February 2025 Health Tip - Heart Health

by J. Renee Livsey |  February 8, 2025

 
Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States and is more prevalent in Black Americans than other ethnicities. The good news is that there is a lot you can do to prevent heart disease.
 
The risk factors for heart disease are:
 
History of high blood pressure and/or diabetes
History of high cholesterol
Being overweight
Tobacco use
Sedentary lifestyle
Unhealthy diet
 
 
Chest pain can be scary — especially if you don’t know what it means. Two common types of chest pain are heartburn and heart attacks. And they even have similar symptoms.
 
What is heartburn?
Heartburn is discomfort or pain that occurs when food and stomach acid back up into the esophagus — the tube that leads from the throat to the stomach.
 
Common signs include:
A burning sensation in the chest or stomach
Foul breath and a sour, acidic, or metallic taste in the mouth
More gas or belching than usual
Coughing, especially when lying down
Symptoms that start after eating or lying down

An antacid should help relieve your symptoms. You can also try drinking a glass of water with a spoonful of baking soda stirred in. Is heartburn keeping you from sleeping? Propping yourself up in bed can help.
 
When to get medical help: Contact your doctor for advice if:
 
An antacid doesn’t temporarily ease your symptoms
This is the first time you’ve had heartburn
Your symptoms have changed or worsened
If you’re suffering from persistent heartburn and have one or more risk factors for heart disease, get medical attention right away.
 
What are the signs of a heart attack?
A heart attack can happen anytime. It can occur randomly or after physical or emotional stress. And it can last for several minutes or longer. Chest discomfort that goes away in seconds is almost never from a heart attack. Both women and men can feel the well-known warning signs of a heart attack. These are the symptoms you see in movies and TV shows, like:
 
Pain, tightness, or pressure in the chest
Discomfort traveling to the arm, neck, or jaw
Shortness of breath
Sweating
 
For women absolutely nothing is typical in terms of heart attack symptoms. Warning signs for heart attacks in women could be a general unwell feeling or a few milder symptoms, like:
 
Nausea
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Back discomfort
Lightheadedness
 
When to get medical help: If you think you're having a heart attack, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
 
Taking control of our heart health is the first step to overall wellness!