Question

Research and discuss prevention treatments options available for heart disease (site using APA and add references when needed)

- Describe the common primary, secondary and tertiary prevention strategies for heart disease

- Describe common treatments used on individuals as heart disease progresses and determine which may be appropriate for informing public heath strategies

- Illustrate how the identified prevention and treatment options might be able to inform future strategies aimed at improving public health. Support your discussion with specific examples.  

Answer 1

Heart disease is the major cause of death and disability in the United States. But the good news is that many of the major risks of this condition can be prevented and controlled through healthy lifestyle changes. There are many things that we can do to reduce the chance of getting heart disease.

Prevention of heart disease:

Regular health screenings:

• Control blood pressure- High blood pressure is a major cause of heart disease. It is very important to have the blood pressure checked atleast once in a year to screen for high blood pressure as a risk factor for developing heart disease and stroke, starting at the age of 18. People of the age of 40 years and older are at high risk of developing heart disease due to high blood pressure.
• Cholesterol levels- Adults must generally have their cholesterol levels measured once in every five years starting at the age of 18. Earlier testing is recommended if you have other risk factors, such as family history of early onset of heart disease.
• Diabetes screening- Since diabetes is a risk factor for developing heart disease, fasting blood sugar test or hemoglobin A1C is done to check for diabetes. Dependong on the risk factors of an individual, such as being over weight or having a family history of diabetes, the doctor may recommend early screening for diabetes. If weight is normal and there are no other risk factors seen, the American Diabetes Association recommends starting screening at the age of 45 and then retesting again every three years.

Healthy lifestyle- Regular excercise and weight management :

Being over weight, especially around the abdomen, increases the risk of heart disease. Metabolic syndrome, is a combination of fat around the abdomen, high blood pressure, high sugar levels and high triglycerides also increase the risk of heart disease. Therefore, maintaining body weight by doing regular excercise, staying active throughout the day and managing a proper balanced diet is essential. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help protect your heart. Avoid or limit the intake of saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fats.

Dont smoke or use tobacco:

Smoking or use of tobacco of any kind is one of the most significant risk factor for developing heart disease. Chemicals in tobacco can damage your heart and blood vessels, narrowing your arteries due to plague buildup (Atherosclerosis). When it comes to heart disease prevention no amount of smoking is safe. Smokeless tobacco, low tar, low nicotine cigarettes, second hand smoke also can be risky. However the good news is, the risk of coronary heart disease risk significantly reduces one year after quitting.

Manage stress: Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Sleep deprivation can harm your health leading to high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack. Develop regular sleeping pattern of minimum 8 hours every day for a healthy heart.