CHENANGO COUNTY — February is American Heart Month. The purpose of this health observance is to increase public awareness of cardiovascular health. Chenango County Public Health would like to encourage everyone to take heart healthy measures to improve their heart health.

What is heart disease and what are key risk factors?

The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects the blood flow to the heart. Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack. Several health conditions, your lifestyle, your age, and family history can increase your risk for heart disease.

About half of all Americans (47%) have at least one of three key risk factors for heart disease. They are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease. These include diabetes, being overweight, an unhealthy diet, inactivity, and excessive alcohol use.

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women. Heart disease can happen at any age, but the risk goes up as you age.

Symptoms of heart disease include chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, upper body discomfort, dizziness, and shortness of breath.

Symptoms can also include arrhythmia, which is fluttering feelings in the chest (palpitations), and heart failure, which can present as shortness of breath, fatigue, or swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, abdomen, or neck veins.

With a healthy heart you can do more of what you love. It’s not always easy to break old habits or make healthy changes. The CDC’s “Heart-Healthy Steps” campaign encourages adults to get on track with small steps.

To keep your heart healthy, manage your risk factors: Keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar in a healthy range; schedule a medical appointment; take small steps to become more active; create healthy eating habits that work for you - even small changes to your diet can make a big difference to your heart health; and find healthy ways to manage stress.

Learn more at hearthealthysteps.org and cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/heart-disease-stroke.htm

Persons with questions or requiring additional information may contact the Chenango County Health Department at 607-337-1660.

-Information provided by the Chenango County Health Department