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Debbie Pacillas
Special to Southwest Senior
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Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity for seniors. It accounts for 80-85 percent of all cardiac deaths in western countries. Expected age related changes in the cardiovascular system, brain, kidneys, musculoskeletal system, as well as changes in how the body reacts to medication can make the diagnosis and treatment of CAD more challenging in the senior population.
CAD is no longer a “man’s disease.” Typically females have a lower incidence of CAD, but by the age of 70 their rate CAD matches that of the men. Age is an independent and very strong risk factor for CAD. The risk for a man will increases by the time he reaches 55 years of age. For a woman, it’s by the time she reaches 65 years of age.
Although we can’t control our age, we can control many of the other risk factors associated with CAD. More importantly, if you have been diagnosed with CAD, you can have a big impact in preventing future heart attacks and surgery.
Smoking
This is the most powerful of the controllable risk factors. Quitting is the best thing you can do for your heart and reduce your chances by 50 percent of having another cardiac event. Try, try and try again. On average it takes 7 attempts to quit before being successful.
High Cholesterol
Limit the animal fat and trans fat in your diet. Some people are genetically prone to high cholesterol and may need medication in addition to diet and exercise. Know your numbers and discuss treatment with your physician. It’s not enough to have your total cholesterol under 200. Find out what your LDL, HDL, and triglycerides are as well.
High Blood Pressure
This is known as the silent killer because typically there are not any symptoms of high blood pressure. Know your blood pressure, understand the treatment, and never take yourself off of your blood pressure medication. Many people stop taking the medicine because they keep hearing “your blood pressure is good.”
This just means the medication is doing its job – you still need it. Discuss any concerns you may have with blood pressure medication with your physician.
Diabetes
The majority of diabetics will suffer some form of CAD. You may not be able to prevent diabetes, but you sure can control it with diet, exercise, and medication. Know what your blood sugar levels are as well as you Hemoglobin A1C.
Inactivity
Exercise can help reduce blood pressure, cholesterol/triglycerides, and help to control your blood sugar levels. It can also help you to manage your stress levels, and serve as part of your smoking cessation program and maintain your ideal weight. The benefits of exercising on a regular basis, 4-7 days a week, clearly outweigh the risks when done appropriately.
If you have undergone open heart surgery or have suffered a heart attack, ask your physician about enrolling in an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program.
Obesity
Maintaining your ideal weight is the best defense to many of the risk factors. Being overweight lends itself to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Exercising on a regular basis and watching your caloric intake is the best way to combat the battle of the bulge.
Stress/ Mental Health
More and more research suggests that there is a very strong connection between emotional health and heart disease. This not only includes high levels of chronic stress, but anger, guilt and hostility as well. These emotions cause elevated levels of C-reactive protein, which is associated with inflammation. Inflamed blood vessels provide a very good setting for the development of CAD.
Some other ways to promote good mental health are connecting with a pet, releasing your emotions, laughing, engaging in a relaxing hobby or activity. You can also reach out to others for help and support.
It is extremely important to recognize the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Even though seniors can experience some specific symptoms as mentioned earlier, it is still wise to pay attention to the conventional warning signs. Those symptoms are as follow: chest pain or pressure, radiating chest pain into an arm (usually the left side), sudden shortness or breath, nausea, dizziness, palpitations and fainting. Jaw pain, shoulder pain or even sudden upper back pain can also indicate a heart attack. Don’t hesitate. Seek immediate medical attention by calling 911. Never drive yourself to the emergency room! The quicker you seek treatment the sooner the healthcare providers can restore blood flow to your heart and prevent or diminish heart muscle damage. Time is muscle.
Debbie Pacillas is a registered nurse and cardiac rehab director for Sierra Medical Center.
Comments or questions about this story? E-mail swsenior@elpasoinc.com
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