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Heart Health | Johns Hopkins Medicine



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5 Heart Numbers You Need to Know




Stay Healthy

5 Healthy-Heart Steps That Take Just Minutes



Eat Smart

The Truth About 4 Popular Heart Health Supplements




Know Your Risks

Risk Factors for Heart Disease: Don’t Underestimate Stress




Know Your Risks

Surprising Body Cues That Could Be a Heart Concern




Eat Smart

Heart-Healthy Eating on a Budget



Heart Health Wellness and Prevention 


  • Heart Conditions


  • Physical Activity for Heart Health


  • Know Your Heart Risks


  • Maintaining Heart Health


  • Heart-Smart Eating


  • Recipes for Heart Health


  • Low-Fat Recipes


  • Low-Sodium Recipes


  • Low Cholesterol Recipes




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All Heart Health Articles

From the latest heart health news, treatments and therapies, inspiring patient stories, to expert advice, we’re here to help you live your healthiest life every day.

THE LATEST

Magnesium helps keep bones strong, nerves and muscles working properly, and blood sugar under control. It’s also necessary for maintaining a steady heartbeat and normal blood pressure to maintain heart health.

By Mary Elizabeth DallasJune 13, 2023

These vitamin and mineral pairings add up to a healthier heart. A few dynamic duos: vitamin D and magnesium, iron and vitamin C, and more.

By Julie StewartJune 07, 2023

A heart-healthy diet will help keep your arteries clear after angioplasty. Learn about heart-healthy foods to eat as part of your heart disease treatment plan.

By Diana RodriguezJune 03, 2023

You don’t need equipment or an expensive gym membership to get regular exercise.

By Lisa RapaportMay 30, 2023

Period cycle lengths shorter than 22 days or longer than 34 days may signal stress and heart disease risk, according to a large new study.

By Becky UphamMay 26, 2023

One woman in the United States dies from heart disease every minute, and the risk increases with age. Find out how to best protect your heart in this decade-by-decade guide to healthy living and wellness.

By Sandra GordonMay 26, 2023

Sexual minority women appear to score lower on heart health scores compared with straight women and gay and bisexual men, according to a recent study.

By Becky UphamMay 18, 2023

Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. Make the most of your time with a cardiologist by taking steps to prepare for the appointment.

By Meryl Davids LandauMay 02, 2023

Despite their popularity, keto and paleo diets may not be great for long-term heart health — but the Mediterranean diet still ranks high.

By Kaitlin SullivanApril 28, 2023

Behavioral programs can help people lower their blood pressure, cholesterol, and average blood sugar levels, even if the weight loss isn’t maintained.

By Don RaufMarch 30, 2023

Women are more likely than men to struggle with anxiety and potential PTSD after cardiac arrest, according to a new study. Knowing the signs can help.

By Don RaufMarch 28, 2023

Iron deficiency anemia can make existing heart problems worse; it can cause them if it’s severe enough. Get the facts to protect your heart.

By Quinn PhillipsMarch 21, 2023

The risks for stroke, heart attack, and early death were all lower for women who followed the Mediterranean diet, according to a new study.

By Lisa RapaportMarch 20, 2023

Experts weigh in on his progress and what to do if you suspect someone is in cardiac arrest.

By Don RaufFebruary 15, 2023

Eating loads of processed sugar can affect your heart in much the same way too much fat and cholesterol does.

By Kaitlin SullivanFebruary 14, 2023

Erectile dysfunction drugs may reduce the risk of early death from heart attack and stroke.

By Don RaufJanuary 25, 2023

Cardiomyopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of conditions that affect the heart muscle. Learn more about causes, types, and treatments.

By Don RaufJanuary 05, 2023

The Buffalo Bills player remains in critical condition. Here’s more on cardiac arrest, including how it differs from heart attack and why it’s so dangerous.

By Becky UphamJanuary 03, 2023

According to a large Swedish study published in April 2019 in the journal ‘Circulation,’ hands-only CPR doubled a person’s odds of surviving at least 30 days after cardiac arrest.

By Linda ThrasybuleJanuary 03, 2023

Omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, and CoQ10 may reduce heart disease risks, but vitamins C and E, selenium, and beta-carotene come up short, a new study finds.

