Heart Disease and Public Health
By Sam MacArthur

Even though the field of public health is extremely concerned today with COVID-19 and infectious diseases, the main cause of death in the US remains heart disease (it is worth mentioning, however, that COVID-19 is a cardiovascular disease as well as a pulmonary disease). Heart disease is also one of the most preventable causes of death, making it a critical issue in public health.

What Are the Most Common Heart Diseases?

According to WedMD, Coronary Artery Disease is the most common heart disease. CAD results in blockage of the coronary arteries. These blood vessels bring blood back to the heart. This can prevent your heart from getting enough oxygen. Going on a diet for heart disease prevention can keep your wait and cholesterol down and prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), the main cause of CAD.

why is physical activity so important in preventing heart disease

Preventing heart disease can literally save you a lot of heartaches. Preventing and reversing heart disease can save you the agonizing pain of a heart attack.

What Are the Other Most Common Types of Heart Diseases?

Here are some of the most common heart diseases:

  • Heart Arrhythmias – What is the most common type of heart disease besides CAD? One of the most common diseases of the heart, arrhythmia describes an irregular heartbeat. Many people develop this condition after heart problems. 
  • Heart Failure – Another of the most common heart diseases, heart failure describes what happens when your heart can’t pump enough blood for your whole body. Causes of this condition include high blood pressure, thyroid disease, heart muscle disease and other conditions.
  • Heart Valve Disease – This is another one of the most common diseases of the heart. There are four valves in your heart that direct blood flow between the heart, lungs and blood vessels. If the valves don’t open and close properly, blood may leak or be blocked. 

There are many other heart conditions. To keep your heart healthy, you have to learn how to prevent heart diseases. What are the most common types of heart disease in your area? Environmental factors such as pollution can increase your vulnerability to heart and lung disease.

What Are the Major Risk Factors for Heart Disease?

If you smoke, overeat and fail to exercise, you may be increasing your risk of heart disease. Nearly half of Americans are at risk due to at least three factors such as:

  • Diabetes
  • Physical inactivity
  • Overweight and obesity
  • Unhealthy diet
  • Excessive alcohol consumption

Learn how to reduce these factors and decrease your risk of heart disease.

How Is Heart Disease Prevented with Health Screenings?

If you want to know how is heart disease prevented, the easiest thing you can do is get regular checks for high cholesterol and blood pressure. One of the best prevention tips for heart disease, regular screenings help you determine if you have an issue. The most common cause of heart disease is unhealthy living. 

Here are some tips for screenings that can serve as primary prevention for heart disease:

  • Blood pressure. How is heart disease prevented — frequent screenings! Start at age 18 and get your blood pressure measured twice a year. High blood pressure is a risk for stroke and heart disease. That’s why heart disease prevention tips include this screening. People over age 40 should get a blood pressure screening every year. Early detection and lifestyle changes can prevent and reverse heart disease.
  • Cholesterol levels. Another screening that acts as a primary prevention of heart disease, cholesterol should be tested once every four years. Most common forms of heart disease result from unhealthy habits. Start screening your cholesterol at age 20. If you have high cholesterol, talk to your doctor about heart disease diet prevention.
  • Type 2 diabetes screening. How is heart disease prevented with diabetes screening? Those with diabetes are at a higher risk for heart attacks. Most common diseases of the heart start with other health problems. If your weight is normal, you should start diabetes 2 screening at age 45 and above. For those with a family history of diabetes, you should start these screenings earlier.

Regular health screenings are at the top of our prevention tips for heart disease but healthy living is even more important is you want to know how to prevent heart diseases. What are the most common types of heart disease that run in your family? Knowing your risk can help you prevent and reverse heart disease with healthy habits. 

What is the most common type of heart disease for fatalities? Coronary heart disease is the most common and 630,000 people die of heart disease each year.

Why Is Heart Disease a Public Health Issue?

The social costs of chronic heart and lung disease is high. The most common killers in the U.S. are heart disease and stroke. The social costs of chronic heart and lung disease include $199 billion per year in healthcare and $131 billion in lost work, wages and productivity.

Why is heart disease a public health issue? When people become ill and can no longer work, the burden of care falls on the rest of society. Heart disease diet prevention is, therefore, a matter of vital public interest. Reversing and preventing heart disease should be a key public health focus.

Why Is Physical Activity so Important in Preventing Heart Disease?

Preventing heart disease starts with healthy living. According to the CDC, adults need to follow that Surgeon General’s recommendation of 2.5 hours of moderate exercise each week. Preventing and reversing heart disease starts with healthy habits. So, if you can do more, do more. Heart disease prevention tips show that it’s never too early to start. Children and adolescents need an hour of exercise each day.

Why is physical activity so important in preventing heart disease? If you’re interested in reversing and preventing heart disease, physical exercise is very important to control blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Prevention tips for heart disease include brisk walking or riding your bike a few times a week.

Can You Reverse and Prevent Heart Disease?

Making the changes discussed above can slow down heart disease. You can actually undo some of the damage. However, it’s doubtful you can undo all the damage. It takes big, sustained life changes to turn your health around. Good living is the primary prevention for heart disease.

What Are the Best Tips for Heart Disease for Diet Prevention?

Along with physical activity, a healthy diet is a primary prevention of heart disease. The best diet for heart disease prevention according to 2020 study include healthy eating patterns.

A diet for heart disease prevention includes nuts, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low consumption of red meat. For heart disease diet prevention, avoid sugary beverages and processed meats. According to the study, healthy dieting can reverse and prevent heart disease. To prevent the most common form of heart disease, heart disease prevention tips include following this advice. Those who maintained a healthy eating patter lowered their risks by 14% to 21% lower risk.

What is the most common type of heart disease improved by a healthy diet? Since obesity, high blood pressure and other signs of an unhealthy lifestyle point to the most common cause of heart disease, reversing and preventing heart disease of all types depends on making changes as soon as you learn of your condition.

Prevent and reverse heart disease by lowering risks factors. Improving the primary prevention of heart disease also reduces your risk of a stroke. 

According to Harvard’s T.H. School of Public Health, here’s how to prevent heart diseases through diet. Avoid refined carbohydrates, foods and beverages high in sugar and sodium and high in trans fat.

When you take positive actions to prevent and reverse heart disease, you reduce the social costs of chronic heart and lung disease. 

Try to find activities that you enjoy and plan out healthy meals in advance to make it easier for your family to stay heart healthy. If you like volleyball, basketball or football, visit the local park to stay fit and have fun together. It could be good for your heart in more ways than one.

What Is the Most Common Type of Heart Disease for Women?

Approximately 6% of women in the U.S. develop coronary artery disease. Most common forms of heart disease are thought to afflict hardworking men who neglect their health. When it comes to heart disease, there’s true equality of the sexes. Approximately 1 in 4 deaths among women are caused by heart disease.

Why is physical activity so important in preventing heart disease? For women, it’s even more important. Women tend to be caregivers and neglect their own self-care. For women who want to know how to prevent heart diseases or reverse and prevent heart disease, It starts with making time for self-care. If you aren’t healthy, you can’t take care of anyone else.

Preventing and reversing heart disease comes down to each individual safeguarding their own health. Self-care — taking the time to exercise, eat right and keep stress levels down — is the primary prevention for heart disease. 

What Is the Most Common Heart Disease Among Men? 

What is the most common heart disease among men? Not surprisingly, it’s the same as for women. According to the CDC, CAD is the leading cause of death in U.S. men. This disease kills nearly 350,000 men each year and accounts for 25% of male deaths.

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