T&D Staff Writer

J

ane Knight was the picture of health, or so she thought.

The diabetic exercised faithfully, maintained a healthy weight and made a science of keeping her blood sugar levels in check. What she didn't know was that her heart had been beating irregularly and signaled a larger, potentially deadly problem.

A blood pressure check conducted during a trip to an endocrinologist for a new insulin prescription resulted in the doctor finding the irregular heartbeat. He recommended Knight have an electrocardiogram done.

"I was having no symptoms. It never occurred to me that I was having heart problems," Knight said.

A cardiologist recommended that she undergo an exercise stress test, which revealed that her heart had four arterial blockages that could only be taken care of with triple bypass surgery. That was two years ago, and Knight is now firmly implanted in the cardiopulmonary program at the Regional Medical Center, where she works to keep her heart health in tune.

"If they're left to their own devices, I don't think people would exercise like they should than if they were here," she said, adding that she would not have caught her heart problem at age 62 had she not gone to the doctor for a totally different reason. She is now a proponent of women getting annual checkups for blood pressure, cholesterol and other risk factors for coronary artery disease.

"I'm exercising more. The diet hasn't changed a great deal because I adhere to the diabetic diet and have for years," said Knight, whose father died of a heart attack at age 52. She said reducing fat and salt in the diet and maintaining a healthy weight are key strategies, however, for women -- and men -- who may be at risk for heart disease.

Knight's is a success story of dealing with a disease that remains the number one killer of women in the nation.

February is American Heart Month, a time when women are especially encouraged to take charge of their heart health. With heart disease the second leading cause of death in Orangeburg County behind cancer, the time is now.

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'It gets overlooked a lot'

With coronary heart disease, waxy plaque deposits cause a narrowing of the coronary arteries that carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart. If an artery becomes totally blocked, a heart attack can occur.

"The better term to use is atherosclerosis. It's a systemic illness where cholesterol is building up in the arteries of the heart, but also the arteries of the brain, legs and aorta. In each, you'll have different illnesses going on," said Dr. John Castro, a cardiologist with The Carolina Heart Center in Orangeburg.

High cholesterol, smoking, poorly controlled hypertension, diabetes and lack of exercise are among the risk factors for coronary heart disease, Castro said.

Bamberg resident Joel Hand had a heart attack in 1997. He then sustained a series of arterial blockages that had to be corrected with a stent and angioplasty in 2005. Hand participated in the Regional Medical Center's exercise rehabilitation program shortly afterward and is now part of a water aerobics program at The Oaks.

"I do that three times a week for an hour. I don't have many meals with fatty foods. I choose lots of green or raw vegetables and leaner cuts of meat. I had a change in diet and exercise regularly," Hand said. He said both of his parents had cardiovascular problems.

"My father died of a heart attack, and my mother died of a stroke. As was typical of Southerners, I ate a lot of fatty food. I love french fries and fried chicken," said Hand, who now realizes how silently cardiovascular problems can appear. He advocates individuals getting at least 30 minutes of regular exercise and have regular medical checkups.

"While there's much attention to the male population, it turns out that the number one killer of women in this country is heart disease," Castro said. He advocates exercise, cholesterol screenings and the control of existing diabetic and hypertensive conditions as ways to help ward off the disease.

"The other major risk factor here regionally is smoking. It increases the risk of cancer, heart attack and stroke," Castro said.

Castro said healthy eating should be coupled with exercise.

"You have to attack this problem from every angle," he said. "I tell patients not to concentrate too much on weight. You may not be able to lose 40 pounds, but if you exercise and have a healthy diet, you're going to live longer." Postmenopausal women are at a higher risk for coronary heart disease than most, Castro added.

"Premenopausal women have other risk factors such as diabetes, and screening tests need to be done much earlier. The process of starting early is important," he said.

Vicky Yandle is program coordinator of the RMC's cardiopulmonary rehab program. "I'm an advocate that women need to go to the cardiologist or go to their regular doctor and get a baseline stress test at 50 years old," she said, because the fatigue women feel over crushing chest pain can be mistaken for something else and pushed off.

"It gets overlooked a lot of times," Yandle said.

Patricia Funderburk, RMC's community outreach manager, said women need to pay particular attention to the warning signs.

"That's our focus this month," she said, noting that exercise, a healthy diet and weight control should be joined by lots of rest.

Debbie Lyons, director of the vascular center and ultrasound services at the RMC, said carotid and aortic screenings are available at the RMC along with those to check circulation below the thighs. She said some patients are not aware they have problems that are later detected through screening.

"A lot of times, patients that come in have no idea. A lot of times, when a patient has pathology in their carotid artery, they'll often have it in the other arteries, too," she said.

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T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5534. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

Taking care of your heart

February is American Heart Month,

a time when women are especially encouraged to take charge of their heart health. With heart disease the second leading cause of death in Orangeburg County behind cancer, the time is now.

The Orangeburg County Health Department reports that a large percentage of Orangeburg County's approximately 90,845 residents have conditions that put them at risk for heart disease. Twenty-six percent of residents currently smoke, 38 percent lead a sedentary lifestyle, 36 percent have high cholesterol and 71 percent are overweight.

The following heart-healthy nutrients are recommended for women:

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The omega 3's

-- Help lower blood fats such as triglycerides and raises good cholesterol in the blood.

-- Can be found in fish such as salmon and tuna.

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Soluble fiber

-- Can help lower your risk of heart disease.

-- Found in fruits, oats and legumes.

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Folate

-- Reduces the compound called homocysteine in the blood.

-- Found in dark green leafy vegetables, orange juice and legumes.

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Vitamin D

-- Critical for heart health.

-- Should get 800 to 1,000 IU each day.

-- Found in fortified foods such as milk, soy milk and orange juice.

Source: Orangeburg County Health Department.

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