Take Heart!

What men can do to reduce their risk for heart disease

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men, according to the American Heart Association, and half of the time, no symptoms indicate a problem.

Fortunately, men have several strategies for reducing risk of heart disease.

It’s vital to recognize that age correlates with higher risk. Once you hit age 40, that risk begins to increase. Instead of reacting to a problem, it’s better for patients to talk with their providers early to prevent heart trouble, especially if they have a family health history of heart attack. Discuss health history with your family so you know if heart disease or other disease runs in your family.

Not all heart disease is preventable. But you can make changes to reduce your risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 60 to 80% of risk is governed by factors within the patient’s control.

“Exercise has many health benefits such as improved lung and cardiovascular capacity,” said Lauren Hosek, certified strength and conditioning specialists, exercise physiologist and Vitality Fitness Program coordinator at SUNY Upstate Medical University. She added that exercise can reduce the risk factors for hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis (plaque in the arteries) and coronary artery disease.

Tobacco use raises risk of heart attack and stroke, among other effects deleterious to good health.

“Avoid things like tobacco, vaping, drugs and alcohol,” said physician Thomas Grady, cardiologist with Oswego Health.

He also advocates for regular exercise, a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week. “Moderate exercise” could be a brisk walk. But Grady said finding an activity you like is important to maintain consistency. Men’s exercise tends to focus more on strength training. Although that’s important for good health, aerobic exercise like brisk walking, kickboxing, basketball or swimming laps promotes cardiovascular health.

Screen for and manage chronic conditions. Talk with a primary care provider about lab work to monitor cholesterol, blood pressure, and particularly for those who are obese, diabetes screening. The website of the American College of Cardiology (www.acc.org) offers a risk calculator. Take any medication prescribed for chronic conditions, as this helps improve health.

People with untreated sleep apnea are at twice the risk for heart attack as those who don’t have the condition, according to Harvard Health.

“Sleep apnea is very important,” Grady said. “We should all have evaluations for it as most of us have it to a certain degree. It can be detrimental to your lives.”

Many people with sleep apnea snore and someone else tells them about it. Most experience daytime sleepiness and do not feel well-rested.

For heart health, what you eat matters a lot.

“Limit processed foods and go easy on salt,” Grady said.

Many providers advise shifting to an eating plan such as DASH or the Mediterranean diet reduces intake of saturated fat, trans fat, processed carbohydrates, high-sugar foods and red meat. A balanced diet is rich in fiber, whole grains, produce and sources of lean protein.

Taking care of your heart includes developing purpose for living and social connections. These decrease the risk of depression. Grady encourages patients to “develop something you have a passion for that you’re good at. Find someone who can mentor you in that passion you have. Invest time in that. Have some type of connectedness with friends, family and significant other. When you’re working, go 100% but have time for yourself for your hobbies, like gardening, painting, or kayaking — whatever helps you have a healthy lifestyle. Contributing to the betterment of humanity is good for the soul.”