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Kelli Meadows, Administrator, The Orchards of Westlake, welcomed SJMC cardiologist Atal Hulyalkar, MD, to a Heart Healthy Breakfast hosted by the Crocker Road Living and Rehab Center.
Heart attack is the leading cause of death among women. It outpaces breast cancer, lung cancer and stroke combined.
And yet, the lifestyle decisions you make every day can influence your chances of having a heart attack.
That is the message shared by St. John Medical Center cardiologist Atal Hulyalkar, MD, at a ‘Heart Healthy’ breakfast program hosted at The Orchards of Westlake on March 19.
A heart attack may seem to come out of nowhere. But, “Your heart health depends in large part on the decisions you make every day,” said Dr. Hulyalkar. “Heart disease doesn’t happen overnight. But as many women die of heart disease each year as live in the city of Miami – 455,000 women every year.”
“Your heart health depends in large part on the decisions you make every day.” – Dr. Atal Hulyalkar
His slide-show presentation touched on useful facts that can lead to improved heart health:
– Get 150 minutes of exercise each week. “That sounds like a lot, but it is really just 20-30 minutes, five days a week. Even walking at 2-3 miles per hour makes a difference,” he said.
– Heart disease kills more women than breast cancer, lung cancer and stroke combined. And the incidence of heart disease in women aged 35-44 is on the increase.
– Risk factors associate with heart disease include hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, tobacco use, obesity and sedentary lifestyle. All these factors can be addressed through personal choices.Only the risk factors of age and family history are out of patient control.
Early Detection using Calcium Scoring for the Treatment and Elimination of Coronary Artery Disease (EDUCATE) is one of the strategies offered at St. John Medical Center in the battle against heart attack, added Dr. Hulyalkar. SJMC is recognized for cardiovascular excellence. It is named one of the nation’s 50 top hospitals by Truven Analytics, and is the first hospital in Cuyahoga County to receive accreditation by the Society of Chest Pain Centers (2006). SJMC also holds the American Heart Association Lifetime Achievement Award and the National Cardiology Data Registry Platinum Performance Award.
