Tips for a Healthy Heart
With February being American Heart Month, now is an ideal time to find ways to prevent heart disease and practice habits that develop a healthy heart.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States.
Dr. Eric Bowen said “there are over 1 million deaths a year from heart disease (or cardiovascular causes) which is more than all deaths from all forms of cancer combined.”
Bowen is board certified in cardiovascular diseases, and has practiced cardiology at Hot Springs Cardiology Associates since 2010. He has nearly 15 years of interventional cardiology experience, having practiced in the Conway and Little Rock areas prior to coming to Hot Springs.
“Although much emphasis is placed on breast cancer for women and prostate cancer for men, this accounts for 85,000 deaths a year for both groups,” Bowen said. “As a man or a woman you are more likely to die from heart disease than from cancer.”
Bowen said that routine exercise programs and following a healthy diet can reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
“Inactivity, and diets high in carbohydrates and saturated fats can lead to being overweight or obesity,” Bowen said. “This greatly increases the risk of developing diabetes which can accelerate the development of heart disease.”
Risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking can lead to risks of heart disease, according to Bowen.
“I think the biggest problem in regards to heart health is that the vast majority of people have no idea of their risk factors for heart disease and how prevalent and widespread heart disease really is in the United States,” Bowen said.
Concerns about heart disease aren’t just something for older adults to worry about either.
“In my practice of cardiology the past 15 years I have noticed that the patients are developing heart disease at an earlier age,” Bowen said. “The public perception is that heart disease affects older patients, but I am routinely seeing patients in their 30s and 40s with heart disease and quite often in an advanced state.”
Some examples of ways to avoid heart disease are limiting alcohol consumption, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and diet and exercise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The best way to avoid heart disease is identify your risk factors and modify them with treatment,” Bowen said. “If you have hypertension or diabetes these need to be treated with appropriate medications. Hyperlipidemia or elevated cholesterol may need to be treated with medication if diet and exercise fails to lower the cholesterol or if the patient has multiple risk factors for heart disease. If a patient smokes tobacco, quitting will greatly reduce their chances of developing heart disease.” Story by CALEB TAYLOR
Dr. Eric Bowen