The term heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions, including coronary artery disease and heart attack.
How Does Heart Disease Affect Men?
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States, killing 357,761 men in 2019—that’s about 1 in every 4 male deaths.
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States, including African Americans, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Hispanics, and whites. For Asian American or Pacific Islander men, heart disease is second only to cancer.
- About 1 in 13 (7.7%) white men and 1 in 14 (7.1%) black men have coronary heart disease. About 1 in 17 (5.9%) Hispanic men have coronary heart disease.
- Half of the men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms. Even if you have no symptoms, you may still be at risk for heart disease.
Symptoms of Heart Disease
Sometimes heart disease may be “silent” and not diagnosed until a man experiences signs of a heart attack, heart failure, or an arrhythmia. When these events happen, symptoms may include:
- Heart attack: Chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, upper body discomfort, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
- Arrhythmia: Fluttering feelings in the chest (palpitations).
- Heart failure: Shortness of breath, fatigue, or swelling of feet, ankles, legs, abdomen, or neck veins.
Even if you have no symptoms, you may still be at risk for heart disease.
Risk for Heart Disease
From 2013–2016 47% of men had hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including:
- Diabetes
- Overweight and obesity
- Unhealthy diet
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol use
Reduce Your Risk
To reduce your chances of getting heart disease, it’s important to do the following:
- Know your blood pressure. Having uncontrolled blood pressure can result in heart disease. High blood pressure has no symptoms so it’s important to have your blood pressure checked regularly. Call us at (334) 293- 6502 to learn how you can get a free blood pressure cuff.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you should be tested for diabetes. Having diabetes raises your risk of heart disease. We offer a no-cost program that provides support to reduce your risk of diabetes for one full year. Call (334) 293- 6502 to learn more.
- Quit smoking. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke:
- For support in quitting, including free quit coaching, a free quit plan, free materials, and referrals to local resources, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).
- You can also learn about free apps and other resources at thewellnesscoalition.org/tobacco.
- Discuss checking your cholesterol and triglyceride levels with your doctor.
- Limit alcohol intake to one drink a day.
- Lower your stress level and find healthy ways to cope with stress.
- Make healthy food. Being overweight or obesity raises your risk of heart disease. Healthy eating is important at every age. Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. When deciding on a snack, choose options that are full of nutrients and limited in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.
Start with these tips:
