Three Heart Myths Debunked

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. One in every three deaths, or 2,200 per day, can be attributed to heart disease and stroke.

Many people will be looking for ways to improve their heart health this month, as February has been designated Heart Month.

Steve Urban, M.D., said there are three misconceptions often made when dealing with heart health.

No Boundaries

“The first misconception is that men are more likely to have heart attacks than women,” Urban said.

While men generally suffer heart attacks earlier in life than women, heart attacks know no boundaries. For this reason, Urban said heart attacks are an important public health concern for men and women, equally.

The second misconception is the belief heart attacks are benign and people no longer die from them.

“Once you get to the hospital, you have about a 6 percent chance of dying,” Urban said. “But there are still a lot of people who die before they make it to the hospital.”

Urban said with advancements in treatment, heart-related health concerns are much more manageable today.

The third misconception is about statin drugs, which are generally used to help control cholesterol levels. While some maintain the drugs are unsafe, Urban said the drugs are extremely safe and effective.

“Statin drugs are a miracle of modern medicine,” Urban said. “They are the miracle drug of the 21st century.”

While the drugs can cause side effects, those are easily noticed and stop when the patient discontinues use, Urban said.

Show Your Heart Some Love

If you’re looking to keep your heart in good shape, Urban said never picking up a cigarette tops the list of tips.

“There is nothing in the world worse than smoking,” Urban said. “Stopping smoking will save more lives than anything else we can do.”

Urban stressed the importance of controlling cholesterol through a good diet or medication. Maintaining a healthy weight through exercising or other physical activity is also beneficial to a person’s ticker.