Heart health the focus in February

Keeping your heart healthy is much simpler than fixing it when it breaks.

The Memorial Health System slotted several public events for February’s Heart Month, directed toward acquainting the public with the heart care services the system offers and emphasizing early diagnosis of heart conditions.

Dr. Meisam Moghbelli, a cardiologist at Memorial with a subspecialty in heart failure, said the medical system is increasingly focused on preventing heart and cardiovascular disease.

“We still have to manage lots of patients with heart disease and we’re becoming much more adept at treating it. Nationally, heart attack rates are still high, but things are headed in the right direction,” he said.

Early identification of heart conditions is critical, he said, and Appalachia in particular has living conditions that give residents a propensity for less than optimum heart health. Ohio Department of Health data shows that Washington County is No. 64 among the state’s 88 counties for heart disease mortality - with No. 1 being the worst (Fayette County) and No. 88 being the best (Delaware County). Although the county is in the lower half, the mortality rate of 198.56 deaths per 100,000 is still above the state average of 186.19 and the national average of 165.04.

“In this area, we have patients who are in need of better access to health care, the proportion of the population that smokes is higher than most urban areas,” Moghbelli said. “The access is challenging - although at Memorial we have an open door policy - and we see people with advanced symptoms who haven’t seen a doctor for years. Caring for them is more challenging, and we wish they would have gotten in earlier.”

The hospital and clinic system held an open house earlier this month offering free electrocardiograms and blood pressure tests, along with other screening procedures and free consultations with specialists. On Tuesday, Memorial will host a dinner at the Elizabeth Sugden Broughton Community Building where Moghbelli and his colleague, Dr. Arshad Rehan, will talk about heart health with specific emphasis on peripheral vascular disease.

Threats to cardiovascular health, he said, are well-known: smoking, obesity, poor diet, lack of physical activity, along with the misfortune of having a family history of heart disease.

Although cigarette smoking has become less prevalent over the past two decades, he said, vaping represents a new threat to heart health. Even though vaping delivers less harmful particulates and carbon monoxide, most vape products still introduce nicotine into the system, which elevates blood pressure and has other undesirable effects on the cardiovascular system.

Moghbelli’s advice to maintain heart health includes 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise a few times a week, diets that include less salt and processed foods, and no smoking.

Early intervention is critical, he said, and even people with no medical insurance can have access to expert care. National statistics have shown a correlation between poverty and heart disease - people with incomes of $25,000 a year or less are 40 percent more likely to have a heart condition than those making more than $75,000, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention behavioral survey data from 2018.

“We have social workers at Memorial who can advise people,” said Moghbelli. “I would encourage everyone to get screened, but especially those who have risk factors such as obesity, and a family history of heart problems. Everybody should get evaluated. We’d rather see you on the front end of this, when prevention is possible, not the back end after you’ve had a heart attack.”

Although many treatments are available for recovery, he said, those who experience heart attacks often need to live with the restrictive consequences of heart failure for the remainder of their lives.

“The mortality rate 30 days after a heart attack is still quite high, and we want to prevent these so that people don’t have to live with heart failure afterward,” he said.

The Washington County Health Department also addresses heart health with several programs.

Healthy Communities director Sherry Ellem said a “lunch and learn” event Wednesday included as a keynote speaker a pharmacist from the University of Charleston who offered a presentation on heart health and medications.

“We have a coalition of more than 30 members who meet quarterly on how to invest dollars and work together on projects to increase access to fitness and better nutrition,” she said.

More information is available on the department’s Facebook page, she said.

Doing something as simple as taking a walk in a public park is one way of taking advantage of commonly owned and maintained public facilities, she said.

“We really need to take part in our own health care,” she said. “There’s a lot we can do personally to stay healthy, many programs. It’s not always easy to make the healthy choice, and public programs and facilities are there to make it easier.”

The Marietta Family YMCA is offering a Dance Your Heart Away introduction to its Zumba, Dance Fusion, Pilates-yoga and stretching classes from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The recently relocated YMCA is one of several fitness organizations in the area.

Tom and Betty Decker were walking the indoor one-eighth-mile track at Movement Fitness on Gross Street Thursday afternoon as other members paced on treadmills, played casual basketball, worked out with weights and participated in cross-fit training. The couple said they’d joined the fitness center when it opened in April 2019 and use the facility regularly.

“I play pickleball three days a week and we walk here often,” Betty said. “It keeps us moving.”

Heart Month events in Marietta

• What: Dance Your Heart Away, introduction to Zumba, Dance Fusion, Pilates-Yoga, stretching.

• When: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

• Where: Elizabeth Sugden Broughton Community Building, 619 State Route 821.

• Cost: $5.

• Registration: Marietta Family YMCA, 7410-336-1041.

• What: Dinner discussion by Memorial Health System, Dr. Meisam Moghbelli and Dr. Arshad Rehan.

•When: 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

• Where: Elizabeth Sugden Broughton Community Building, 619 State Route 821.

• Cost: $5 for individuals, $7.50 per couple.

•Registration: 740-568-4731.