MensHealth.com.ph Web

Health

Your kin slayers

By Hazel Pascual

Richard is a 35-year-old badminton coach and plays the sport almost everyday. One time, he felt shortness of breath, sat down after playing, then suddenly collapsed. Good thing he was rushed at once by his badminton pals to the nearest hospital; or else he could have been another one of the 70,000 Filipinos who die of heart disease each year.

 

Heart attack and stroke are the leading killer diseases of Filipinos. These predators take away our loved ones and shatter dreams. There are a lot of misconceptions about heart disease and stroke as well. For instance, Richard thought that as long as he exercised and did not smoke, he was healthy. He did not control his diet, which was comprised of a lot of lechon, bagoong, patis, and fastfood. Don't be as oblivious to these facts. Read on to find ways to protect yourself, your family, and friends.

Heart Disease

Heart disease is number one killer of both Filipino men and women. There are different types of heart diseases like rheumatic heart disease, hypertension with heart involvement and Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) or heart attack. Many people die of heart attack and this happens when an artery becomes blocked, preventing blood that carries oxygen and nutrients from getting to the heart. With inadequate oxygen supply, an area of the heart muscle dies, or is permanently damaged.

According to Rafael Castillo, MD, past president of the Philippine Heart Association, some heart attacks are unexpected and severe but most start slowly, with slight pain or discomfort. Those that are affected aren't quite sure what's wrong, and they get help when it's already too late. The following are signs that can mean a heart attack is occurring: Discomfort at the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes away and then comes back. It may feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing pain, a tight band on the chest or "an elephant sitting on your chest."

Discomfort or pain in other areas of the upper body like in the jaw, teeth, neck, one or both arms, stomach, or back

Shortness of breath, which may occur with or without chest discomfort

Other signs like breaking into cold sweat, cough, nausea or vomiting, lightheadedness or dizziness, and fainting

"If you or someone with you is experiencing these symptoms, don't wait. Go to a hospital right away," cautions Dr. Castillo. "If you are the one having these signs, don't drive yourself to the hospital unless you have no other option."

During the physical examination, the doctor will usually observe a rapid pulse. Blood pressure may be high, low or normal. Using a stethoscope, the doctor may hear crackles in the lungs, heart murmurs, or other abnormal sounds.

Vascular System Diseases (Stroke)

Diseases of the vascular system are number two on the death list, which include cerebrovascular disease or stroke, atherosclerosis, and aortic aneurysm. Among Filipinos, stroke or "brain attack" is the most common and this occurs because of lack of bloodflow to the brain ("ischemic stroke") or in some cases, bleeding in the brain ("hemorrhagic stroke"). According to the American Stroke Association, blood vessels in the brain are damaged, become blocked due to fat deposits or a wandering blood clot, blocking the flow of blood to a part of the brain. If there is a lack of blood, which carries oxygen and nutrients, brain cells die causing permanent damage.

The warning signs of stroke include:

Unexpected numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body

Severe headache without any known cause

Swallowing difficulties or drooling

Rapid trouble seeing in one or both eyes, uncontrollable eye movements, eyelid drooping

Sudden dizziness or vertigo (spinning sensation), difficulty in walking; there is loss of balance or coordination.

Abrupt confusion; there is trouble in speaking, reading, writing or in understanding speech.

Personality changes, mood changes like depression or apathy

If you or someone with you is experiencing these signs, act fast and head to the hospital immediately. Getting treatment at once can save the victim's life and reduce chances of disability. Ideally, the patient must receive therapy within three hours from when the stroke began. Treatment varies, depending on the cause of stroke and its severity. For virtually all strokes, hospitalization is needed, with intensive care and life support.

A person may also have a "mini-stroke," which occurs for a short time when less blood than normal goes to the brain. A "mini-stroke" is a sign of a full stroke to come so it is important to know the signals.

High blood pressure is the primary reason that you may have a stroke. The risks of stroke include increasing age, family history of stroke, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes and heart disease. These are also part of the risks for heart disease. (See "Your Risk Factors for Heart Disease.")

Some medications may increase the chances of clot formation, and consequently, the risks of stroke. In addition, cocaine use, alcohol abuse, head injury, and bleeding disorders increase the chances of bleeding into the brain.

