More than a million Americans will have a heart attack this year. Do you know your risk?
Chances are, you have at least one of the risk factors for a heart attack.
Meet a local couple that is reducing their risk, but not before experiencing a big reality check.
After more than 30 years of marriage, Dick and Joyce Schmit are looking forward to spending less time at the doctor's office and more time with their grandkids. Dick suffered a heart attack about five years ago.
"I was just feeling funny, kind of nervous. No symptoms really.Finally I said, why don't we go get checked out," Dick said.
Soon after he arrived at the OSF St. Francis ER, Dick had an EKG.
The now 74-year old said that pretty soon Dr. David Best came in and said he waslhaving a heart attack.
And thanks to a time-saving protocol called Heart 7-7-7, Dick was in the cath lab minutes later to have the blockage in his arteries removed.
"It was just 30 minutes from the time I walked in the door until the compressors stopped and he said, well, we got the blockage open," said Dick.
He was on the road to recovery. His wife Joyce recalls it as a real eye opener. Joyce started thinking more about her own heart health.
A visit to the cardiologist showed blocked arteries. Doctors put in stents to help prevent a heart attack and more plaque build- up. But she and her husband did not make any major lifestyle changes until about a year ago after attending a dinner event celebrating heart health awareness.
Joyce said, "I was just fine there at the dinner, enjoyed it...and we were walking out to the car and I said, I have to stop. I can't make it. He said, what's wrong? And I said, I can't breath."
It was a heart attack. Their cardiologist, Dr. David Best said the symptoms of heart attack sometimes hit you like a ton of bricks and it's clear that something's wrong. Sometimes, he said, it's much more subtle.
In fact, Dick and Joyce's symptoms were very different. But, their risk factors were not; overweight, high blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle. Plus, Joyce also had diabetes.
The Schmit's are not unique...25% of Americans over age 50 have at least two risk factors like high blood pressure or cholesterol levels or an elevated blood sugar level. Research shows only 10% of Americans have every risk factor under control.
"You can do something about some of those things...some you can't," Dr. Best said.
You can't do anything about heredity. Family history of heart disease is a big risk factor. But, you can make healthy lifestyle choices to reduce your risk like quitting smoking, watching what you eat and exercising.
Joyce also cut salt out of her diet, too...and dropped 35 pounds over the last year. The Schmits have more work to do. Still, small changes have allowed them to cut the number of medications they take and will hopefully prevent them from becoming part of the 470,000 people who will suffer a second heart attack this year.
This is heart health awareness month. Here's what you can do to reduce your risk for a heart attack.
Keep your cholesterol in check; excess cholesterol gets stuck in artery walls.
Excercise regularly; doctors recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.
Lower your blood pressure; high blood pressure can damage artery walls and cause them to become stiff and narrow.
Control your weight; obesity increases the chance that your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar will be too high.
Stop smoking; smokers are two to three times more likely to die from heart disease than non-smokers.
And control your blood sugar; high blood sugar can promote the growth of plaque in your arteries.
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