By Becky UphamDecember 08, 2022

See More

Healthy Heart | p4spb

Heart health plays an important role in a full human life. Cardiovascular diseases rank first among the causes of death in people in the world, incl. and Russia. And sadly, these diseases are getting younger and younger. The statistics of cardiovascular diseases looks disappointing: about 17.9 million people die annually in the world, including 1.3 million in Russia. Heart and vascular diseases in Russians account for 53% of total mortality. The main role here is played by coronary heart disease and arterial hypertension with its complications – myocardial infarctions and strokes. If all over the world heart attacks and strokes on average lead to a fatal outcome of one person per thousand, then in our country – three per thousand population.

The state of the organs and systems of the body, and hence the life expectancy of a person, depends on the proper functioning of the heart and the entire cardiovascular system.

An unhealthy lifestyle that leads to the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system is most often formed in childhood and adolescence, and with age, the risk of heart and vascular diseases only increases.

Risk factors that negatively affect the cardiovascular system of a teenager: lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet and obesity, harmful use of alcohol and tobacco, the presence of negative emotions.

​

Prevention of cardiovascular diseases should start from childhood. The following rules for a healthy heart will help strengthen the young heart of a teenager:

​

Rule 1. Physical activity!

Low physical activity leads to weakness of the heart muscle. The heart does not fully cope with its functions, and violations occur. Physical activity is simply necessary for your heart: this is gymnastics, swimming, walking, cycling, tennis, walking in the fresh air, feasible work. Such physical activity strengthens the cardiorespiratory system, normalizes blood pressure, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Regular exercise reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by 3 times. To prevent diseases of the heart and blood vessels, physical activity is required, and the heart – like any muscle – requires physical training.

Active lifestyle – strong and healthy heart!

​

Rule 2. Healthy eating!

Proper nutrition is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. A teenager should eat regularly: 4-5 times a day in small portions with breaks no more than 3-4 hours, at the same time; have dinner no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime. Fluid needs to be consumed up to 2 liters per day. Adolescents need more nutrients and energy than children and adults (they should receive at least 29 per day00-3100 kcal). At the same time, their diet should be healthy and balanced: include a sufficient amount of fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meat, milk

and dairy products, vegetable oils, legumes, cereals, sea fish and seafood.

It is necessary to limit or eliminate the presence in the diet of fast carbohydrates, salt, flour, sweet, fatty and fried, the so-called fast food and other unhealthy foods.

Obesity in adolescents is based on an imbalance between the intake of energy in the body and its expenditure. The development of obesity as a result of overeating against the background of low physical activity leads to fatty deposits both in the heart and in the vessels – all this increases the risk of heart disease. Correction of nutrition, increasing the physical activity of a full child are the necessary components of the normalization of his weight.

A healthy diet can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.

​

Rule 3. Give up bad habits!

Smoking is the main enemy of your heart. Nicotine raises the level of cholesterol in the blood and destroys blood vessels. Tobacco smoke contains a huge amount of carcinogens that can lead to atherosclerosis. After one cigarette smoked, blood pressure rises, the risk of thrombosis and blockage of the arteries increases. Vasoconstriction during smoking causes oxygen starvation – hypoxia. Those who smoke several cigarettes a day have a 2-fold increase in the risk of stroke and heart attack. And the nicotine contained in cigarettes accumulates and settles in the bronchi and lungs.

Excessive and frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages and beer can damage the muscles and blood vessels of the heart. There may be disturbances in the rhythm and work of the heart. In the future, cardiomyopathy and various irreversible disorders in the structure and functioning of the cardiovascular system may develop.

​

Rule 4. Learn to manage stress!

Stress and negative emotions negatively affect heart health. These phenomena can lead to an increase in blood pressure, increase the load on the heart muscle. It is impossible to avoid stress and negative emotions in everyday life, but learning to cope with them is quite possible.

It is necessary to learn how to rest properly. Healthy sleep lasts 7-8 hours. To improve sleep quality, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time, stop watching TV and scrolling through the social media feed before bed.

Regular medical examinations are also important for the early detection of heart problems.

The main ways to reduce the risk of heart disease should be controlled by YOU, not the doctor!

For the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system, you will not need special pills, but only a responsible attitude towards yourself and your body, incl. and to your heart.

