Birth Control or Blood Vessel Cleansing? Heart Risks You Need to Know
Listen to Your Heart: Understanding Its Unique Nature
Every day, we make choices guided by our hearts. We often take challenges and problems to heart, and we look at loved ones and inspiring things with a sense of awe. We hear so much about the heart, yet we know so little! Our heart is a unique and incredibly hardworking organ. In anticipation of a significant charitable event organized annually by the “City of Women” magazine, which raises awareness about heart diseases, we have decided to dedicate this “Alphabet” section to the health of our most vital organ.
Understanding Blood Pressure
According to cardiologist Nadezhda Parakhnevich, the absolute norm for adult blood pressure used to be 120/80 mm Hg. Today, the acceptable norm has been slightly raised to 130/80. However, it’s essential to remember that each person is unique. For some, the norm might be 110/70 or even 90/60, which can be the case for athletes who undergo constant significant physical exertion.
How to Measure Blood Pressure Correctly
It is advisable to use a mechanical sphygmomanometer. Ensure you are breathing calmly and evenly, are relaxed, not talking, and not crossing or tucking your legs. Ideally, if you are sitting, the angle between your thigh and calf should be 90 degrees or more.
IMPORTANT! The upper number of the blood pressure reading is determined not when you start hearing your heartbeat but when you hear it clearly and loudly. The lower number is not when you can’t hear the heartbeat at all but when it starts to fade.
How Often Should You Measure Blood Pressure?
People who are not bothered by any issues or do not suffer from high blood pressure are unlikely to measure it frequently (and not everyone has a sphygmomanometer). However, if a person has had blood pressure problems before, it is advisable to take measurements 1-2 times a day when feeling unwell or in certain situations (physical exertion, stress). This also applies to people suffering from arterial hypertension. This is not an obsession with health but a way for individuals to monitor their blood pressure and adjust the doses of their prescribed antihypertensive medications.
To diagnose one of the most common conditions today—”arterial hypertension” (high blood pressure)—multiple examinations are required. A single blood pressure measurement is insufficient; it is necessary to keep a diary for several weeks. There is even a concept called the “white coat syndrome.” People often feel shy or afraid during a doctor’s visit. At home, their blood pressure is ideal, but it spikes during the appointment. High blood pressure can often be a result of stress: if a person was nervous or had physical exertion.
Understanding Chest Pain
Chest pain can be a symptom of many conditions, not just those related to the heart, even if the pain is localized in the left half. It is crucial to distinguish between cardiological and non-cardiological pain.
Non-Cardiological Pain
This type of pain is characterized by a stabbing or aching sensation, where the intensity changes with body position or breathing. The person may find it difficult to take a deep breath or turn. Such pain can be related to problems with the spine or lungs (for example, if there was hypothermia or trauma the day before).
Cardiological Pain
This pain can also appear suddenly or gradually increase over several hours, but regardless of whether you are lying down, standing, walking, or sitting, the sensation remains the same and does not change with deep breathing. It is a squeezing, pressing pain, as if someone “stepped on your chest.” This pain is often accompanied by the person breaking out in a cold sweat, turning pale, feeling fearful, restless, and may pace back and forth, experiencing a sense of awe.
What should you do if you experience the heart pain described in the second case? Measure your blood pressure. High blood pressure can be accompanied not only by headaches, dizziness, and nausea but also by chest pain. If the heart pain is not related to hypothermia, significant physical exertion, or nervous stress, it is worth considering a visit to a cardiologist. Chest pain can be a symptom of cardiological conditions such as angina, heart attack, or thromboembolism.
The Impact of Weight on Heart Health
Excess weight is one of the main risk factors for developing arterial hypertension. Unfortunately, few people today monitor their weight and maintain a proper diet, and this is compounded by a sedentary lifestyle. I often see young people weighing over 100-120 kilograms. Gaining weight is easy, but losing it is much harder. Start with simple rules: eat more frequently (at least 3 times a day) but in smaller portions (about the size of your palm, roughly 200-250 g). Ideally, there should be a 12-hour gap between your last and first meal. Maintain a proper water intake: up to 1.5-2 liters a day, either 30 minutes before a meal or 1 hour after eating. And, of course, no snacking between main meals.
Regarding food, it is advisable to limit salty, spicy, smoked products, dumplings, pasta (except for hard varieties), potatoes… I recommend cereals, fish, vegetables, fruits (for example, grapefruit normalizes cholesterol levels in the blood, pineapple accelerates metabolism, aiding in weight loss, and bananas help reduce blood pressure).
IMPORTANT! For weight loss and heart health, you don’t need to rush to the gym immediately. Simply walking 5-7 km a day is sufficient. Install a pedometer app and track your activity.
The Dangers of Smoking
The first thing I ask during an appointment after hearing complaints is whether the person smokes. As a doctor, I am extremely negative about smoking. It affects blood vessels even more than alcohol because people smoke systematically for years. Under the influence of nicotine, the elasticity of the vessel walls changes; they thicken, atherosclerotic plaques form, circulation is disrupted, and blood viscosity changes, leading to the formation of thrombi that clog the vessels. Smoking can also cause a sudden spasm even in unaltered vessels, meaning you don’t have to be old (which is a deep misconception among young people). Long-term chronic smoking often affects the arteries of the lower extremities as well.
You need to quit immediately and quickly. Only after 3-4 years will your health approach the state of health of a person who has never held a cigarette.
Recognizing a Heart Attack
Today, it is important and necessary for everyone to know at least the basics about this condition to be able to help themselves or those around them.
Classic signs of a heart attack: sudden, sharp pain in the chest. It is not localized but “spread out,” as if someone is pressing on the chest. The pain can radiate to the arm, neck, and the person may experience toothache, cough, or even complain of pain in the epigastrium (upper abdomen). The person breaks out in a clammy, cold sweat, turns pale, and may be very restless.
First aid: immobilize the person, lay them down with the head slightly elevated, and provide rest. Clear the airways, unbutton the upper half of the clothing, and open a window if the room is stuffy. If possible, measure the blood pressure, give a tablet of aspirin to chew, and valido to dissolve. If nitroglycerin is available, administer it (nitroglycerin has a rapid vasodilating effect, which can cause headaches and lower blood pressure; valido in this case softens the effect).
For more information on heart health, you can visit the American Heart Association.
