“And I’m sure there’s other factors that we’re not picking up. That’s just from the cases that are actually making it to the hospital to go to the cath lab for a procedure,” Gibson said.
He said early on in the pandemic, many people were confined to their homes. Some people have been exercising less and not getting out as much.
“I think it is starting to ease up some now as people are getting out, but I think once you get into that trend of not exercising, not taking care of yourself, it just manifests as increased heart disease,” Gibson said.
Gibson said many patients have missed appointments with their physician during the pandemic, which could mean not getting care they need.
There’s also an increasing number of studies about the effect of mental health on heart disease, said Gibson.
Dr. Tariq Rizvi, an interventional cardiologist at Springfield Regional Medical Center, said his patients are constantly vocalizing their stress surrounding the pandemic, for example. This can present itself in many layers: worries over sick loved ones, fear for one’s own healthcare, stress over pandemic-impacted finances, and more.
“Every second conversation revolves around how they’re scared, and depending on the age spectrum of who you’re talking to, you can almost see that and the amount of stress that causes,” he said. “You spend a lot of time counseling them, reassuring them.”
Increased levels of stress cause an array of health issues that impact a person’s heart health, Rizvi said. High blood pressure, a result of stress, can lead to all forms of cardio conditions from increased incidences of heart failure to increased incidences of heart attacks.
Gibson said worsening mental health, missed follow up with physicians, decreased physical activity, and more “just snowballed, and we’re seeing those effects in the hospital, in the office, and even in the cath lab.”
When Springfield resident Judy Melvin, 81, had her heart attack in October she was walking up to her house after grocery shopping when she began having intense chest pain.
The next few hours were filled with the squad arriving at her home to begin care, and later transporting her to Springfield Regional Medical Center, where doctors found that the left anterior descending artery – the tube of muscle that supplies blood to the largest part of her heart – was completely blocked.
“They call it the widowmaker,” she said.
Know the signs
The most obvious sign that someone might be having a heart attack is chest discomfort, said Dayton Fire District Chief Nick Judge.
“That pain can feel different ways. It can be uncomfortable. There’s something people describe as pressure. It can feel like squeezing. It can feel like fullness. Or a sharper, shooting pain,” Judge said.
There are also signs beyond the chest discomfort. Judge said people having a heart attack can have discomfort in one arm, usually the left but can be in both arms or in the right.
Shortness of breath can be another symptom, as well as sometimes nausea, lightheadedness or breaking out into a sweat without exertion.
“A lot of people aren’t aware sometimes a heart attack doesn’t present as chest pain that is often portrayed in TV shows,” he said.
If someone thinks they are having a heart attack or a medical emergency, they should call 911, said Judge.
“Time is muscle,” Judge said. “A portion of the heart tissue can actually be dying the longer that it is without oxygen.”
A word of advice Melvin offered to others is that they shouldn’t wait to receive medical care if they show signs of a heart issue.
“Sometimes you are in denial,” she said. “But don’t wait! Time is important.”
Prevention
Melvin began attending cardiac rehabilitation at the local hospital, where she exercises and learns ways to prepare heart-healthy meals. She also tries to stay active by socializing with friends.
Interventional cardiologist Dr. Muhammad Ashraf said that a large component to maintaining heart health starts with nutrition. He tells his patients to opt for a vegetable-heavy diet and limit processed foods, which are often high in fat and high in salt. He also reminds his patients about portion control and not overeating.
“A plant-based diet is the best diet you can have,” he said. “Hot dogs, fried fish, burgers, steaks… these are bad for the heart. Bad cholesterol goes up, arteries clog up… eat to survive.”
Exercise is another large component to maintaining good heart health, Ashraf said.
“Exercise is when you speed up your heart rate and you sweat,” he said. “Working a job where you walk all day long is an exertion, not exercise.”
The American Heart Association recommends that people exercise for 30 minutes three times per week. Ashraf said this could present itself through activities like faster-paced walking or weight training.
Signs you may be having a heart attack
--- Chest pain or discomfort: Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes – sometimes it goes away then returns. This can feel like an uncomfortable amount of pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
--- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body: Symptoms can include pain in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or even the stomach.
--- Shortness of breath: This may accompany chest discomfort.
--- Other possible signs: breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, lightheadedness.
If someone thinks they are having a heart attack or a medical emergency, they should call 911.
