Heart disease questions and answers

Q. Is is OK to drink coffee if I have high blood pressure?

A. This is a question that you must ask your doctor, since every one is different. Generally speaking, a moderate amount of coffee is acceptable and may offer some health benefits; however, caffeine is a mild, addictive stimulant, so too much can cause nervousness, the jitters, or trembling in some people. It can also increase the heart rate and blood pressure in some people. Visit the coffee page for more information.

Q. I feel good and am thinking about stopping my blood pressure and cholesterol medications. What are the risks?

A. Some studies estimate that up to 50% of people do not take their medications as prescribed. This is a huge problem! Because high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol have no symptoms that you can feel, you may think you no longer need them. That said, the drugs you take to control your blood pressure and cholesterol could be contributing to why you are feeling good. Stopping your medication could have a serious impact on your health. Discuss your feelings with your doctor. If you've made lifestyle changes to try to control various risk factors, you doctor may change or reduce your prescription, BUT until you've had that discussion, it's very important to continue taking your medications as prescribed!

Q. How often should I take my blood pressure?

A. If you are just starting to monitor your blood pressure you might begin by taking it twice a day for a week or two, then cut back to a couple of times a week. Details about how to take your readings and a handy downloadable free blood pressure log can be found on the blood pressure page. Be sure to follow the instructions so that your body is in a state of calm when you take a reading.

A. It is confusing - but there is no difference. Both are abbreviations for an electrocardiogram, which is a recording of the electrical activity in your heart that doctors use to look at heart rate, heart rhythm, to see if a heart attack has occurred, or if there is inadequate blood or oxygen getting to the heart.

A. Normally, if you get a cut your body stops the bleeding by creating a blood clot. When you are on blood thinners, this doesn’t happen as quickly.

If you cut yourself and the cut is relatively small, apply constant pressure over the cut until the bleeding stops (this may take up to 10 minutes). If it doesn’t stop bleeding, continue to apply pressure and go to emergency at the nearest hospital.

If the cut is large, apply constant pressure and get help immediately either by calling 9-1-1 or by going to the nearest hospital.

A.There are generally no symptoms associated with high blood pressure. That's why 30 - 40% of people with high blood pressure aren't even aware they have it. The only way to know if your blood pressure is high is to have it checked - preferably by a doctor or health care professional, or at least on a home monitor, or at a pharmacy.

A. There really is nothing to see - so people will be unaware that you have a pacemaker unless you choose to tell them. The pacemaker sits under your skin near the collar bone. Depending on the pacemaker and the person, a very faint outline of the pacemaker may be visible under the skin or you might have a small scar where the incision was made.

A. It's simply the medical term for high blood pressure. It doesn't mean that you are tense, uptight, or anxious. Blood pressure is not necessarily higher in "uptight" people.

A. Gum disease has been identified as a factor that can complicate cardiovascular disease. Research suggests that a mouth with periodontal disease has bacteria that can enter the bloodstream. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, a number of studies indicate that people with gum disease have up to three times the risk of heart attack and stroke.

In addition, some of the bacteria commonly associated with infections in the mouth are also associated with some types of heart disease. That doesn't necessarily mean the gum disease caused the heart disease - it could be that the same bacteria is affecting different parts of the body.

A. Almost all of us can find excuses and reasons not to exercise. Despite our best intentions, it's easy to put it off until tomorrow, or the next day. Getting to it is hard - but you'll feel so good after you exercise. One strategy is to make a "date" to exercise with a friend or family member. Another is to find things that you really enjoy that provide exercise - riding a bike, ballroom dancing, or swimming. Vary your activities to keep it interesting. For example I do yoga twice a week, walk several days a week, ballroom dance once a week, and do a bodylastics circuit resistance training once a week. Keep an exercise log and reward yourself at certain milestones.

A. While you may not have the most obvious risk factors - smoking, inactivity, and excess weight - you may have had high blood pressure or high cholesterol that was not diagnosed until the damage was done. Stress is another possibility. It is now being recognized as a more serious risk factor than previously thought. If you were under stress for a prolonged period of time, that could have had a detrimental effect on your heart and cardiovascular system. Finally, we don't get to choose our parents and we can't halt the clock. Our genes and our age are risk factors we can't control. But don't get discouraged. By leading a heart healthy lifestyle, we can sometimes postpone the onset of cardiovascular disease, and we can increase our chances of surviving a heart event when it does occur.

A. According to Take a Load off Your Heart by Joseph Piscatella and Barry Franklin, the particles found in air pollution can cause constriction of blood vessels, elevated blood pressure, trigger heart rhythm irregularities, and even increase the likelihood of blood clotting. The risk is modest but can be more serious in diseased or damaged hearts.

A. The American Heart Association suggests that the maximum benefits of exercise can be achieved with five to six hours of physical activity per week.

A. If your condition is under control and your doctor has not placed any restrictions regarding travel, you should be fine to travel by airplane. If you have any concerns, check with your doctor.

A. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and death. It's true that the risk increases with the amount you smoke each day, but smoking in any quantity is unsafe. It's not easy to quit smoking, but you must!

A. The relaxing of the blood vessels associated with the heat in a hot tub or sauna is about the same as from a brisk walk. If you are able to carry out moderate exercise without symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath, you should be able to tolerate a sauna or soak in the hot tub.

Don't drink alcohol while in a sauna or hot tub.

Any sudden change in temperature leads to a considerable increase in the heart's workload so moving back and forth between cold water baths and saunas or hot tubs is not a good idea. If you have any concerns, check with your doctor.

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