Caring for a Loved One With Heart Disease: What Is It and How to Prevent It

You may have heard of the new heart disease study released last week predicting that heart disease or hypertension will affect 61% of Americans by 2050. This alarming new study brings up the question, what is heart disease, how can we prevent it, and what can we do to help those struggling with cardiovascular disease now?  

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with an average of one person dying every 33 seconds. Hypertension, which is a huge risk factor for heart disease, affects almost half of Americans today. However, in many cases, simple lifestyle changes can prevent or delay the onset of heart disease and prolong your life. 

Today, we want to help you understand more about heart disease. We’ll cover everything from what heart disease is to how you can take steps today to prevent or delay it. We’ll also help you learn how to care for a loved one suffering from heart disease.

What Is Heart Disease?

Heart disease is a broad term used to describe a collection of heart-related conditions. Heart disease goes by many other names including heart and blood vessel disease and cardiovascular disease. 

There are several types of heart disease, the most common one is called coronary artery disease. This condition happens when cholesterol deposits, also known as plaque, build up in your arteries. Your arteries are the pathways that supply blood to your heart.

Over time, this build-up narrows or blocks your arteries, preventing your heart from getting all the blood it needs. This process is called atherosclerosis.

Symptoms of coronary artery disease include chest pain, numbness, and shortness of breath, among other discomforting experiences. Over time heart disease can lead to a heart attack, heart failure, or even death. 

Other types of heart disease include, but aren't limited to:

• Heart Arrhythmias: This is an irregular heartbeat that can cause pain or other complications.

• Heart failure: Contrary to popular belief, heart failure is not when the heart stops pumping blood entirely but when it stops pumping as much blood as it needs to. This is usually caused by coronary artery disease but may also be caused by thyroid disease or hypertension.

• Heart valve disease: This heart condition happens when the heart's valves get clogged and cannot open or close properly.

• Cardiomyopathy (Heart Muscle Disease): This is when the heart muscle is too weak to properly pump blood throughout the body. This condition is caused by genetics, reactions to drugs, chemotherapy, and infections.

• Congenital heart disease: This is when the heart experiences developmental difficulties in the womb. 

Heart conditions like congestive heart failure, uncontrolled arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), or complications after major heart surgery can significantly increase the need for long-term care services.

Those with pre-existing health conditions like diabetes, chronic lung disease, or cognitive decline can worsen the impact of a heart issue and increase the need for help with daily living activities.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease

So what puts you at risk of developing heart disease? There are several factors that increase your risk of heart disease, including genetics, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and use of tobacco or drugs. We'll explain more below.

Studies show that genetics can increase your risk. You're more at risk if you have a close family member with heart disease, such as a parent. 

That being said, lifestyle choices also have a huge impact on whether or not you'll develop heart disease. Other pre-existing conditions can also contribute to the risk. Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and obesity can also put you at a higher risk of developing heart disease. 

Thinking Ahead: How to Prevent Heart Disease

Now that you know the basics of heart disease, how can you prevent it and maintain a healthy heart? As mentioned earlier, for some people with genetic predispositions, heart disease may be unavailable.

However, that's not the majority of people, as there are several strategies to lower your risk. These include:

• Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet.

• Incorporating exercise and movement into your everyday routine.

• Managing stress and seeking treatments for mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety.

• Abstaining from tobacco products.

A sedentary lifestyle and poor diet are directly correlated to diabetes and a plethora of other health issues, including heart disease. It's essential to give your body the nutrients it needs and avoid the excess salt and additives found in most processed foods today.

A healthy diet consists of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, fish, and whole grains. You'll want to avoid anything with added sugar, added salt, alcohol, processed meats, and fast food.

In addition to dietary changes, you'll also want to start exercising regularly. Getting your exercise doesn't have to be strenuous; it can be as simple as getting your steps in for the day or going for short runs.

It's recommended to get at least 150 minutes of exercise each week. But don't worry if you can't hit that milestone; every bit of movement helps!

Another way to prevent heart disease is actually by managing your stress. This can look different for everyone. Over time, stress can increase your blood pressure and leave your body feeling like it's in a constant state of fight or flight.

Seeking out support from loved ones and mental health professionals can both be great outlets to help reduce stress. If your stress is connected to anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions, then a mental health professional can offer medications or therapy treatment options.

Last but certainly not least, another great way to prevent heart disease is by not smoking or quitting if you currently smoke. Research has shown that tobacco use is linked to heart disease, and quitting can help improve your blood pressure and heart rate quickly. 

How to Care for a Loved One With Heart Disease

Sometimes, it’s too late to plan ahead. If your loved one has heart disease, don’t panic; there are ways to care for a loved one with heart disease and mitigate symptoms.

