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Cardiology | by Dr. Rakesh Sarkar | Published on 30/09/2024
Your heart is the epicentre of your body. Every heartbeat is a proof of life. It is responsible for everything that gives life to your body. The heart pumps nutrient-rich blood throughout your body, supplies oxygen, and removes toxins and waste.
Embracing a healthy lifestyle at any stage lowers the risk of heart attack and strokes. The heart is the centre of your overall health and well-being, and you are never too old or young to start taking your heart health seriously.For an assessment of your heart health, reach out to our expert team of cardiologists.
If you want to understand the essence of a healthy heart and how to ensure you have the same, keep reading this blog.
Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death globally, taking an estimated 1.80 crore lives. Also called CVDs, cardiovascular diseases affect the heart and blood vessels.
In short, all heart diseases are cardiovascular diseases, but not all cardiovascular diseases are heart diseases. Almost four out of five deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases are due to heart attacks and strokes.
A healthier heart means a happier beat. Taking proper care of your heart health at an early age lowers the risk of problems later in life. Let’s understand what steps you can take to keep your heart fit and full of life in every stage of life.
This is the most critical stage in anyone's life. From infancy your organs develop and so it needs to be supported by a healthy and disciplined routine. Most of your habits, whether good or bad, are formed in your early years which can impact heart health in the long run. Building good habits is the best step you can take to ensure your heart beats with strength and vitality.
Establishing an active lifestyle, doing regular physical activity and having a balanced diet, lays the foundation for a healthy heart. Limiting processed and sugary foods can greatly help in preventing risk factors such as obesity and cholesterol.
If you are in your 20s or 30s you should get a health screening to check blood pressure and measure body mass index, cholesterol, and sugar levels. This is a good time to start doing regular exercise and avoiding smoking.
Establishing a healthy lifestyle can have a lasting impact on your heart health as well as your overall well-being. Add fruits and vegetables to your diet and practice Yoga and/or meditation to manage your stress.
Regular heart check-ups become quite important in your 30s. This is also a time when most of us are growing our families. Surprisingly with the birth of children parents start to keep an eye on their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, to ensure they lead a healthy life in their formative years.
The risk of heart disease tends to increase in your 40s and 50s. Therefore, regular heart check-ups including blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels become essential.
Engage in activities that bring joy and reduce your stress. Visit a heart specialist annually even if you feel fit and fine.
In your 40s and 50s, it is highly recommended to maintain a healthy weight, stay physically active, and prioritise your diet as it becomes extremely important to eat well as you get older.
Also, the symptoms of heart attack should be checked regularly, such as chest pain or pressure, pain in the jaw, neck or left shoulder, heartburn, fatigue, and breathlessness.
Once you cross your 50s and enter the 60s, lifestyle choices still matter, but existing conditions might need special care and attention. This is one such stage in your life when you may need medicines to control blood pressure and other conditions, depending on your overall risk of heart attack and stroke.
Your doctor can easily calculate your risk of heart disease and stroke over the next 10 years by using key measures like blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and sometimes other tests such as coronary calcium scan.
The doctor uses this information to suggest whether preventive medications may be useful or suggest different treatment options. Keep in mind that it's never too late to make lifestyle changes to improve your heart health.
Try to count your daily steps and eat more fruits and vegetables. Do all you can to manage chronic conditions as advised by the doctor. Consult your doctor the moment you feel something unusual or any specific symptoms of heart-related problems.
To summarise, an unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and tobacco and alcohol abuse are some of the most important behavioural risk factors for heart diseases and strokes. Air pollution is another environmental factor that increases the risk of heart problems. However, it’s never too late to make changes that can make a real difference to your heart at every stage of life. For an assessment of your heart health, reach out to our expert team of cardiologists. Book a consultation here: (link)
Yes, heart disease can be prevented even if it runs in your family. All you need to do is to make adjustments to your lifestyle.
There is no standard answer to this question, but young adults should have their blood pressure and cholesterol checked at least once by age 21. After that, an adult should have these checked at least once every 4-5 years.
You can start worrying about health at any age, but there are certain things that you need to consider at different stages of your life like eating habits and overall lifestyle.
Generally, men develop cardiovascular disease at a younger age and have a higher risk of coronary heart disease than women. On the other hand, women are at a higher risk of stroke, which often occurs at older age.
