Heart Disease

There are many different kinds of heart disease. The most common is atherosclerosis which is the buildup of fatty deposits or plaques in the walls of arteries. As result of plaque formation, there is less space for blood to flow normally during circulation resulting in to less delivery of oxygen through­out the body, including to the heart. Depending on where the buildup is, it can cause a heart attack, leg pain, or a stroke. Atherosclerosis is not part of normal aging and can be serious.

Early heart disease may not have symptoms, or early symptoms may not be noticeable particularly in older adults. That’s why regular checkups with are important for diagnosis and prevention.

• Pain in the chest shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back
• Shortness of breath when active or at rest
• Chest pain during physical activity that gets better when you rest
• Lightheaded
• Dizzy
• Confusion
• Headaches
• Cold sweats
• Nausea/vomiting
• Easily tired or fatigued
• Swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, stomach, and/or neck
• Less able to exercise or be physically active
• Problems doing your normal activities

• Don’t smoke
• Stay at a healthy weight
• Avoid spending hours every day sitting
• Exercise
• Keep your diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or high cholesterol under control
• Manage your stress
• Don’t drink a lot of alcohol
• Regular Medical checkup & Tests