MISSOULA - February marks American Heart Month, which means we have the entire month to focus on cardiovascular health.
We sat down with a heart surgeon in Missoula to see what people can do to prevent becoming a patient on her operating table.
“Everybody has a heart, and everybody needs to take care of it,” said Dr. Sarah Clark who is a cardiothoracic surgeon with the Providence Heart Institute at St. Patrick Hospital.
She operates on the heart and lungs of patients, "heart disease is the leading cause of death of both men and women in the US worldwide."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cardiovascular disease and mortality are increasing in working-age adults — particularly in the United States.
Additionally, Black adults in the U.S. die from heart disease at a rate two times higher than White adults.
“Signs of a heart attack are chest pain, shortness of breath, jaw pain, pain radiating down the arm,” Dr. Clark explained.
Dr. Clark says you should contact your primary care physician if you believe you may have a heart issue.
But there are preventative habits that you can build to lessen your risk of having major heart problems.
“Improving your diet, eating non-processed foods, not a lot of sugar, not a lot of fat, a lot of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, exercise," Dr. Clark said.
Dr. Clark also noted that heart disease isn’t always up to an individual as genetics may also play a role.
But that’s why initiatives like American Heart Month are crucial in helping people stay informed.
“Heart health is important because the heart is your body’s pump. It supplies oxygen to every other part of your body, so without that pump working well, then, the entirety of the rest of your body can suffer,” Dr. Clark concluded.
