A Guide to Heart-Healthy Living and Cardiovascular Care at Wexford Hospital 

Keeping your heart healthy is important for living a longer, more active life. Cardiologists at AHN Cardiovascular Institute at Wexford Hospital are here to help you take care of your heart and lower your risk for heart disease.

What is heart disease?

Heart disease is any condition that affects your heart or blood vessels. These are the two main types:

• Ischemic – Heart damage caused by narrowing of the heart’s arteries.
• Valvular – When at least one of the heart’s valves (flaps that blood flows through) doesn’t open or close properly.

Some common heart conditions include:

• Arrhythmia – When your heart beats too fast, too slow, or irregularly.
• Aortic stenosis – When the valve that connects the heart to your body’s main artery becomes too narrow and prevents blood flow.
• Coronary artery disease – The most common type, caused by blocked or narrowed arteries that supply blood to your heart.

When should you see a doctor?

A key sign of heart trouble is shortness of breath.

Visit your primary care doctor for a heart health checkup if:

• You’re physically active and have begun noticing shortness of breath during your normal daily activities.
• You’re feeling more tired or winded than usual over time.

You should go to the emergency room right away if:

• Shortness of breath comes on suddenly and is severe.
• It’s hard to breathe while resting or lying down.
• You have chest pain along with shortness of breath.

Cardiologists at Wexford Hospital can assess your condition and put together a treatment plan to help with your symptoms or prevent a more serious heart condition.

Heart disease risk factors

There are many things that can increase your risk for heart disease. Some, like diet and exercise, can be changed. Other factors — like family history or hormones — are part of your genes.

Family history

Genetics can play a big role in your risk for heart disease.

“Knowing whether patients have close family members with a history of cardiac events helps us get a much clearer picture of their risk factors for heart disease,” said Samer Azouz, MD, interventional cardiologist at Wexford Hospital. “We encourage patients to learn about their family health history so they can better protect their own health.”

Cardiologists at Wexford Hospital can talk with you about your family’s health background to create a plan for your own heart health.

Heart disease in women vs. men

Heart disease symptoms can look different for women and men.* While chest pain or discomfort is the most common sign of a heart attack in both men and women, women may experience other, more subtle symptoms with or without chest pain:

• Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• Cold sweats
• Unusual fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea or vomiting
• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest (this feeling may come and go)
• Pain or discomfort in the back, jaw, neck, stomach, or arms

Certain changes in women’s lives — like menopause — can increase the risk for heart disease because of changes in hormone levels and blood pressure.

Some other risk factors that more commonly affect women are:

• Chronic stress
• High blood pressure
• Cancer treatments, including radiation and chemotherapy for breast cancer
• Gestational diabetes (diabetes that develops during pregnancy)

Men, on the other hand, tend to have a higher heart disease risk because of factors like:

• An unhealthy diet
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Type 2 diabetes

Making healthy lifestyle changes

Good habits like regular exercise and healthy eating can make a big difference in keeping your heart healthy.

“I tell patients to start making healthy lifestyle changes as early as possible,” said Dr. Azouz. “That way, it’s easier to practice these habits as they get older and may have to deal with new health challenges or heart complications.”

AHN cardiologists recommend the following habits for a healthier heart:

• Exercise 3–5 days a week.
• Reduce stress by doing activities you enjoy.
• Eat a heart-healthy diet. Some of the best foods for heart health are fruits, vegetables, nuts, and white meats.
• Monitor your cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Helping you care for your heart

It’s never too early to start caring for your heart. Learn more about how the AHN Cardiovascular Institute at Wexford Hospital can help support your heart-healthy habits, answer your questions, and help you stay informed about your risks.