Need-to-know heart FACTS

AN UPSIDE TO THE CHILLING STATS about women and heart disease:

- LISA BAIN

There's much you can do to prevent problems down the line. These facts can mobilize you to take steps to strengthen your heart, and maybe even save your life.

FACT:

High blood pressure raises your risk of heart attack and stroke.

The American Heart Association (AHA) refers to high blood pressure (HBP) as a "silent killer," because usually there are no symptoms. That's why a key heart health step is to get your blood pressure checked on the regular. This is especially important for Black people, the AHA says, because in the U.S. they have a higher rate of HBP than other racial and ethnic groups; it also tends to be more severe in them, and certain meds may be less effective. If the condition isn't detected or controlled it can wreak havoc on blood vessels and the heart as well as on the brain, eyes, and kidneys.

DO THIS: Get your blood pressure checked regularly, and talk to your doctor about how often it should be monitored. If yours turns out to be on the high side, discuss ways to help bring it to a healthy level. Many things mentioned in this guide can help, including healthy eating, monitoring weight, easing stress, and exercising regularly. Also important, according to the Mayo Clinic: Watch your sodium levels and alcohol intake.

FACT:

Sitting too much puts your heart at risk.

Studies have shown that sitting on your duff for prolonged periods increases heart disease risk by raising both blood pressure and blood sugar. Here's why: When we sit or lie down, our legs and gluteus muscles (the body's largest muscles) don't contract much and thus don't do their usual jobs of taking sugar from the bloodstream and helping break down fatty acids in the blood. Bingo: Too much sugar and too many fatty acids build up.