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cardiovascular q & a
 
Laurence Epstein, MD
Laurence Epstein, MD
  

What happens during a heartbeat?

The human heart beats roughly 100,000 times a day, pumping blood through its chambers to the rest of the body. Over a lifetime, that corresponds to more than 2.5 billion heartbeats. A heartbeat is triggered by an electrical impulse that signals the heart's chambers – the upper chambers (atria) and the lower chambers (ventricles) –



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..First Steps to Heart Health check your risks health information lifestyle changes health programs
Did you know that healthy lifestyle changes can reduce your risk for heart disease by a whopping 87 percent?
Consider these five heart-healthy lifestyle changes:
step one

Eat Healthy
Eat plenty of vegetables,
fruits and whole grains –
but cut back on saturated
and trans fats.
step one
step two

Maintain a Healthy Weight
If you're overweight, losing
just 10 percent of your
weight will help lower your
risk for heart disease.

step two
step three

Exercise
Get moving, at a moderate
or vigorous rate, for a total
of at least 30 minutes a day.

step three
step four

Don’t Smoke
One out of every five
smoking-related deaths are caused by cardiovascular
disease.

step four
step five

Drink Alcohol Moderately
Keep alcohol consumption
at or below 5 to 30 grams
per day – roughly one-half
to two standard drinks.

step five

 
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