Although most people know that stress is bad for heart health, many aren’t aware of some lesser-known factors, results of a recent survey show.
Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic surveyed a nationally representative group of 1,000 U.S. adults. They found that 74% of respondents are aware that stress can negatively affect the heart, but only 60% knew that alcohol consumption, tobacco use and sleep deprivation also can harm heart health.
In addition, 97% of the respondents believe supplements such as multivitamins, vitamin D and fish oil can improve their heart health. However, the researchers say previous studies have found that most supplements aren’t effective in improving heart health – and some can be harmful.
When it comes to prescription heart medications (statins, blood pressure drugs, aspirin, etc.), 3 out of 5 of the respondents underestimated the impact of missing doses, which can have serious long-term consequences.
Nearly 60% said they “simply forgot” to take the medication as prescribed, while 16% skipped because they were feeling healthy, 15% dislike being on so many medications and 11% said their meds were too expensive.
“Each year we aim to educate the public about lesser-known heart risks and encourage individuals to be proactive in managing their cardiovascular health,” Samir Kapadia, chair of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, said in a press release. “We aim to empower people to make informed decisions that could help prevent heart disease.”
