A shocking statistic, about 600,000 Americans die of heart disease every year, making it the leading cause of death for both men and women. Annually, 720,000 Americans have a heart attack, and 515,000 of those are their first heart attack. It is no secret that heart disease is definitely something that everyone should be extremely conscious of, and taking preventative measures against heart disease is crucial to living a long life of heart health. Thankfully, the American Heart Association has given people in all age ranges tips that they can live by in order to achieve wonderful cardiac health. Dr. Michael Kirk and Dr. Adam Cohlmia want their patients to be as knowledgeable as possible in order to have a healthy heart.

One thing you can do while you are in your 20s is find a doctor whom you trust and have regular wellness exams. This is very important in making sure that everything in your body is running copasetic and working in tandem.  It is important that your doctor knows about your diet and lifestyle. Your doctor will be able to perform heart-health screenings, making sure that everything internally is working well. Also, being physically active and avoiding tobacco-based products, even secondhand smoke, is a wonderful way to make sure your heart stays in great condition. In your 30s, it is important to know your family history of heart disease, as knowledge is always very powerful.  When you know your family history with heart disease, you can take the proper steps in making sure you avoid heart disease altogether. Taming your stress is another wonderful thing you can do in your 30s in order to avoid heart disease. When you experience stress long-term, that can result in an increased heart rate and heightened blood pressure, giving your arteries the opportunity to damage.

When you are in your 40s, paying attention to your weight and having your blood sugar level checked are important. Your metabolism starts slowing down in your 40s, and adding on extra weight on your body only puts stress on your heart to work harder. You should have a fasting blood glucose test by the time you are 45, and every three years after that. Paying attention to snoring is also important, as one in five adults suffer from sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

In your 50s and 60s, it is important to maintain a healthy diet, focusing on a lot of fruits and vegetables, fish, and having some meals without meat. Being aware of the warning signs of heart disease and stroke are also important, as you can be more aware as to what to look for. Being sure you stay on any sort of treatment plan you may have is another wonderful way to avoid heart disease. Also in your 60s, having an ankle-brachial index test done every two years is important, as it is able to measure the amount of plaque that has been able to build up in the arteries of the leg.

By keeping these tips in mind, you are sure to be more aware of your risk of heart disease, and will have many preventative measures already in place in order to accomplish a full life with a healthy heart!

If you’d like to set up an appointment, call us today at El Reno Family Dentistry. Our office is located in El Reno and serves patients from El Reno, Yukon, Minco, Calumet, Hinton, and other communities in the Canadian County.