HVI-Health is where the heart is-10’6×22’9 (1)

February is American Heart Month, a time designated to promote cardiovascular health and raise awareness about heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one person dies from heart disease every 33 seconds, making heart disease the leading cause of death for men and women of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Although the data seems discouraging, risk factors can be lowered with simple lifestyle changes that can be incorporated into daily life.

said Dr. Mike Campsey, chief of cardiology at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital. “Essential 8” Programs from the American Heart Association help people make impactful changes.

“The goal is to eliminate chronic disease. Heart disease is a chronic disease and is often caused by a chronic disease.” Campsie said. “The American Heart Association has put together a plan that focuses on eating better, moving more, getting better sleep, smoking cessation, proper weight management, cholesterol management, and blood pressure management.”

Campsie says it’s important to focus on these eight areas. Improving one of the eight will eventually improve the others as well.

“Walking is the most important thing you can do. You want to be able to walk for as long as possible.” Campsie said. “The more steps you take now, the more you will be able to do in the future.”

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise throughout the week. That’s 30 minutes, 5 days a week.

“Our bodies respond well to habits. If you can find a way to incorporate exercise into your routine, as well as healthy eating and quality sleep, you’ll do just fine.” Campsie said. “When you’re not careful or don’t follow your routine, your body suffers.”

“It’s important to note that this is an important step in the development of this new model,” said Dr. Walid Gharib, an interventional cardiac specialist at WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital and assistant professor at West Virginia University’s Heart and Vascular Institute. “Small, lasting changes make a big difference in the world.”

“Rome wasn’t built in a day. Every change you make, even from just one meal, is a change for the better.” He said. “If you’re sitting down to breakfast with two pieces of toast, try removing the butter or eating one less piece of toast. These changes should be something you can live with forever. Large-scale Dietary changes can help, but no one can maintain them.”

For prevention, it is important to develop good habits early in life.

“People who start developing good habits early in life will continue to do so later in life. That’s well documented in the literature.” Campsie said. “If you don’t pay attention to what you eat now, it will affect you later in life.”

Early detection always plays an important role.

“It’s important to continue your health checkups.” Campsie said. “And it’s important to start as soon as possible.”

Dr. Ghalib encourages people who think they have heart symptoms to see their doctor as soon as possible.

“It’s never a bad thing to see a doctor.” He said. “I don’t think you’re old enough to say you don’t have to worry about[heart disease]because you’re young. In fact, there are a lot of things in our diet that can negatively impact our cholesterol levels and affect our risk of heart disease. “Good dietary choices and sufficient physical activity from a young age may be key to reversing this situation.”

No one is immune to the risk of heart disease, even doctors. Campsie suffered a massive stroke on November 17, 2021, while exercising.

“While I was doing jumping jacks, I felt something strange in my right hand. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground. It felt like my hand was stuck to the floor.” He said. “I couldn’t move my right leg. I couldn’t move my right arm and I couldn’t talk.”

Campsey was able to alert his wife, who called 911. He was rushed to the hospital, where his doctors removed a blood clot from his brain.

“I got out of the hospital on my own, and my speech improved a little. My right arm was still dysfunctional. I received physical therapy and speech therapy for several months.” He said. “Everything is better.”

Campsey said doctors were never able to determine the cause of his stroke.now he shares

His experience helps patients proactively reduce their risks.

“Many of my patients listen to me and always ask how I am doing. I appreciate their concern.” He said. “I try to relate it to what’s happening to them. They understand that I at least know where they come from and where they travel.”

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