​

According to the World Heart Federation, 80% of heart disease is preventable through a healthy lifestyle!

A healthy lifestyle becomes most effective if it is adopted by parents, if their behavior, culture of communication, nutrition, hygiene habits, adherence to physical culture will be the conditions of everyday life for the child.

How to keep your heart healthy

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Content:

  • How to protect the heart from disease: what you need to know about the risk group

  • When to see a doctor

  • How to save the heart and blood vessels: leaflet

Unfortunately, we often think about how to maintain a healthy heart after the onset of signs of cardiovascular disease. Although it is possible to protect yourself from CVD even with a hereditary predisposition, since most of the risk factors are manageable. Even if you are diagnosed with a heart disease, you can live a fairly long and fulfilling life with adequate treatment and prevention – only 25% of patients die suddenly, even before the onset of symptoms of CVD.

How to protect the heart from disease: what you need to know about the risk group

There are many ways to keep the heart healthy, and these methods are available to each of us. First you need to determine if you are at risk.

Even if you have never been bothered by signs of heart disease, it is worth being reasonably vigilant and getting an examination. People aged 18-39 years need to check the heart every 3 years, patients over 40 years of age are shown an annual diagnosis. Even such a simple and affordable method as electrocardiography helps to detect heart problems in time and take action. According to statistics, 50% of the adult population suffer from one or another CVD: arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, etc., sometimes without even knowing their diagnosis.

CVD risk factors:

  • Age over 40 years (for men), over 50 years (for women).
  • Burdened heredity (any CVD in the anamnesis of relatives).
  • High levels of bad cholesterol.
  • Increased blood pressure.
  • Thyroid disease, diabetes.
  • Obesity.
  • Sedentary lifestyle.
  • Smoking.
  • Stress.

Scientists have done a lot of research to determine how certain factors affect the health of the heart and blood vessels. So, it was found that with physical inactivity, the fibers responsible for the work of the heart muscle and vascular walls atrophy. With any kind of stress, the production of adrenaline increases, namely, hormones cause the most severe symptoms of CVD – pain, heaviness in the chest, heart failure. Fortunately, the impact of stress on the body can be reduced through physical activity, walking, socializing and joyful emotions. It has been noted that with laughter, blood flow improves by 20-25%, as with physical exercise.

But even if you do not belong to the risk group and you have never been bothered by diseases of the cardiovascular system, this does not mean that CVD will never touch you. Over the years, the heart and blood vessels wear out in everyone, and the right lifestyle helps to maintain health.

When to see a doctor

Every person, especially middle-aged or elderly, at least once experienced discomfort in the region of the heart, especially against the background of fatigue, psycho-emotional overstrain, lack of sleep. A single symptom is not yet a reason to call an ambulance, but still a reason to at least undergo an ECG.

What signs may indicate CVD:

  • weakness, dizziness, loss of consciousness, fatigue more than usual;
  • clammy cold sweat;
  • increased heart rate;
  • unexplained anxiety, panic attacks;
  • shortness of breath, cough;
  • pain in chest, teeth, shoulder blade, shoulder;
  • nausea.

These signs may indicate CVD, but are also characteristic of other diseases, so the diagnosis needs to be clarified. But there are so-called “red flags” – dangerous symptoms that cannot be ignored: these are acute chest pains with a clear localization (may indicate exertional angina, heart attack), facial distortion, motor disorders and slurred speech (observed with a stroke).

How to save your heart and blood vessels: a reminder

Prevention is the easiest way to keep your cardiovascular system healthy. At the same time, the preventive measures are quite simple:

  • Make time for any physical activity: walk a few stops, walk up the stairs, not the elevator.
  • Reduce stress: watch comedies, not dramas, limit the flow of negative news.
  • Give up cigarettes.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Diversify your diet: there must be vegetables, herbs, fish, whole grain products on the table. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, B vitamins are especially useful for the heart.
  • Limit your salt intake to 1 tsp. per day. Remember, salt is already contained in semi-finished products, canned food, pastries. Don’t add food.
  • Seek medical attention if you notice an increase in blood pressure.
  • Check blood for clotting. Thick blood is thinned by foods with vitamin C.
  • Check your cholesterol, especially if you are over 40 years old.