Heart Health: Keep your ticker happy!

Heart health refers to the condition of your heart. Your heart is the most vital organ that beats every second and supplies blood to every organ. This is why it important to take care of your heart. There are many things that help protect your heart health and others that may lead to heart conditions. Being conscious about your heart health helps you protect it better. Read on to know more about some heart health tips and factors affecting heart health.

Why is heart health important?

Undoubtedly, your heart is a vital organ that works around the clock. Your heart health plays a role in determining your overall health. This is why your heart health cannot take a backseat in your list of priorities. Being aware about your heart health can benefit you in many ways. You may be able to reduce or prevent your risk of a heart disease. And though some heart diseases may be inevitable with age, a healthy lifestyle from the start may help you fight or prevent it.

What are common heart health risks?

There are some health conditions that put your heart health at risk. Though these conditions are common, you can lower your risk or even prevent them. Here are some common conditions that increase heart health risks:

• Obesity
• Abnormal cholesterol levels
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure

All of these conditions increase the strain on your heart and affects its efficiency. If left untreated, they may lead to or increase your chances of a heart disease.

What are the factors affecting heart health?

The factors affecting your heart health can be majorly divided in two categories – controllable and non-controllable. You cannot control your genetics or your family history. But you can take measures that may help lower the risk and give you better chance of fighting it. Your lifestyle is something that you can control. You can take note of your unhealthy habits and work towards changing them.

Some controllable and non-controllable factors affecting your heart health are as below.

Controllable

• Smoking and alcohol habits

  Alcohol and smoking have a direct effect on your heart health. They may increase your blood pressure, which can lead to a heart condition.

• Diet

  If your diet consists of unhealthy, fatty food it may result in an increased risk of obesity or high cholesterol. These conditions affect your heart health and can lead to heart condition.

• Physical activity

  The heart is a muscle and long periods of inactivity may lead to a weaker and inefficient heart. It may also increase your risks of a heart disease.

Non-controllable

• Age and gender

  When it comes to a heart disease, men are more at risk than women. This is because of the difference in their body structure and symptoms. With age too, you may become vulnerable to certain heart diseases. For women, 55 is age when risk increases and for men it is 45.

• Ethnicity

  Certain ethnicities have a higher risk of heart disease. This is because of the genes they carry that increase their risk of a heart condition.

• Family history

  Your risk factor of a heart disease increases if you have family member or close relative with the same condition due to genes.

What are the different types of heart disease?

There are different types of heart disease some which are outside your control, and some are preventable. These include the following

Congenital heart disease (CHD)

These are heart defects that are present since birth. However, certain types of CHD do not show any symptom until adulthood.

Arrythmia

This is a heart disease where there is an abnormality in the heart rhythm. There are mainly 2 types of arrythmias. One where your heart beats slowly and one where your heart beats at a faster rate than normal.

Coronary artery disease (CAD)

When there is plaque build-up, it may lead to CAD. It is also known as coronary heart disease and is one of the most common types of heart diseases. The plaque build-up in your arteries results in reduced blood supply and oxygen to the organs.

What are the common heart disease symptoms?

The symptoms of a heart disease vary depending on the type of heart disease you have. However, there are some common heart disease symptoms as follows.

• Chest discomfort, pain, or tightness
• Breathlessness
• Numbness, cold, pain in arms or legs
• Irregular heartbeat
• Weakness and fatigue
• Swelling in feet, ankles, or legs

What heart health tips can you follow?

Here are some heart health tips that you can include in your life. This will help keep you and your heart healthy.

• Stay active
• Have a healthy and balanced diet
• Manage stress well
• Quit smoking and drinking too much
• Manage your blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Maintain an ideal weight

What are the benefits of a regular heart health checkup?

Sometimes, a heart disease may go unnoticed if you do not see any symptoms. This may lead to a more complication situation in future. To avoid this, you should get regular heart health checkups. Having regular heart health checkup may help in the following

• Early detection of a heart disease or condition
• Prompt and effective treatment options
• Helps you stay aware about your current heart health
• Lowers your risks of a heart disease
• Reduces your health costs
• Helps improve your overall well-being

Getting a heart health checkup on a regular basis can reduce your current and future worries. Check out the Healthy Heart Tests package available on Bajaj Finserv Health. These affordable packages offer up to 100 tests that will help you know your heart and overall health better. From checking your lipid profile to cardiac risk markers, this package is all you need. Apart from this, you can also book in-clinic or online appointments with the best cardiologists on Bajaj Finserv Health. With regular heart health checkups and consultations with doctors, you can take proactive measures to protect your heart health.