Treating Heart Health at Every Age

By STEPHANIE HOEY

Updated 9:15 PM EST, Fri, Feb 20, 2009

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Heart disease is the number one killer of women in this country. But both women and men can prevent heart disease. It's never too soon to start: even if you can't imagine that you might have a problem.

"I was 25. I had just finished running the Marine Corp marathon and I was healthy," said blood pressure patient, Anacani Ramirez.

Ramirez, a nurse, says she was in some of the best shape of her life.

But when her co-worker happened to check her blood pressure, she found it to be surprisingly high. So high, her doctors said:

"You should have probably went to the emergency room."

Cardiologist Ramin Oskoui says Ramirez is one of the lucky ones because she caught her high blood pressure early. Too many people aren't keeping track of their heart health and that's causing big problems later in life.

"The reality is, what you're cholesterol is and what your blood pressure is, really makes a difference in your 20s based on what's going to happen to you when you're 60," said Dr. Oskoui.

Dr. Oskoui says people in their twenties need to have their cholesterol and blood pressure tested, because at such a young age most problems can be fixed simply with diet and exercise.

It's also important for young women to work closely with their OB-GYN, since that's the only doctor many women see regularly at this age.

But when you reach your thirties, your body starts to change:

"We all know metabolism changes. You can go out and have a drink or two and guess what? It's harder to do that and go to work the next day. You're gaining weight, not exercising as much, family responsibilities have kicked in or your ability to rationalize bad behavior has improved," said Dr. Oskoui.

Dr. Oskoui says this is the time to make sure you're establishing a regular work out program and healthy diet because the older and less active you get, the bigger an impact it can have on your cholesterol and blood pressure.

But once you hit forties, your metabolism slows down even more. Bad habits, such as smoking, can begin to take a greater toll. Many people in their forties are under more stress and aren't getting enough rest ... which can make things even worse:

"If you can get six to eight hours of sleep every night, it's tremendously helpful for your metabolism and your immune system and also heart stress as well," the doctor said.

As you enter the fifties, you should maintain a healthy lifestyle. Dr. Oskoui says now is the time to see your doctor regularly, to make sure you're getting treatment for any health problems you've developed along the way.

"We estimate that by the time you are in your late fifties to early sixties, 30 to 40% of all people are going to need blood pressure medication to treat their numbers. You may end up being one of them. Find out.”