(WKBN) — February is American Coronary heart Month, a time to deal with cardiovascular well being.
In response to the American Coronary heart Affiliation, coronary heart illness is the primary killer of all People — and the illness kills extra ladies than all types of most cancers mixed.
However some folks nonetheless don’t know as a lot in regards to the coronary heart as they need to.
“50% of African American ladies over the age of 20 have coronary heart illness and so it’s only a very stunning statistic as a result of a whole lot of instances we see these as an older man’s illness,” stated Tracy Behnke with the American Coronary heart Affiliation.
She stated one of many largest misconceptions surrounding coronary heart well being is that you just’ll know you’re having a coronary heart assault if in case you have chest ache.
Whereas that’s a typical signal, there are different signs that would point out you want medical consideration, like shortness of breath and nausea.
Nonetheless, these signs don’t at all times imply you’re experiencing a coronary heart assault.
“Typically persons are experiencing simply anxiousness or issues like that they usually might mistake really them having a coronary heart assault for one thing with anxiousness,” Behnke stated.
In response to Mercy Well being, one of the harmful myths of all is that if in case you have coronary heart illness it’s best to take it simple.
Not sufficient motion can really double your danger of heart problems and improve the danger of hypertension.
Behnke says American Coronary heart Month comes at an ideal time.
“January 1, we’re all enthusiastic about New Yr’s resolutions, altering our life, form of taking these drastic modifications in some unspecified time in the future in time and by the point February hits a few of these might fall off so it’s a good time for us to simply form of be within the forefront,” Behnke stated.
She stated it’s the small steps that may actually make the largest impression. She stated figuring out your numbers and household historical past is a superb place to start out.