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While strides are being made in health care to reduce the number of people affected by heart disease, it’s still not enough. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease remains the leading cause of death for people age 65 and older.1
How can older adults prevent heart disease?
In addition to getting adequate exercise every week, one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease is to take advantage of your Medicare preventative benefits.
Below are four simple steps that can help you protect your heart and stay healthy as you age.
- Heart disease screenings. If you have Medicare, you can receive a free cardiovascular heart disease screening annually, though you may need to a pay a copay depending on your coverage. Heart disease screenings check your blood pressure and cholesterol to ensure you are not at risk for a stroke or heart disease. During the screening, your doctor may provide you with tips and resources to improve your health, such as adjusting your eating habits and incorporating health supplements into your weekly routine.
- Diabetes screening and management. Diabetes is a serious health condition that causes your body to under-produce and/or not use insulin in the right way. Over time, high blood glucose from diabetes can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart and blood vessels, increasing your risk of developing heart disease. The longer you have diabetes, the higher the chance you will develop heart disease. If you notice unexplained weight loss, increased urination, or blurry vision—or you start to feel more tired, hungry, or thirsty than usual—contact your doctor right away for your Medicare-covered screening. The good news is the steps you take to manage your diabetes also help to lower your chances of having heart disease or stroke.
- Chronic disease self-management. Nearly 95% of older adults have at least one chronic condition, and nearly 80% have two or more.2 If you have a chronic condition like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, you significantly increase your risk of developing heart disease, along with many other conditions. Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs (CDSMP) are six-week long interactive workshops (online or in-person) that help attendees manage conditions, improve quality of life, and lower health care costs. To find a CDSMP in your community, contact your local Area Agency on Aging.
- Healthy lifestyle habits. Your body is a temple, and you should treat it as such. Improving your diet and making small changes to your daily routine can drastically improve your health and reduce your risk for heart disease and other chronic conditions. A great first step would be reducing your intake of processed foods and adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. To help you achieve this, Medicare covers a service called Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT). With MNT, a registered dietician or qualified nutrition professional provides nutritional assessment, one-on-one counseling, and group counseling services to eligible Medicare beneficiaries. You'll receive expert advice on what to eat (and what to avoid) and learn how various foods can impact your heart and overall health.
Smoking is another lifestyle habit that increases your risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions by damaging your blood vessels. Medicare offers eight in-person smoking cessation sessions a year to help beneficiaries quit smoking.
Sources
1.   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older Adult Health. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/older-american-health.htmÂ
2.   NCOA. Chronic Inequities: Measuring Disease Cost Burden Among Older Adults in the U.S.  A Health and Retirement Study Analysis. Page 5, Figure 2. April 2022. Found on the internet at https://ncoa.org/article/the-inequities-in-the-cost-of-chronic-disease-why-it-matters-for-older-adultsÂ
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