February is Heart Awareness Month

With one in three deaths in America being caused by cardiovascular conditions, it as a clear sign that the number one killer is a strong enemy, which requires resources from all layers of society to be united against it. In an effort to address the issue even more, President Obama declared February the Heart Awareness Month. The commitment comes in the light of other consistent initiative to improve the quality of life and the efficiency of medical services.

Heart diseases are very common not only in the United States, but all over the world. Except Africa, the rest of the world deals with the same problem of trying to reduced the number of death produced by heart disease, which figure at around ten millions each year. Awareness and the means to cultivate it become essential when trying to manage such a widespread problem. Heart diseases have the upper hand of presenting mild symptoms in the beginning, and usually loose the spotlight when confronted with other illnesses. Heart diseases are taken seriously only when they begin to inflict life threatening effects, thus, the prevention and screening phase is still not enough developed.

Cardiovascular diseases are related to the body’s circulatory system and revolve around the heart and the blood vessels. As the system functions non-stop and it is vital for all other processes taking place inside the body, any malfunction at this level can have very damaging consequences.

There are many risk factors attached to the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Overall, it can be said that the lifestyle has a significant contribution to increasing the risk. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, unbalanced diet, lack of sleep, and constant stress, are all factors which add up to the balance which eventually leads to cardiovascular disease. It is important to know almost all heart diseases are preventable if the needed measures are taken in account. Moderation can be seen as the main trait defining a lifestyle which accommodates a smaller risk. Although many risk factors can be accurately identified and held under control, the human body is still vulnerable to time. With each passing decade, the probability of having a stroke or any other serious episode of heart disease increases substantially. As fatigue wears out the circulatory system, all sources of risk factors produce a cumulative effect, which is usually felt during the late stages of life.

Prevention and regular screening are the best weapons against cardiovascular conditions. Blood pressure measurement is the fastest and most convenient way of spotting problems before they go full scale. Anyone can do regular blood pressure checks at home, although digging for some knowledge and caution is advised. Blood pressure can render completely wrong and unreliable results if done improperly. Diet, the moment of the day, the position of the body, as well as the emotional state can all produce inaccurate results. Although this serves mainly as a warning, things can be put in a different perspective, and one might realize that each component of our daily lives is able to severely influence how blood is used inside the body.

Awareness relies on “organic” means of spreading the news in order to maximize its effects. Like with any other medical condition, the one possessing the knowledge it is also the first to be aware. Its duty is to reach to friends and family members which fall inside the common traits of profile which indicate danger, and try to trigger action. Once these connections are exploited, going to the next level can be seen as the needed move. Authorities and organizations have the responsibility of distributing knowledge and awareness on channels often accessed by a high percent of population.

Policies directly addressing cardiovascular diseases are starting to take priority in country after country. Like with any other serious medical condition, cardiovascular diseases also have a negative impact on economy. Although it might sound strange to jump from counting lives to counting money, it is crucial to understand that heart disease are a complex problem, negatively influencing life and human activity on multiple levels. Just to give an example, unexpected deaths caused by heart disease can leave families without the certainty of the next day, putting an important strain on the whole social landscape.