HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — According to Crestwood Medical Center, heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, responsible for one in five adult deaths in the U.S. each year. The CDC estimates that one person dies every thirty six seconds from cardiovascular disease. FOX54 shares some action steps that can be taken to help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Crestwood Cardiologist Dr. Satyabrata Chatterjee explained that this year is special because it's a leap year, and that means an extra day to learn more about working to improve heart health. "That's why the the focus of Crestwood in doing this is so important because they are not looking, they are not saying, we will focus in on what is happening after you have a heart attack or after you have some form of heart disease, they're saying we try to get you before it happens."
Dr. Satyabrata believes Heart Month started out with President Johnson in 1964. "President Johnson was a heart patient and also a smoker. "He had heart attacks and things like that. So in February of 1964, he called it the heart month. That's where it all started." Some also trace it back to Valentine's Day.
So, what are some of the leading causes of heart disease? "Food is important. the bad habits of smoking is important. whether you should stay away from high, salty things, you know, preservation needs, adding more salt to the food. So if you don't eat fresh food, then you are just you're you will be susceptible to a lot of salt. So high blood pressure that causes high blood pressure. So all these things are very important," says Satyabrata.
Furthermore, some symptoms of heart disease include chest pain, shortness of breath and exercise intolerance." Those are the three main things that you watch for. So if they have a particular type of chest pain that occurs mostly when you are doing exercise, when you're doing something." That's something to seek medical attention on.