Most premature deaths related to cardiovascular disease are preventable. Find out how to take care of your heart.
Cardiovascular disease (which affects the heart and blood vessels) is among the most common health problems and the most deadly diseases in Canada. Certain factors can predispose a person—man or woman—to have a cardiovascular problem, including: poor diet, sedentariness (lack of exercise), smoking, stress, being overweight or obesity, as well as a family history of heart disease and certain other conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, etc.). Therefore, you have a significant role to play in keeping your heart and blood vessels healthy.
For additional information on the ways to maintain cardiovascular health, we suggest that you read the following texts:
We often hear about good and bad cholesterol, but what does it mean exactly? For many individuals, these notions remain unclear, and their impact not well understood. In short, bad cholesterol is the one to watch closely. This substance builds up on the walls of the blood vessels, which contributes to the onset of atherosclerosis, leading to the obstruction of these vessels. Potentially serious cardiovascular diseases like myocardial infarction or stroke, may follow.
Optimal control of blood cholesterol levels depends on several factors, some of which can be controlled by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
For additional information about cholesterol and hypercholesterolemia, we suggest that you read the following text:
Hypertension, also known as “high blood pressure”, is also a significant threat to cardiovascular health. It not only causes damage to the heart and blood vessels, but to other organs such as the brain, eyes, and kidneys as well. High blood pressure is an insidious disease, as most of the time it does not present any particular symptoms, thereby causing harm without the person’s knowledge. Blood pressure can be monitored using a device called a “tensiometer”.
For additional information about high blood pressure, we suggest that you read the following text:
A healthy and balanced diet, and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce your risk of heart attack, by enabling you to better control you blood pressure and cholesterol, among other things. Your food choices are also of critical importance. A diet which is rich in fruits, vegetables, fibre, and fish is beneficial to heart and blood vessel health.
Foods that are high in calories, sugar, and fat are generally not very good choices.
For additional information about the impact of diet on cardiovascular health, we suggest that you read the following texts:
It is a well-known fact—cigarette smoke damages the lungs. That said, this is also true for a number of other organs, including your heart and blood vessels, which are also affected by the harmful effects of smoking. Smoking is at the top of the list of risk factors for heart disease. It is estimated that roughly one third of heart disease is directly linked to smoking. The good news is that quitting smoking reduces the risk of heart disease linked to smoking by about 50% after one year and to normal percentages after five years.
If you are considering to quit smoking, start thinking about strategy. Ask yourself what will help you develop an action plan that will help you succeed. Pharmacists are knowledgeable about smoke cessation and can accompany you and help you each step of the way, so don’t hesitate to talk to them.
For additional information about the benefits of quitting smoking, we suggest that you read the following texts:
In order to keep your heart young and healthy, focus on a healthy lifestyle and, in certain cases, on medication.
Drugs used for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease are of paramount importance. If you are not sure why a drug has been prescribed to you, or what the benefits and risks of the treatment are, ask your pharmacist for more information.
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