February, it’s all about heart!

By Dr. Colleen Sholar

 

When we think of February, we think of Valentine’s Day but we want you to think about Heart Health!  February is American Heart Month, and so we encourage all adults to think about their hearts and how we can avoid heart related problems.  Often when we think about heart problems like heart attacks, we think of men, but heart disease is the leading cause of death for women as well as men.  Risk factor s for heart disease are unfortunately common, including high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, family history.

When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked?  Do you know what it was?  If it was >135/85 you should talk to your healthcare provider.  If you are a woman who had high blood pressure during a past pregnancy that increases your risk.  We know nationally that only 1 in 4 adults with high blood pressure have it under control.

Have you been screened for diabetes?  Schedule a wellness visit or stop in to see one of the community health workers at a community event.  We know there is a strong link between diabetes and heart disease, those with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke.  So, if you are diabetic it’s good to be proactive.

Are you a smoker?  Are you ready to quit?  The state of Idaho wants to help you quit so they have a free Project Filter program offering free resources like nicotine replacement.

Have you talked to your family about your health history?  Do men or women have early deaths?  High cholesterol?  While your family history isn’t something you can change, knowing the past helps you predict your future and take steps to change that future.

 

So this February we at Clearwater Valley Health want you to think about your heart.