Spotlight on Men’s Heart Health

No one knows your body better than you do, so it’s your responsibility to monitor your own health. As important as it is to prioritize preventive care and manage chronic health issues, up to 60% of men don’t go to the doctor when they need to.

Certain health concerns like heart disease, diabetes, and mental health issues affect both men and women. They may, however, impact them in different ways. For example, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States but men are twice as likely as women to experience a heart attack.

Researchers suggest this may have something to do with hormone levels, as the higher risk persisted even after taking traditional risk factors like high blood pressure and body mass index into account.

These are the top six heart health risk factors:

• Physical activity – Lack of physical activity increases your risk of heart disease. Health experts recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise at least five days a week.
• Stress – Chronic stress directly and indirectly affects the cardiovascular system and contributes to other unhealthy behaviors that may increase your risk.
• Bodyweight – Being overweight or obese puts strain on your heart and may worsen other risk factors for heart disease.
• Diet – High fat and sugar intake are bad for your heart. A healthy diet consists of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and moderate amounts of dairy and lean protein.
• Blood pressure – High blood pressure over 120/80 mmHg increases your risk for heart disease.
• Cholesterol – High LDL cholesterol over 100 mg/dL is a key cardiovascular risk factor. Total cholesterol should be below 200 mg/dL and HDL over 40 mg/dL.

These factors have a significant impact on cardiovascular wellness but may also affect other aspects of health. Heart health is linked to both respiratory and circulatory function and plays a key role in kidney health. For example, men, in particular, may find heart health linked to sexual function. In fact, about 49% of men with coronary artery disease experience major erectile dysfunction.

June is Men’s Health Month and it’s the perfect time to start taking better care of your heart and your health.

The first step toward improved health is getting a physical exam. Find a primary care provider if you don’t have one and get your health records up to date. Once you’ve established a baseline for things like body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol, you can start taking steps to improve and maintain your cardiovascular health.