Deborah Chen | Paying attention to heart health | Focused

February is recognized as Heart Month. This year’s theme is “Check your mind. Be smart with COVID.” There are many activities planned during the month. The Jamaican Heart Foundation’s vision is for Jamaicans to have a longer and better quality of life through the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. Our mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle and help prevent cardiovascular disease through health education and health promotion.

For over a year, the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated our consciousness, highlighting the health challenges facing the country and the need to consider the health of especially vulnerable people. Based on currently available data, elderly people with serious underlying illness and people of all ages are at increased risk of serious illness and complications from COVID-19, including heart disease.

The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart disease, the most common of which is coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects blood flow to the heart. Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack. Heart disease is “silence” and may not be diagnosed until signs or symptoms of a heart attack, heart failure, or arrhythmia (chest fluttering or palpitation) occur. Heart disease is preventable, but it is still a very real danger in Jamaica, especially now.

The underlying person with heart disease has a weakened immune system and can be more vulnerable to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus itself can damage the heart in several ways. It works by attacking the lungs, which can affect the heart, especially the sick heart, to get oxygenated blood throughout the body if the lungs are not functioning well. You have to make the pump stronger. Fever and infection increase your heart rate. The virus can also stimulate increased formation of blood clots in blood vessels throughout the body, including the heart, and can cause damage to the heart muscle or blood vessels.

According to the American Heart Association, there is increasing research suggesting that many COVID-19 survivors are experiencing some form of heart injury, even if they have no underlying illness and are not hospitalized. This raises concerns that some individuals may have recovered from the initial infection but still have heart damage and complications.

With these amazing discoveries, and when trying to navigate the new reality and “new norms” presented by COVID-19, we wash hands properly and frequently, maintain surface cleanliness, avoid meetings, You must continue to take precautions to protect yourself through practice. Stay at a social distance, wear a mask, and follow medical and public health authorities’ advice.

Lifestyle choice

Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking are major risk factors for heart disease. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also increase your risk of heart disease, including diabetes, overweight / obesity, an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and excessive alcohol consumption. Unfortunately, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Jamaica has a high proportion of these risk factors and needs to be addressed. Life in a pandemic can be stressful, but now it’s even more important to keep your heart healthy habits. Here are some tips:

• Regular exercise. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise each day and become more active. Maintain a level of physical activity by walking around and climbing stairs, even in the house.

• Change your diet. Change your cooking habits and eat a healthy diet that will help your health in the long and short term. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and avoid fried foods and excessively processed foods such as sugar, salt and unhealthy fat-added foods and drinks. Read food labels to limit the purchase and consumption of foods high in fat, salt and sugar.

• Manage your stress. Pay attention to your mental health, reduce stress by relaxing, and prepare an appropriate support system.

• Limit alcohol consumption and stop smoking. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness. Smokers may have reduced vital capacity, which puts them at greater risk. In addition, the act of carrying cigarettes in the mouth provides an opportunity for the virus to spread. Now is a good time to quit smoking.

• Listen to your body and see a doctor. Symptoms of heart disease depend on the particular type of person. Also, depending on the condition of the heart, there may be no symptoms at all. Angina / chest pain, dyspnea, malaise, lightheadedness, and swelling due to fluid retention (edema) may indicate heart problems. A heart attack is a medical emergency. Immediate medication precautions as soon as you notice symptoms such as chest pain or discomfort, back or upper neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme malaise, upper body discomfort, dizziness, shortness of breath Don’t delay asking for.

• Continue to take your medication as prescribed and see your doctor regularly. The pandemic should not limit the required visits to doctors, but follow all COVID-19 advice from public health authorities and do so in a safe manner.

• Know your number and your health. Adults, especially those over the age of 50, who have a family history of hypertension, diabetes, or these conditions or a family history of heart disease, undergo regular screening, including screening for heart disease, hypertension, cholesterol, and the classification of obesity index You need to do. Determine your weight status.

Dealing with risk factors

In addition, Jamaica has a comprehensive approach to addressing risk factors, underlying diseases, and non-communicable diseases to reduce the effects of COVID-19 and other diseases that may affect us in the future. You will also need it. This includes:

• Long-needed public health policies, such as promoting and obtaining safe and nutritious foods

• Screening and treatment for adults and children

• Increased knowledge about non-communicable diseases

• Nutrition labeling on the front of the package to allow consumers to choose healthier foods

• Fiscal policy to stop the consumption of unhealthy food

• Restrictions on marketing and advertising unhealthy foods to children to ensure that we develop healthy eating habits early in life

Heart disease is not a new phenomenon and our vulnerabilities and risk factors are not new, but COVID-19 offers an opportunity for change. What is more important to us than our hearts? Heart health is a top priority of the Jamaican Heart Foundation. During the pandemic, we have continued and strengthened our efforts to care for the health and well-being of people with underlying illnesses, especially heart disease, so we adopt heart-healthy behavior for all Jamaicans. I urge you.

We also urge the government to implement important public health policies to provide an environment that supports healthy behavior, protect the population and strengthen future resilience. Visit the Jamaican Heart Foundation. Check your mind. Let’s be COVID smart !! “

–Deborah Chen is the Secretary-General of the Jamaica Heart Foundation.Send feedback to [email protected]..