Men’s Health Month (MHM) is a nationally recognized time celebrated during the month of June. The purpose of MHM is to bring attention to topics related to men’s health and well-being through awareness, education and prevention. The focus of this article will bring awareness to heart disease which continues to be the leading cause of death among men.
Understanding risk factors
Risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, smoking, inactivity and substance use disorders.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be one of the leading causes of mortality, chronic illness and disability in America. Approximately 121.5 million adults in the United States have experienced an acute myocardial infarction, cardiac chest pain, heart failure, stroke or has congenital heart disease (Benjamin et al., 2019, p. e202). The most common cause of CVD is coronary artery disease (CAD), which is when the blood vessels of the heart become narrow or blocked completely preventing oxygen from reaching the heart muscle. Men, especially before the age of fifty, are at greater risk of developing CAD. The plaque in the coronary artery in men tend to be more unstable leading to bleeding and plaque rupture (Reue & Wiese, 2022).
In addition to CAD, men have an approximately 2:1 higher prevalence of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction compared to women. Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is when the heart muscle becomes weak and unable to squeeze strong enough to meet the oxygen and energy needs of the body. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is another form of cardiovascular disease when the aorta, the large blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood to the body develops a bulge that can lead to a life-threatening condition if that bulge should rupture. Men are five times more likely to experience an AAA than women.
Prevention
With the facts pointing at men being at greater risk for developing many forms of heart disease in addition to other health problems, it is especially important to stay health-aware through regular annual health exams. Men often put off annual physical exams, especially when they are not experiencing any health-related symptoms, however, prevention is the key. With regular health check-ups, early identification of problems can be detected and managed early.
In addition to an annual health exam, health screenings are essential for early detection and prevention of potential health problems. Your doctor is the expert in identifying which health screening you need depending on your age and current risk factors. A few of the health screenings your doctor may recommend include lab tests for cholesterol, blood sugar and prostate health, colorectal cancer screening, lung cancer screening for men 50–80 with significant smoking history, and obesity and body composition assessments.
Understanding lipids/cholesterol
- Total Cholesterol (TC) is the total amount of cholesterol in the blood.
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): Too much of this can cause plaque buildup which can burst and lead to a heart attack or stroke.
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) can be called the “good” cholesterol because it moves extra cholesterol from the blood to your liver. Then the liver gets rid of it from the body.
- Triglycerides (TG) are a type of fat in the blood.
There are guidelines that help your health care provider determine what a heart-healthy level of cholesterol is for you based on risk factors. Below is a basic review of recommended levels, however your doctor will have further discussion about what your personal level should be and possible treatment options for increased lab values.
- TC: <200 mg/dL
- LDL:<100 mg/dL
For those with high risk: <70 mg/dL
- HDL:60 mg/dL
- TG:<150 mg/dL
A program that offers men support
Addressing mental health and emotional well-being should be as important as physical health. Unfortunately, the stigma associated with mental health continues to be at the forefront of preventing many men from seeking out assistance. The World Health Organization reported men have lower rates of reported depression but are more than twice as likely to die by suicide than women. Research has identified men may feel more vulnerable towards emotional health challenges related to masculine strength and having the need to be self-reliant (Boysen, 2017).
Seeking out help is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength and resilience. Peer support has shown to be an effective way to share mental and emotional challenges in a safe and judgement free environment. Parkview has a men’s cardiovascular focus group called Brave Hearts. Brave Hearts is for any man who has experienced cardiac disease. The group meets on the second Thursday of every month in the heart institute.
For further information on Brave Hearts contact Michelle Wood at michelle.wood@parkview.com. Help is available if you or someone you know is thinking about suicide. For immediate safety concerns, call 911 for Emergency assistance. Additional mental health resources are available include:
- Parkview Behavioral Health Institute Helpline: (260) 373-7500 or (800) 284-8439
- Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call/Text 988 [or Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)]
Prioritizing your physical and mental health needs is a powerful step for the quality of life you deserve. Feeling empowered to have control over your daily life not only affects you personally, but those that love and care for you. To summarize, schedule annual health exams, follow the recommended health care screenings from your provider, know your cardiac risk factors and address abnormal cholesterol numbers, and seek out assistance for mental and emotional challenges.
As we celebrate Men’s Health Month, remember “You are the greatest project you’ll ever work on. Restart, reset, refocus as many times as you need to, just never give up on yourself.”
References
Benjamin, E. J., Muntner, P., Alonso, A., Bittencourt, M. S., Callaway, C. W., Carson, A. P., ... & Delling, F. N. (2017). Heart disease and stroke statistics—2019 update: A report from the American Heart Association. Circulation, CIR-0000000000000659.
Boysen, G. A. (2017). Explaining the relation between masculinity and stigma toward mental illness: The relative effects of sex, gender, and behavior. Stigma and Health, 2(1), 6679.
Reue, K., & Wiese, C. B. (2022). Illuminating the mechanisms underlying sex differences in cardiovascular disease. Circulation research, 130(12), 1747-1762.
World Health Organization. (2021). Suicide worldwide in 2019: Global health estimates.
