Heartbreak or Heart Health? The Choice is Yours

In a world where we’re all obsessed with the latest wellness trends—be it sipping kale smoothies or investing in sleep trackers—there's one health issue that continues to hold the top spot in global mortality rates, and it isn’t getting enough quirky hashtags. Yes, you guessed it: heart disease.

Rodolfo Herrera Franco, an academic from UNAM’s Faculty of Higher Studies Zaragoza, offers a hard pill to swallow: heart disease is the leading cause of death globally, for both men and women. Before you clutch your chest in dramatic fashion, let’s unpack the details. This isn't about waiting for dramatic heart palpitations before taking action. It’s about managing risk factors early, even before symptoms have the audacity to make an appearance. Think of it as a defensive strategy, like wearing sunscreen long before the sunburn hits, but for your heart.

An Ounce of Prevention, a Ton of Benefits

Herrera Franco makes a compelling argument that just as we have preventive programs for breast and cervical cancer, there should be a similar urgency around cardiovascular health. It's not just about treating diseases when they occur but about curbing the causes long before they become fatal. Imagine a world where your general practitioner is not just someone you see when you're already coughing up a lung or experiencing severe chest pain, but someone who helps you stay healthy with preventive strategies. The key here is training primary care physicians in preventive medicine, so they can spot risk factors in their tracks and address them before you're the star of a hospital drama.

The numbers are staggering. According to the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes claim 20.5 million lives each year. That’s not just in wealthy, fast-food-saturated nations either—most deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. That means heart disease isn’t only a matter of lifestyle choices but a systemic issue of access to healthcare, education, and preventive resources.

Zooming in on Mexico, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography reveals that between January and June 2023, heart disease accounted for 97,187 deaths, topping the list of causes nationwide. Herrera Franco highlights that ischemic heart disease (also known as coronary artery disease or angina pectoris) is a major player here, alongside the less friendly-sounding myocardial infarction and sudden death.

And it’s not just older adults anymore. Heart disease has begun to crash the parties of younger people—think 30 to 35-year-olds—who are showing up in emergency rooms with heart attacks. Yes, your heart could be writing checks you didn't even know were bouncing.

The Sneaky Risk Factors

High blood pressure is like that uninvited guest who lingers at your party far too long. Globally, it affects over 35% of adults aged 30 to 79. In Mexico alone, the prevalence is 32.1%. Yet, screening for this silent killer seems to be more of an afterthought. According to INSP, testing rates dropped dramatically from 29.4% in 2012 to a mere 9.1% in 2022. This isn’t just concerning—it’s the equivalent of driving on a road trip without ever checking your gas gauge.

The list of risk factors for heart disease reads like a “Do Not Try This at Home” guide to living: smoking, diabetes, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle. Add to that high cholesterol and chronic stress, and you've got yourself a recipe for disaster. But for women, there are also what Herrera Franco calls “emerging factors.” Hormonal changes due to early menstruation (girls as young as 10 years old) and menopause (women aged 30 to 35 who aren’t receiving hormone therapy) add to the mix. And if you thought the brain was off-limits, think again. Cerebrovascular accidents (a fancy term for strokes) can also occur when blood flow to part of the brain stops.

There’s no need for doom and gloom if you can take action—Herrera Franco isn’t suggesting we all run to the nearest cardiologist in a panic, but rather that we make lifestyle changes now to save our hearts the trouble later. Whether you're a kid or a seasoned adult, leading a heart-healthy life means doing aerobic exercises for at least 30 minutes, four times a week. That could be jogging, brisk walking, or even an intense interpretive dance to your favorite tunes.

And don’t even think about skimping on your diet. Avoiding overweight and obesity means eating right, which, in non-dietician terms, means balancing your food choices rather than eliminating all joy from your plate. Keep tabs on your cholesterol, blood glucose, and blood pressure levels—regularly, not just once every blue moon. And if you smoke, Herrera Franco’s advice is simple: stop. “World Heart Day” might come only once a year, but every day is an opportunity to give your heart some love.

But What If the Worst Happens?

Let’s say you’ve already had a heart attack—first of all, welcome back! The good news is that treatments like angioplasty and clot-dissolving drugs can help reopen blocked arteries. The even better news? Cardiac rehabilitation programs can get you back on track with a plan that involves exercise, stress management, and risk control. Your heart may have stumbled, but it hasn’t dropped out of the race yet.

World Heart Day, which has been celebrated since 2000 thanks to the World Heart Federation, is a global reminder to “Use Your Heart for Action.” But here’s the twist: Herrera Franco suggests that we don’t wait for the annual reminder on September 29 to do it. Every day should be Heart Day.

The motto might sound like a motivational poster, but it’s also a wake-up call. Prevention is always better than intervention, and when it comes to the organ that’s literally keeping you alive, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Your heart may not send you a text when it’s feeling neglected, but it will give you warning signs if you’re paying attention. The key is to take action early, well before those little warning signs turn into full-blown emergency sirens. After all, you don’t want to be part of the 97,187 reasons why heart disease stays on top of the mortality charts. Keep moving, eat right, manage your stress, and for goodness' sake, see a doctor before your heart stages a dramatic walk-off.