Medication Management Is Key

Medications are the cornerstone of battling heart disease. It’s not only important for you to keep your loved one on track, but it’s equally important for your loved one to be responsible for taking their own meds. 

On top of taking medications regularly, both you and your loved one should know what medications they’re on, what dosage, and how frequently they should be taken. You should both be aware of what each medication does and why it’s essential to the care plan. 

This knowledge is not only vital to maintaining a good medication schedule, but it will also help you advocate for your loved one when working with different specialists. 

Managing heart disease often involves managing other pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. When managing multiple conditions, it's not uncommon to see different specialists for different things, especially as we age. 

While we hope that each specialist will get a copy of our records, the medical system isn’t always perfect. Some medications in combination with each other can have adverse effects, which is why it's so important to understand what your loved one takes, the dosage, and how often they’re taking it. That way, you can be the best advocate for your loved one as you navigate treatment options. 

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle and Diet

As discussed earlier, living healthy is essential for both preventing and treating heart disease. While heart disease itself isn’t curable, you can improve symptoms and daily life through lifestyle changes. 

As a caregiver, it can be difficult to convince your loved one to make daily changes and establish new habits. Sometimes, it can help to make these lifestyle changes alongside your loved one, especially if they’re struggling with long-term care needs. 

For example, if your loved one needs to get more physical activity into their routine, offer to go on walks around their neighborhood with them each time you visit. If they’re struggling with dietary changes, offer to cook them heart-disease-friendly meals or only buy them heart-disease-friendly groceries next time you’re at the store. 

Sometimes the best way we can care for our loved ones is showing them that they’re not alone in their struggles. By implementing changes with them, we can build trust and connection, which will encourage them to be healthier in the long run. 

Look out for Worsening Symptoms

When your loved one has heart disease, they may not always realize their symptoms are worsening (or improving). Other times, they may be anxious about going back to a doctor after their diagnosis. 

As a caregiver, you need to know what to look out for and when it's important to get emergency services or doctors involved. Worsening symptoms can involve:

• Chest pain

• Dizziness

• Swelling

• Shortness of breath

• Pain in the back or in the shoulders

• Fatigue 

Regardless of whether symptoms are worsening or not, it's vital to make sure your loved one is still attending regular doctor appointments and monitoring their condition. Just because medications or lifestyle changes have helped symptoms doesn't mean they should stop continuing those changes. 

You’re Not Alone

Many caregivers feel as though they’re alone and solely responsible for caring for their loved ones. This isn’t the case; in fact, there are several options to not only find professional care for your loved one but also resources to help you maintain your emotional and mental health and avoid caregiver burnout. 

If you’re looking for professional long-term care options for your loved one or respite care, which is when a professional caregiver temporarily takes over caregiving duties so you can rest, then LTC News has a tool that can help. 

Our Long-Term Care Directory tool allows you to search through thousands of listings near you or your loved one. You can use this tool to find high-quality home care or facility care services available now. 

The

Care Directory

Comprehensive caregiving & care facility listings in your area

Search Now

• Find and contact facilities near you
• Every major care and facility type
• View facility ratings and amenities
• Find quality care for you or a loved one

In addition to professional care options, there are also plenty of family caregiving resources to connect you with other caregivers. The American Heart Association offers several caregiving resources to choose from, including ways to connect with others like a caregiver support group, as well as more educational information and tips on managing heart disease and related heart conditions. 

One last thing to remember is that your family members and your loved one’s care team are there to support you. If your responsibilities seem to outweigh the amount of time you have in a day, consider reaching out to other loved ones about sharing caregiving tasks. It doesn't hurt to ask your loved one’s care team what you can do to streamline the care process as well. 

RELATED: How To Balance Caregiving Responsibilities and a Career

Navigating Heart Disease Prevention and Caregiving

Heart disease is a collection of serious heart conditions that are responsible for thousands of American deaths each year. Learning how to prevent heart disease and how to care for a loved one with heart disease is essential to living a good quality life as we age.

The most important way to manage or prevent heart disease is to stay on top of pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. Heart disease management also involves leading a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a heart-healthy diet.

Remember, if you're caring for a loved one with heart disease, you are not alone in your journey, and there are several resources that can help. LTC News is a hub for long-term care and caregiving education. Consider reading one of our articles below to learn more:

• How to Care for a Loved One With Diabetes - Diabetes can lead to heart disease if left poorly managed. In this article, we'll explain how to best care for a loved one with diabetes.

• What Is Kidney Disease & How to Care for a Loved One with Kidney Disease - Kidney disease can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Learn how you can help your loved one manage kidney disease.

• Nutrition Tips for Older Adults: Wellness, Aging and Diet - A large part of heart disease prevention and caregiving involves leading a healthy lifestyle and diet. This article can help you manage your loved one's nutrition for optimal health.