Heart Disease Resources

Heart disease can happen to anyone, including children. You can be born with it, and a family history of heart disease may increase your risk.

Most heart disease develops over time due to poor habits such as smoking or eating an unhealthy diet. Having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes also increases your risk of heart disease. Talk with your provider about ways to prevent or manage diabetes and control other risk factors.

A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). Remember, factors such as age, physical activity, and overall health can affect what is considered your normal resting heart rate.

Talk to your provider if you have concerns about your heart rate.

The higher your blood pressure levels, the more risk you have for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Causes for high blood pressure include:

• Diabetes
• Being overweight or obese
• Smoking
• Not getting enough regular physical activity
• Unhealthy diets, including high amounts of sodium and alcohol

Talk to your provider about how you can lower your blood pressure to help avoid heart disease and stroke.

A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is severely reduced or blocked. Be aware of the following symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Cold sweat
• Nausea
• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Pain in the jaw, neck, arms, shoulder, or back

Call 911 if you or someone you know is having a heart attack.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic condition that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood and meet your body's needs. The following factors may increase your risk of CHF:

• Diabetes
• High cholesterol levels
• High blood pressure
• Poor diet
• Not getting enough physical activity
• Smoking and/or using tobacco
• Being overweight or obese
• Stress

Talk to your provider to learn more about CHF.

A heart arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. Factors that may cause arrhythmia include:

• Blood sugar levels that are too low or too high
• Caffeine, illegal drugs, and certain medications
• Dehydration
• Low levels of electrolytes, such as potassium, magnesium, or calcium
• Physical activity
• Strong emotional stress or anxiety
• Vomiting or coughing
• Smoke
• Use illegal drugs, such as cocaine or amphetamines
• Drink alcohol more often and more than is recommended (no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women)
• Take certain antibiotics and over-the-counter allergy and cold medicines

Talk to your provider about how to prevent arrhythmias.