COURIER LIFE, AUG. 16-22, 2019 41
Wellness
The image many people get
when they think of heart
conditions is a grown
man cluthing his chest. But
not all heart conditions are
as obvious or pronounced as a
heart attack.
Ischemia is a term used to
describe the restriction of oxygen
rich blood to an area of
the body. Cardiac ischemia
occurs when the blood cannot
reach the heart.
Generally, cardiac ischemia
causes pain in the chest,
known as angina. However, in
some cases, there is no warning
pain and the condition is
called silent ischemia.
Facts and fi gures
Silent ischemia affects
roughly three to four million
Americans every year. Individuals
who have had a previous
heart attack are at higher risk
for silent ischemia than others.
But there are many other risk
factors:
• Diabetes
• Coronary artery disease
• Hypertension
• Coronary artery anomalies
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Cardiomyopathy
If ischemia lasts too long
or is especially severe, it may
cause a heart attack. It can also
affect the natural rhythm of the
heart and its pumping ability,
which can cause fainting, and
even sudden cardiac arrest.
Symptoms and
diagnosis
Silent ischemia has no
symptoms. However, if a person
has had previous episodes
of chest pain, there’s a
liklihood that he or she could
also be experiencing silent
ischemia and not know it.
Doctors may use an exercise
stress test to determine silent
ischemia. Also, a special
monitor called a Holter monitor
will record the heart rate
and rhythm over the course
of a day and determine if
ischemia occurred.
Treatment
The main way to treat silent
ischemia is to reduce certain
behaviors that increase
risk. This includes quitting
smoking, avoiding alcohol, and
maintaining a healthy weight
and diet.
For those who are diagnosed
with silent ischemia, there are
some treatment options available.
Most of these involve improving
blood fl ow to the heart,
which often requires prescription
medications. Oxygen also
may be given to increase the
oxygen content of the blood
that is reaching the heart.
Other people may take medicines
that relax blood vessels,
enabling more blood to fl ow.
In most cases, this is all that is
needed to fi x the situation. For
those not responding to treatment,
they may need a percutaneous
coronary intervention,
such as balloon angioplasty,
coronary artery bypass surgery,
or a similar procedure.
Whether retirement is on
the horizon or has already
begun, more free
time equates to an increased
opportunity to fi ll your days
with enjoyable activities.
Those facing busy schedules
are often forced to push
hobbies to the sidelines, as
more pressing things, such
as a job, household responsibilities,
and parenting tasks,
are accomplished. Once retirement
arrives, a newfound
freedom in your schedule may
occur, and there can be plenty
of hours to devote to the hobbies
and pastimes you fi nd enjoyable.
According to research,
hobbies can have many benefi
ts. They may serve as an
emotional outlet or a way to
relax. Hobbies can keep the
mind and hands active. They
also allow for quiet time and
mind wandering — which can
free up creative thinking. Hobbies
can also serve as a means
to connecting with people.
There are many hobbies
you can consider, depending
on physical health and
abilities. Hobbies need not be
crafty in the traditional sense,
just about any activity — even
being a mentor — can be a
form of a hobby.
Starting a hobby
When deciding on a hobby,
you can fi rst take an inventory
of your skills and interests. If
you have always been handy
around wood and construction,
perhaps a woodworking
hobby will be enjoyable and
also may work as a source of
income revenue.
Other activities that require
the use of the hands and
mind include knitting, needlepoint,
painting, puzzles, quilting,
scrapbooking, and crocheting.
These can keep the
mind active and improve dexterity
and fi ne motor skills.
Next, you may want to consider
the costs surrounding a
hobby. Something like taking
photos may have relatively
low costs, but collectibles, exotic
sports, sports cars, and
travel could become expensive.
It’s important to weigh
the costs against your fi -
nances to ensure that you will
be fi nancially comfortable
while engaging in this particular
hobby.
Explore what your friends
are doing. If you want to get
into a new hobby, ask neighbors
and friends what they do
to keep busy — and try it out.
Visit a local hobby shop
or craft store and browse
through the aisles. See where
your attention is drawn and
give that activity a try. From
building model trains to cultivating
an herb garden, there
are dozens of ideas to try.
Other pastimes
A hobby can take the form
of volunteer work, teaching,
mentoring, joining a martial
arts class, taking classes at a
college, and even caring for
a pet. If you are the type who
likes to interact with other
people instead of engaging in
a solitary hobby, consider one
of these types of activities instead.
Once a hobby is started, it
is not set in stone. If you fi nd
you do not feel motivated to
do this hobby, try something
else. Remember, the days are
now yours to fi ll, so maximize
time spent with activities you
can enjoy.
Heart conditions
can be ‘silent’
Hobbies for the
golden years
Silent ischemia is a potentially dangerous heart condition that’s diffi cult to detect and can result in cardiac
arrest.