one
side of the face or one side of the body.
• Vision problems.
• Difficulty walking or loss of balance, or
trouble holding onto things.
• Severe unexplained headache.
If you notice any of these symptoms in
yourself or anyone around you, call 911 or
your local emergency number immediately.
Again, the damage caused by a stroke is permanent
and gets worse with each second.
TREATING AND PREVENTING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
If your doctor believes that you have any type of cardiovascular disease or are at
risk of developing one or more, he’ll probably tell you to do one or more of the
f o l l o w i n g :
• Take aspirin every day. Talk to your doctor first, though, and don’t exceed
the dose he suggests. Aspirin prevents blood clots which can trigger heart
a t t a c k s .
• Have regular physicals (see Appendix B for a complete schedule) and m a k e
sure to tell your doctors about any uncomfortable symptoms especially c h e s t
pain and shortness of breath while resting.
• Lose weight. As your weight increases, so does your blood pressure. As
important as your weight is where you store the fat. If you carry your
weight around your middle, you have a higher risk than if you carry it
around the hips and thighs. Losing weight will have an immediate effect
on your blood pressure.
• Get into a regular exercise routine. Being active cuts your risk of developing
high blood pressure by 25 to 50 perc e n t .
• Limit your alcohol intake to two drinks a day or less.
• Limit your non-decaf coffee consumption to two cups a day.
• Reduce stress.
• Quit smoking. There is no safe level of smoking. Every cigarette does damage.
• Change your diet (see page 9). Look for “very low sodium” or “sodium
free” on labels, avoid saturated fats and hydrogenated oils, eat more whole

grains, eat fish twice a week or take an Omega-3 supplement, limit red
meat and eggs, and eat more garlic and onions, which have been shown to
reduce blood pressure.
• Get a pet. Research has shown that petting animals, and even looking at
fish in an aquarium lowers blood pressure.
• Brush your teeth. Some interesting recent research suggests that there may
be a connection between gum disease and an increased risk for heart disease
and stroke.
In addition, your doctor might also prescribe some drugs to lower your blood
pressure or cholesterol. If he does, be sure to tell him about all other medications
or over-the-counter drugs you take, since some combinations of drugs can cause
trouble. And don’t stop taking the medication—even if you’re feeling great—
unless your doctor advises you to.