Archived Article From Feb. 2007
Reduce Your Risk for
Heart Disease & Stroke
Did you know having diabetes puts you at a much higher risk for
having coronary artery (heart) disease, a heart attack, or a stroke?
According to the American Diabetes Association 2 out of 3 people
with diabetes die from heart disease and stroke. Even people with
pre-diabetes are at an increased risk.The good news is you can do a
lot to prevent heart disease or stroke. Keep your blood sugar, blood
pressure and cholesterol under control. Additionally, eating healthy
and making physical activity part of your daily lifestyle can reduce
your chances for heart disease and stroke.
Heart disease results from the narrowing or blocking of blood
vessels from fatty deposits. The heart is the muscle that pumps the
blood through your body. The large blood vessels (arteries) and the
small blood vessels (capillaries) carry the blood away from the
heart. The veins are the blood vessels that carry the
blood back to the heart. A heart attack results when the blood
supply to the heart is reduced or cut off.
A stroke occurs when blood supply to a
part of the brain is blocked. This results in damage to brain
tissue.
The steps to take to prevent or lower your risk for heart disease
or stroke are to control your ABCs.
• A is for A1C
• B is for blood pressure
• C is for cholesterol
The A1C test tells you what your
average blood sugar has been for the past 2 to 3 months. The
American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends the target for people
with diabetes to below 7%.
Blood pressure measures the
force of blood inside your blood vessels. If your blood pressure is
high the heart is working harder. According to the ADA the target
for blood pressure is below 130/80 mmHg.
Cholesterol is a type of blood
fat (lipid). The HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) helps protect
your heart by removing deposits inside blood vessels. The LDL
cholesterol (bad cholesterol) can clog your blood vessels.
Triglycerides are another kind of blood fat that at increased levels
can also increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. The ADA
target levels are as follows:
Type of Blood Fat (Lipids) ADA Targets
LDL Cholesterol Below 100 mg/dl
HDL Cholesterol
For men
For women
Above 40 mg/dl
Above 50 mg/dl
Triglycerides Below 150 mg/dl
Lifestyle changes can also reduce your risks and help you get your
target numbers under control. These changes include:
Follow a healthy eating plan. (See a registered
dietitian for help in meal planning).
Eat less fat( limit saturated fat & trans fats such as
fatty meats, palm oil, coconut oil, hydrogenated oil, butter)
Choose the kinds of fat that lower your cholesterol
(olive oil, canola oil, corn oil , sunflower oil )
Choose lean cuts of beef, poultry, and pork
Choose low fat dairy products (like low fat yogurt,
skim or 1% milk )
Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
Eat 2 to 3 servings of fish (like mackerel, albacore
tuna, salmon, sardines, herring, rainbow trout) per week.
Bake, roast or grill foods and avoid frying
Eat less salt and sodium
Lose weight
Reduce portions, calories and fat.
Be more physically active
Talk to your health care team first. Find out if the
increased activity is safe for you. Start slowly.
Gradually increase the time to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise
like brisk walking 5 or more days a week.
Quit Smoking
Talk to your healthcare team to get help to quit.
Take Medications
You may need medications to help get your ABCs in target range to
help lower the risk of heart disease & stroke.
Talk with your health care team and remember
to go for regular check – ups.
Ask your doctor if you should take an aspirin daily.
For more information consult your healthcare provider, hospital or
diabetes educator nearest you which can be easily found on this
website.
News | Announcements | Articles
Tri-County Go Red 2007
Saturday February 3, 2007
February
is Heart Month
and to help educate local residents about heart disease and motivate
participants to make healthy lifestyle changes, Atlantic
General Hospital, Healthy U of
Delmarva, Peninsula Regional
Medical Center, Somerset
County Health Department, the
University of Maryland Statewide Health Network,
Wicomico County Health Department,
and the Worcester County Health Department
sponsored the 3rd Annual Tri-County Go
Red. It was held on Saturday,
February 3rd, 2007 at Seacrets in Ocean City
from 9-11:30a.m. Participants had the opportunity to learn about how
to reduce the risk of developing heart disease
during the presentation by keynote speaker, Dr. Alice
Ammerman from the University
of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Attendees then enjoyed a “Stress Management” presentation done by
Carol Moore from
Peninsula Regional Medical Center.
She had the crowd roaring with laughter and reducing their stress
levels. The year’s event also included a
live ‘Go Red’ Fashion Show
 featuring local models sporting
fashions from South Moon Under
and free health screenings including body composition, blood
pressure, derma scan, and proper shoe fitting. Attendees also
received a “heart smart”
goody bag and participants had the chance to win various door prizes
donated by local businesses. 
Attendees included Worcester County Commissioner
Linda Busick
Announcements
The Tri-County Diabetes Alliance
will sponsor and conduct several health education and outreach
programs addressing prevention of pre-diabetes and diabetes. This
will include presentations and free health screenings in a variety
of settings including schools, worksites, faith based communities,
and other community centers. Please check our
events calendar by clicking here .
Am I at Risk?
Take Our On-Line Risk Assessment by
clicking here
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