Take care of your heart.
Last year, heart-related deaths accounted for 36 percent of all deaths in Richland County, according to Richland Public Health’s vital statistics.
The number of heart-related deaths has been on an upward trend in the county, increasing from an average of 405 deaths a year over the last 18 years, to an average of 438 per year over the last four years, according to RPH.
Nationally, about 610,000 people die every year of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
RPH’s report shows 450 lives were lost due to a heart-related death last year in Richland County. The most common causes of heart-related deaths were heart attack and heart disease, according to Reed Richmond, health education and communications specialist at RPH.
The numbers spiked in the winter months, with 46 deaths in January, 52 in February and 55 in December.
“It’s common to see an uptick in the winter,” said Ellen Claiborne, health educator at RPH. This could be due to a combination of things, Claiborne said, like holiday stress and pigging out on unhealthy foods.
Also, cold weather can raise blood pressure as the heart works harder to keep the body warm.
High blood pressure, which is considered greater than 140/90 mmHg, can put you at risk for heart disease or a heart attack.
Other risk factors for heart disease and heart attack include:
- Obesity
- Family history of high blood pressure or heart attack
- Diabetes
- Physical inactivity
- High salt and fat intake
- Low intake of potassium (found in fresh fruits and vegetables)
- Smoking
- Increased age
To reduce your risk, try to counteract these factors where possible, Claiborne advised.
That means it’s wise to exercise — but don’t focus on just this one aspect and neglect other healthy habits. If there’s anything to be learned from celebrity personal trainer Bob Harper it’s that even physically fit people are susceptible to a heart attack.
You can be in shape yet have high blood pressure or have a high-fat, sodium-rich diet, which increases your risk of having a heart attack. That’s why it’s important in addition to working out you should:
- Follow a balanced diet
- Watch your salt intake
- The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams a day, ideally no more than 1,500 milligrams per day for most adults.
- Drink no more than two alcoholic drinks a day
- Have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked
- Stop smoking
- De-stress
One other tip Claiborne shared: don’t feel defeated.
“I think a lot of the time with heart health, people think that if (heart disease) runs in their family that it’s just inevitable that they’re going to get it, but research shows that it really can be a preventable disease by taking action early on and if you keep an eye on your blood pressure and stuff like that,” she said.
“There definitely is a genetic factor, but there’s also a lot of lifestyle changes that people can make to help prevent it.”
