Heart disease affects nearly 27 million Americans each year (CDC.gov). Luckily, by staying attentive to eating well, and exercising regularly, you can keep your heart healthy and reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to the relation of heart disease to hemophilia. A 2009 study at the University Medical Center Utrecht found that the risk of developing ischemic heart disease (which narrows the coronary arteries, restricting blood to the heart) is lower in male hemophiliacs than in the general male population. This could be due to the lower incidence of blood clots in hemophiliacs.
However, other recent studies suggest that hemophiliacs are actually predisposed to heart disease as they age, due to the risk of artery-blocking clots forming during or after factor infusion.
Why take any risks?
Regardless of whether hemophilia protects against heart disease or not, one thing is certain: It’s important for hemophiliacs to take care of their hearts to minimize potential future complications.
Let’s take a minute to go over heart-healthy practices that reduce the likelihood of plaques or blockages forming in the bloodstream.
Improve Your Heart Health
- Trim the fat. Incorporating healthy substitutions for butter, other fats, and salt in your diet can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Slash the salt. Are you a salt junkie? Cut down gradually, and replace a few shakes of salt with black pepper and herbs to “reset” your taste buds.
- Stretch it out. While it’s inadvisable for hemophiliacs to hit the football field to break a sweat, exercise is one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy. It can be as simple as walking for 30 minutes a day, or doing a set of gentle stretches when you wake up in the morning.
- Quit smoking. Along with improving your overall health, quitting smoking has a direct, positive impact on the heart. Some people don’t realize that because smoking raises blood pressure and lowers circulation, it damages the heart in addition to the lungs. This damage can make you more prone to dangerous arterial blockages—so quitting now is a great idea.
- Sleep soundly. It’s critical to ensure that you get enough sleep, and that you’re going through all four stages of sleep for truly restorative rest. Long-term sleep deprivation negatively affects your cardiovascular health.
As hemophiliacs on prophylaxis know well, it’s better to be proactive about your health—especially when it comes to your heart. But should you ever need heart surgery, it can be done safely and effectively.