False. Heart disease is the No.1 leading cause of death among women and men in the United States, causing about one in four deaths. Cancer is the No. 2 killer.
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False. People with heart disease are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications. If you have heart disease, or have had a stroke, it is especially important to get a flu vaccine every year to protect against flu and its potentially serious complications.
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A and C. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a leading risk factor for heart disease. Often called the "silent killer," high blood pressure has no symptoms so it’s important to have your blood pressure checked regularly.
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All of the above. Smoking, being overweight or obese, and having diabetes or high blood cholesterol are all factors that increase someone's risk for heart disease. Eating an unhealthy diet, not being physically active and drinking too much alcohol are also contributors.
The good news: You're in control. You can greatly reduce your risk for heart disease through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medicine.
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False. Even when glucose levels are under control, having diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. The risks are even greater if blood sugar is not well-controlled.
If you have diabetes, be sure to work with your doctor to manage it, and control any other risk factors that you can.
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False. Even if you have no symptoms, you may still be at risk for heart disease. Sometimes heart disease is not diagnosed until someone experiences signs or symptoms of a heart attack, heart failure or an arrhythmia (chest palpitations).
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A, C and E. Pay attention to your body and call 911 if you experience:
- Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, goes way and comes back.
- Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, your back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, vomiting or lightheadedness.
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Chew an aspirin. Studies have shown that chewing a 325-milligram aspirin pill as soon as heart attack symptoms appear can limit heart damage. Chewing the pill is recommended as it causes quicker results than swallowing it.
Aspirin can help break up clots in the bloodstream that may be blocking blood flow to the heart and causing heart muscle cells to die. Breaking up these clots can prevent more heart muscle cells from dying.
"Sometimes we also tell people to chew four baby aspirin (81 mg each) if that's all they have on hand, which comes out to the same dose," said Dr. Ashkay Pendyal, a Novant Health cardiologist.
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Men. Even after women reach the age of menopause, when women’s death rate from heart disease increases, women’s risk for heart attack is less than that for men.
In addition to having a greater risk than women, men are also more likely to have a heart attack earlier in life.*Source.
True. Men having heart attacks typically present with chest pain. Some women have chest pain, too, but they may also have indigestion, fatigue or difficulty breathing when having a heart attack.
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Good try! You may not be a cardiologist, but learning more about your heart health is a great first step. Take our assessment to learn your heart disease risk, and find more resources to live a long, healthy life.
Nice try! You may not be a cardiologist, but learning more about your heart health is a great first step.Take our assessment to learn your heart disease risk, and find more resources to live a long, healthy life.
Nice job! Many adults have a “heart age” that’s older than them, meaning they could be at a higher risk of developing a heart condition. Take our assessment to learn your heart disease risk, and find more resources to live a long, healthy life.
Way to go! Many adults have a “heart age” that’s older than them, meaning they could be at a higher risk of developing a heart condition. Take our assessment to learn your heart disease risk, and find more resources to live a long, healthy life.