17-02-2025
Eastern N.C. heart expert talks risk factors, symptoms during Heart Health Awareness Month
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — February is Heart Health Awareness Month and medical professionals in Eastern N.C. are advising people on symptoms to look out for.
'Symptoms can be very vague. They can differ in men and women,' Chief of the Division of Cardiology at ECU Health Dr. John Catanzaro said. 'So, chest pain, per se, can be felt differently in men or women. But, other additional symptoms really include chest pain or shortness of breath on exertion.'
Physical stress and high blood pressure are some of the main factors that can lead to heart problems.
'That tends to make the wall of the heart thicker and can also make the wall of the heart stiffer,' Dr. Catanzaro said. 'If the wall of the heart is either stiffer, it's not able to fill as much. So, therefore, it's not going to pump enough blood out.'
Dr. Catanzaro said people in Eastern N.C. have a higher risk for heart disease. 'Diet control and diet modifications are only affordable because as we only know these days, it's, it's very costly to live healthy and in patients with lower socioeconomic status and or lower access to hospital,' he said. 'In the 22 counties, what we're seeing is actually an age-adjusted elevation of younger patients getting heart disease. So, there's not only an increase in heart disease, but there's an increase in heart disease amongst younger patients and a lot of it is really not only genetic, but can be avoidable.'
He said knowing your family history, more exercise and a lower alcohol intake can all be important. 'The way to empower patients is to inform them and having a knowledge of things that you can reverse and things that you can't reverse, meaning risk factors,' Dr. Catanzaro said.
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