Heart disease is a serious danger to the health of the elderly – in fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death in persons over the age of 65. Despite the fact that the risk of heart disease increases with age, it does not have to be an unavoidable aspect of growing older. It is possible to safeguard your heart by adopting the appropriate lifestyle choices and eating a heart-healthy diet.

What is the actual definition of heart disease? It is the phrase used to refer to a collection of different health issues that have an impact on the heart. Coronary artery disease is the most frequent kind of heart disease in the United States, according to the American Heart Association (CAD). Cardiovascular events such as a heart attack, heart failure, chest discomfort, and irregular heartbeat, often known as arrhythmia, are frequently caused by coronary artery disease (CAD).

Understand the Signs and Symptoms of Heart Disease

The warning signals of heart disease frequently do not manifest themselves until you are experiencing a heart attack. The following are examples of symptoms indicating an emergency or impending heart attack:

I'm feeling a little dizzy.
Weakness or a feeling of dizziness or light-headedness
Is it difficult for you to catch your breath?
Feeling sick to your stomach or vomiting
Experiencing a feeling of being overstuffed or having indigestion
Chest pain or an unpleasant pressure in the chest are both possible symptoms.
Back, shoulder, and neck pain that is out of the ordinary
Sweating
An irregular heartbeat is defined as:

How to Lower Your Chances of Developing Heart Disease

Heart disease and the risk of having a heart attack can be caused by a variety of medical disorders. Here are some examples. Heart disease therapy and heart attack prevention necessitate the treatment of any other related health concerns and the maintenance of a healthy weight. If you have heart disease, you should do the following:

Blood pressure and cholesterol levels should be brought down.
Maintain tight control over diabetes.
Angina can be treated with medicines (chest pain)

There are drugs available that can assist in the treatment of the various features of heart failure. Nitrates, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers are some of the medications that may be used to treat chest discomfort. Your doctor may also recommend that you take an aspirin on a regular basis to help minimize your chance of having a heart attack.

Heart Disease Prevention in Seven Easy Steps

However, no matter your age, you can maintain a healthy heart. However, it will involve work — and perhaps even adjustments in your daily routines, such as eating a heart-healthy diet and increasing your physical activity. Here's what you need to do to get started:

Make sure you get adequate exercise. This entails at least 30 minutes of physical activity nearly every day of the week.

Make the decision to stop smoking. If you are a smoker, it is imperative that you stop.

Consume foods that are good for your heart. Consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables while keeping saturated fats, salt, and cholesterol-containing meals, such as fatty meats, to a minimum.

Keep an eye on your stats. Get frequent check-ups to keep track of health disorders that can have an impact on the heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, and to ensure that these diseases are under control with medication and treatment.

Reduce your use of alcoholic beverages. Excessive alcohol intake can exacerbate health issues that are known to contribute to heart disease, such as high blood pressure, arrhythmias, and excessive levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Reduce the amount of stress in your life. Stress can exacerbate many of the heart disease risks that seniors currently face, causing you to adopt a more unhealthy way of living. Find stress-relieving activities that are also good for you and that will minimize your risk of heart disease.

Keep an eye on your weight. Putting on too many pounds might raise your chances of developing heart disease. Maintaining a healthy body weight for your height and weight will help avoid heart disease.

Maintaining a collaborative relationship with your doctor might help you keep health concerns under control. It's never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle and lowering your chances of developing heart disease and other chronic diseases.