Did you know heart disease claims a life in the U.S. every 37 seconds? Research from the American Heart Association has found that nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have some form of cardiovascular disease.
While you may already know the main culprits behind heart disease like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and a history of smoking, there are other unexpected risk factors that can have a big impact on your heart health.
“I’m going up the stairs and I’m pulling myself up the stairs,” recalled Vickey Soennichsen.
She was having a heart attack.
It happens to more than 800,000 people each year. But 1 in 5 heart attacks is silent. And the person isn’t aware of the damage that’s being done.
“I had a patient who had a toothache that turned out to be her symptom for having a heart attack,” said Dr. Annabelle Santos Volgman, a cardiologist at Rush University Medical Center.
That’s not the only thing you need to know, Where you live plays a crucial role. The American Heart Association found southern states have the highest rate of death by heart disease. They believe it’s because more people live in poverty, with less access to fresh fruit, safe places to walk or access to health care.
The quality of your tap water also has an impact. Researchers at Columbia found people exposed to high levels of arsenic in their drinking water were 42% more likely to develop heart disease.
But don’t replace water with diet soda. Women over 50 who drink two or more diet sodas or any kind of artificially sweetened drinks a day, face an increased risk of stroke and heart attack.
Even what happens during pregnancy impacts a woman’s heart health. Complications like gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, and gestational diabetes significantly increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life.
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And if a woman hits menopause before they turn 42, new research shows the odds of having a heart attack or stroke may be twice as high than if you go through it later.
Meanwhile, having constant low-level stress can cause you to be 40% more likely to have a heart attack. The doc’s best advice? Surround yourself with good people and be good to yourself.
If you think heart disease begins in our 50s … think again.
A study published in JAMA found that heart health begins to decline around age 10 if children have unhealthy lifestyles. This includes poor diet, lack of exercise, and smoking. These early habits significantly increase their risk of heart attacks and strokes later in life.
