Comfort Keepers Homecare in Gainesville, FL: Monitoring Heart Diseases

Learn more about heart disease from Comfort Keepers homecare in Gainesville, FL

MONITORING HEART HEALTH

Maintaining heart health should be a priority for anyone, but even more so for older people. Because they are especially susceptible to heart disease, it is important to spread awareness about prevention in seniors. Here is what heart disease is and the measures you and your loved one can take to avoid falling victim to it and how homecare can help.

HEART DISEASE: WHAT IS IT?

The number one cause of death in the United States. One in four deaths is due to heart disease, according to the CDC (source). Although coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart disease, it can be any number of conditions. These include but are not limited to heart attack, angina, aortic aneurysm, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, and peripheral arterial disease.

CAUSES

Heart disease is most commonly caused by the obstruction of arteries by fatty plaque. This plaque is built up cholesterol due to unhealthy eating habits, inactivity, smoking, and infection. (source)

SYMPTOMS

Every heart condition exhibits the same type of symptoms and homecare can help you limit symptoms. The most widely experienced symptom is chest pain. This can cause the chest to feel congested, making seniors feel uncomfortable and burdened.

Chest pain is typically followed by or experienced in conjunction with increased heartbeat, pulsation, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness, and excessive perspiration.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

There are several ways in which seniors can help mitigate the effects of heart disease or prevent it altogether. Consider taking these approaches in order to keep your loved one’s heart in good health:

• See a doctor on a regular basis
• Manage weight
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain a healthy diet
• Keep stress to a minimum
• Stop smoking
• Drink less alcohol

Being educated about the dangers of heart disease is paramount in preventing it in the person you love. Many forms of heart disease can be debilitating and potentially life-threatening, especially with the help of home care. Raising awareness can help reduce the number of deaths and improve the overall heart health of seniors across the country.

If you would like to learn more about heart disease and what you can do to limit your stress, call Comfort Keepers homecare now at (352) 331-7760.