For those who survive a stroke, only 10 percent recover most or all functions. The majority experience long-term disabilities. Therefore, the best protection is to prevent a stroke from happening by:

Getting screened for high blood pressure at least every two years, especially if you have a history of high blood pressure

Having your cholesterol checked

Treating high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease if present

Following a low-fat diet

Losing weight if you are overweight

Avoiding excessive alcohol use—no more than 1-2 drinks per day

Exercising regularly

Quitting smoking

Final Advice

Heart attack and stroke are both life and death emergencies, where every second counts. Today, heart attack and stroke victims can benefit from new medications and treatments like clot-busting drugs that help stop the progress of heart attacks and stroke, reducing disability and saving lives. However, to be effective, these drugs must be given quickly after the heart attack or stroke symptoms appear. That is why you should not delay and get help right away. At least Richard's friends knew this and that's what saved him. For Richard, everything is back to normal, including his sex life.

 

Your Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Know the type and number of risk factors you have for heart disease, which is the number one killer of Filipinos.


The best way to fight the disease knowing the enemy. A risk factor is something that increases your chances of getting a disease or condition. Some can be controlled, while some can’t.

Risk Factors You Cannot Control

Gender, age, family and personal history are risk factors that cannot be changed. However, modifying risk factors you can change will still lower your overall risk of developing heart disease.

1. Are you male, and is 45 and above?

Increasing age increases your risk for heart disease. In the middle decades of life, the risk of heart disease is 3-4 times greater for men than for women. For both men over 45 and women over 55, the risk gradually increases with age.

2. Do you have a personal history of heart disease, blocked arteries or stroke?

The risk of a heart attack is 5-7 times greater for people who have a personal history of a heart attack or stroke than for people who never had any. You can still lower your risk a lot by eliminating controllable risks and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

3. Did an adult family member have a heart attack or die suddenly at an early age (men: before the age of 55; women: before the age of 65)?

Genetics play a major role in heart disease.

Risk Factors You Can Control

Even if you have one or more of the risk factors above, you can still lower your overall risk by eliminating the risk factors below.

4. Are you usually physically inactive or do you not usually engage in physical activities like walking, jogging, aerobics, swimming or sports, about 30 minutes per day, three times a week?

A sedentary lifestyle increases your risk of heart disease. Regular physical activity can cut your risk of heart disease in half. Not only that, it will also improve your energy level and your ability to cope with stress.

5. Do you have high blood pressure (140/90 or higher)?

High blood pressure makes your heart work harder than it needs to. In time, high blood pressure makes your heart weak. When you reduce your blood pressure, you also lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and blindness.

You don’t know your blood pressure? It’s good to find out.

6. Are you overweight?

Being overweight or extremely overweight increases your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. When you are overweight, just losing 10-15 pounds can significantly lower your risk.

7. Do you usually have a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol (red meats, whole milk, cream, butter, cheese, creamy dressings, gravy, fastfood, desserts, fried foods)?

Eating foods high in fat and cholesterol can increase blood cholesterol levels. Cholesterol can clog the arteries and cause heart disease. Foods with low or no saturated fat such as bread, whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables, peas or beans maybe protective to your heart.

8. Is your blood cholesterol at borderline or high level(200 mg/dl or 5.2 mmol/L and above)?

Too much cholesterol in the blood can result to clogged arteries and sooner or later coronary heart disease. A total blood cholesterol level of under 200 mg/dL is ideal and usually puts you at a lower risk for heart disease. A blood cholesterol level of 200-239 mg/dL is considered borderline to high and usually increases your risk for heart disease. A total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL is high and increases your risk of heart disease. All adults aged 20 years or older should have their blood cholesterol level checked at least once in every five years.

9. Do you have diabetes, or abnormally high blood sugar or sugar in the urine?

If you are a diabetic, you have two to three times higher risk of getting heart disease than a person without diabetes. A healthy lifestyle, which includes weight loss if you are overweight, regular moderate physical activity such as walking, and a healthy diet high in dietary fiber and low in refined foods, can help reduce your risk for heart disease.

10. Do you currently smoke?

Smokers are twice likely to have a heart attack than nonsmokers. By not smoking, you can reduce your risk of a heart attack in half or even more.

Your Risk Factor/s: __ out of the 10 possible

0-1: You’re in good shape.
2-4: There is room for improvement.
>5: See your doctor ASAP.

The ideal is not to have any risk factor present because the more risk factors you have, the greater your chances of getting heart disease. But don’t lose heart (pun intended); you can control most of these risk factors. Just get busy.

Advertisement