A Guide on Prioritising Cardiac Health During the Pandemic
There is no denying anyone knows the importance of keeping your health in check. This is something even doubly important, if you were diagnosed with high blood pressure or heart disease, or if you were told you have the risk of developing a cardiac issue. Considering the changes in the way hospitals handle patients and the pandemic’s impact on everything, a lot of people are wondering what they can do to get the best care.
How to Manage a Heart Condition
Healthy dieting, managing stress and getting regular exercise done are some of the ways you can stave off heart disease and high blood pressure. Unfortunately, with lockdowns and the uncertainty around the pandemic, this has its own set of challenges. You can do the following to keep yourself in shape:
- Follow your doctor’s advice, taking your prescribed medication as required.
- Limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol
- Avoid any over-the-counter medicines that might interfere with your blood pressure levels, specifically ibuprofen or decongestants.
- Consult your doctor regarding prescription medicines that may raise your blood pressure, such as immunosuppressants and decongestants.
- Keep an eye on your blood pressure.
- Think of new ways to keep active. Go for walks, use high interval training and make sure you don’t go too far.
- Eat a healthy diet that focuses on clean, low cholesterol ingredients.
Meanwhile, keep taking steps to reduce your chance of catching the virus, such as washing your hands, wearing a mask as necessary, and social distancing.
How to Manage Stress and Anxiety During the Pandemic
There are many ways stress and anxiety can manifest during the pandemic, from lack of energy to loss of interest in your favourite activities, to feeling a general sense of hopelessness and lack of motivation to be active or eating a healthy diet.
That in itself can be a problem when stress and anxiety can impact your blood pressure levels, both short and long term. Without a healthy diet and workouts, you can lean closer to heart disease or further complications of already existing problems. You need to make your mental and physical health a priority by focusing on these:
- Exercising for about 30 minutes, 5 times a week.
- Eating a healthy diet.
- Limiting caffeine and alcohol.
- Connecting with friends and family over the phone or the internet.
- Trying a meditation app to stay focused.
- Sweating out the stress by keeping your home clean.
- In extreme cases, talk to a mental health professional if you feel the stress getting to you.
Be Aware of Your Risk of Heart Disease
It may be easy to ignore health questions or worries during the pandemic, considering people are worrying about the global situation. If you have a history of heart issues in your family, then it’s important to keep an eye on that by getting checkups from your doctor just in case.
The most important thing is knowing what you need to do if your symptoms are worsening or if you are experiencing a life-threatening situation, such as a heart attack. Heart attacks and strokes keep happening even during the pandemic, of course, so don’t be afraid to look for help if the situation arises. Call emergency services as soon as you feel the telltale signs of an inbound heart attack, specifically:
- A rise in your blood pressure - anything above 180/120 is a good sign that things are way above normal and you need immediate help.
- Pain in your chest or back.
- A general sense of weakness and numbness.
- Blurry vision or loss thereof.
- Difficulties in speaking or breathing.
Emergency medical technicians can take care of you and save your life, as well as get you to the nearest hospital for more treatment and testing. Best call ahead of time just in case, instead of waiting it out and experiencing the worst outcome.
