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Heart Facts
Fall 2004 Vera Brown-Sandoval’s long road to a healthy heart has been paved with hard lessons. Yet August 3, 1997, seems like yesterday. “I started getting lightheaded,” says Brown-Sandoval, 77, of Victorville, California. She thought she was just hungry because she had skipped breakfast. But that Sunday in church she had a massive heart attack. Days later she underwent double bypass surgery; she has since made a full recovery. Like many older Hispanics, Brown-Sandoval already had one strike against her: diabetes. Strike two was 40 years of smoking. Both can contribute to heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. And Hispanics are far from immune. In 2001 the American Heart Association (AHA) reported that an estimated one third of deaths among that population were caused by heart disease and stroke, well above cancer and diabetes. Women of color also have a higher risk of heart disease than non-Hispanic white women with comparable incomes. And recent news reports have raised additional concerns about the possible misdiagnosis of heart disease in women. But Wendy Post, M.D., a cardiologist at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says this is less likely to happen in older women, especially nowadays. Citing a mandate issued by the National Institutes of Health, she says that, unlike in the past, recent heart disease studies have included women, providing doctors with better information for diagnosis.
“Especially as a woman gets older, it is much more likely that she will have heart disease,” Post says. “But women do present [symptoms] in a slightly different manner than men…. Whereas a man’s classic symptoms are chest tightness or chest squeezing, women more typically experience shortness of breath, left arm discomfort, something not quite as typical.” Heart disease is a broad term that includes conditions that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Among Hispanics, diabetes and hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, are the two leading causes, says Robert Karns, M.D., an internist in private practice in Beverly Hills, California. His advice: “The first thing is to pick your parents well,” he quips. “Family history is extremely important. And secondly, the application of lifestyles changes.” Lifestyle changes such as exercising regularly and having a healthful diet are recommended. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) plan, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is one effective means of lowering your risk. High blood pressure, and its ensuing ill effects on the heart, can be controlled by maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, limiting alcohol intake, and taking prescribed medications as directed, according to Facts About the DASH Eating Plan, a free NHLBI publication. The DASH plan is not entirely vegetarian, nor does it call for specialty foods. It is based on a daily consumption of 2,000 calories; some menu items include chicken salad with yogurt dressing, tuna salad, and turkey meatloaf. Brown-Sandoval follows a healthful diet that avoids carbohydrates and sugars. She stays active by using a treadmill, dancing, walking, and volunteering in a local hospital. She is grateful for the opportunity to live another day. And though recent bouts of fatigue have been a reminder that heart disease is a permanent companion, she gives this bit of advice: “Walk as much as you can, watch your diet, and stay happy.” These links are provided for informational purposes only. AARP does not endorse, and has no control over, or responsibility for, the linked sites or the content, advertisements, materials, products, or services available on or throughout these sites. |
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