​​Heart disease

What is heart disease?

​Heart disease happens when your heart c​an’t work the way it should. It makes it harder for your heart to pump blood through your body. Heart disease can cause serious sickness and even death. 

Millions of people have heart disease, but here’s the good news—you can take steps to help prevent it! Small changes every day—like eating better and moving more—can make a big difference.

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.
  
• Heart disease claimed almost 915,000 lives in 2023. But heart disease is preventable with healthy habits​.
  

What causes heart disease?

Many things can lead to heart disease:

• Eating too much junk food
• Not moving your body enough
• Smoking
• Having high blood pressure or diabetes
• Family history (it can run in families)

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking are the four biggest risk factors of heart disease. Almost half of adult Americans have high blood pressure. Keeping blood pressure under control can make you live longer.

What are heart disease warning signs?

Watch out for these signs:

• Chest pain or pressure
• Feeling very tired
• Trouble breathing
• Fast or uneven heartbeat
  

Sometimes there are no signs at all! That’s why check-ups are important. 

Learn more about symptoms from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention.

How can you prevent heart disease?

You can do a lot to keep your heart healthy:

• Eat healthy: Choose fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Cut back on salty snacks and sugary drinks.
• Move your body: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week (like brisk walking)
• Don’t smoke: Smoking hurts your heart.
• Limit sugary drinks and alcohol: Too much can harm your heart.
• Get check-ups: Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure and cholesterol.