Image Credit: Pinterest

By Babatunde Emmanuel

A sudden heart attack might be more likely to grab our attention than those silent warnings from the heart. There lies the paradox: an organ that never stops working is often overlooked until it sends a warning we can no longer ignore.

Perhaps this is because the heart is hidden from sight and its work is rarely felt when everything is functioning normally. In countries where a vast majority of people still struggle with the cost of basic needs, health issues can easily be pushed down the list of priorities, with immediate concerns such as food, housing, and other necessities taking precedence.

Research has shown that cardiovascular diseases remain a major global health concern, with the burden particularly pronounced in low- and middle-income countries.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 19.8 million people died from CVDs in 2022, representing approximately 32% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% were due to heart attacks and strokes. Beyond these statistics is a pattern in the nature and factors resulting from these records.

Over three-quarters of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries. Out of the 18 million premature deaths (under the age of 70) due to noncommunicable diseases in 2021, at least 38% were caused by CVDs.

Heart Diseases and Their Causes

In order to maintain a healthy heart, one must also be acquainted with the knowledge of heart disease, its causes, and its symptoms. One of the most common diseases is Coronary artery disease (CAD). It occurs when the coronary arteries become narrowed or blocked, reducing blood flow to the heart muscle. Symptoms can include chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and other symptoms.

Another disease in this category is Arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm in which the heart beats too fast, too slowly, or irregularly. It happens when the electrical signals that tell the heart to beat don’t work as they should. Its symptoms can include a fast heartbeat, slow heartbeat, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, or a sensation of fluttering or skipped beats.

Cardiomyopathy is another heart disease that affects the heart muscle. Cardiomyopathy can make it difficult for the heart to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body. There are various types of cardiomyopathy; the main types include dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive cardiomyopathy. Treatment depends on the type and severity of the condition and may include medicines, implanted devices, or heart surgery. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling of the ankles, feet, and legs, dizziness, fainting, chest pain, and abnormal heartbeats.

Other diseases include valvular heart disease, which occurs when one or more of the heart’s four valves do not function properly.

Daily Habits Which Matter to the Heart

Most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing behavioural and environmental risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, including excess salt, sugar, and fats, obesity, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, and air pollution.

The first of all is to “always eat a heart-healthy diet.” Food can be seen as the fuel for the human body, just like every other animal, but feeding isn’t just what maintains a healthy heart; a healthy diet does.

Another habit is to stay physically active regularly. To maintain a healthy heart, staying physically active through regular exercise is very important. Adults are generally advised to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, which can be spread across the week, for example, 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Every part of the body needs blood, and the heart is the organ that pumps blood throughout the body. Therefore, regular physical activity is important because it supports cardiovascular health and can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Simple exercises such as jogging, dancing, and cycling can contribute to physical activity.

Another healthy habit is managing stress. Just like a machine wears out if overheated, the human body can be negatively affected when stress is not effectively managed.

Academic pressure, financial concerns, relationships, and other responsibilities can make stress feel normal. Nevertheless, we must ensure that stress doesn’t disrupt our healthy lifestyles. Managing stress doesn’t necessarily mean avoiding every stressful situation; it means finding healthy ways to cope.

Other important habits include reducing excessive salt intake, limiting excessive added sugar and sugary drinks, reducing highly processed and heavily fried foods, staying adequately hydrated, and getting sufficient, regular sleep.

Don’t smoke or use tobacco products, avoid excessive alcohol consumption, maintain a healthy weight, and avoid sitting for extremely long periods without movement.

Warning Signs You Should Never Ignore

Observation is key in taking care of the heart. Just like a building, before the heart breaks down, it can show signs that something is wrong, making you understand that there is a problem somewhere that must be addressed. Below are symptoms everyone must pay attention to in order to protect their cardiovascular health.

Chest pain, pressure, or discomfort, especially if it is new, severe, persistent, or feels like squeezing. Shortness of breath, particularly when it is unexplained or happens with little activity or at rest.

Unusual or persistent fatigue, or feeling extremely tired without an obvious reason, can sometimes accompany cardiovascular problems. Dizziness or fainting, especially if it happens repeatedly or during physical activity, should also be taken seriously.

A fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat, or a sensation of your heart racing, fluttering, or skipping beats, can be a sign of an arrhythmia. Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet can occur when the heart isn’t pumping effectively. During a heart attack, pain or discomfort may spread beyond the chest to the arm, shoulder, back, neck, or jaw. Nausea, sweating, or feeling unusually unwell can also accompany a heart attack, sometimes alongside chest discomfort.

Reduced ability to exercise, such as suddenly becoming unusually breathless or exhausted during activities you previously handled comfortably, is worth paying attention to.

Sudden, severe symptoms, particularly chest discomfort accompanied by breathlessness, fainting, cold sweating, or significant weakness, should be treated as an emergency. Anyone experiencing symptoms that could indicate a heart attack should seek emergency medical attention immediately.

In order to ensure our safety and better functioning of the whole body system, we must make sure we’re sensitive to all these symptoms. These symptoms don’t automatically mean something is wrong with the heart, but unusual, persistent, or severe symptoms deserve medical attention rather than being casually dismissed.

Your Heart Doesn’t Ask for Much, Just Simple Care and Attention

The heart, being a vital organ that supports the functioning of other organs by maintaining blood circulation, deserves care and attention.

This doesn’t necessarily mean all our daily focus and sensitivity should be directed to our heart, but simple daily actions matter. We can decide to be sensitive and enjoy longevity, or ignore the health of our heart by taking part in things that could lead to its damage and thereby shortchanging our lives.

Every workman deserves their wages; don’t ignore your heart just because it is hidden and because you can’t see it. Meanwhile, you beautify your body with cosmetics and fashion gadgets, forgetting that the whole body depends on an organ working tirelessly behind the bars. Without the heart, the body cannot function; it is a vital organ ensuring the circulation that keeps us alive. Don’t ignore it.