Be able to name the risk factors for heart disease and diabetes that can be prevented. the third highest rate of diabetes of any racial or ethnic group …
Topic 1
Could You Get Heart Disease or Diabetes?
________________________________________________________________
Objectives
By the end of this session, group members will:
o Know about the To the Heart of Women program
o Know that heart disease can be prevented
o Know that diabetes can be prevented and controlled
o Be able to name the risk factors for heart disease and diabetes that
can be prevented
o Know other group members
__________________________________________________________________
Materials and Supplies
To conduct this meeting you will need:
o To the Heart of Women manual
o Name tags
o Picture cards 1-1, 1-2
o Blackboard and chalk or a flip chart with several large pieces of
paper, a marker, and tape
o Pens or pencils
Before the Meeting
o Write your name on the blackboard or flip chart
o Write the list of 8 topics on the blackboard or flip chart Optional
__________________________________________________________________
Handouts
These handout may be given to each group member during the session:
o Heart Disease and Risk Factors and Facts
o The Heart and Your Pulse
o The Heart and Its Structure
o The Circulatory System
o Cardiovascular Diseases
o Misconceptions/Myths About Heart Disease
o Steps to Prevent Heart Disease
o Are You at Risk for Heart Disease?
o Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack
o Family Health Tree Activity
Introducing the Session
1 Welcome
Introduce yourself as people walk in
Ask each person her name Write it on a name tag
Ask group members to wear the name tags on their shirts
Welcome the group members to the session Tell them that you are
very happy to see them
2 Program Overview
Heart disease is the number one reason why people die in this
country We created the program To the Heart of Women to help
Latina women prevent getting heart disease
Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women, including
Latina women, in the United States In fact:
The number of Latina women who have heart disease is higher
than the number of white women who have heart disease
The number of Latinos with diabetes is 2 times higher than in
non-Latino
whites
Doctors are more likely to perform necessary medical
treatment for the heart on white women and men than on Latino
women and men
Diabetes is the number one cause of death for women, including
Latina women, in the United States In fact:
Over 18 million people in the United States have diabetes
Over 13 million have been diagnosed and more than one-half of
them are women
Latinos have the third highest rate of diabetes of any racial
or ethnic group in the United States Two million Latinos in
the United States have diabetes
Diabetes can cause serious health complications including
heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, diseases of
the nervous system and having your lower limbs amputated
One out of every three people with diabetes does not know
that they have it
Together well learn about the risk factors for heart disease and
diabetes We will also learn things you and your family can do to
improve your health
This program is called To the Heart of Women We will meet ____
times to cover these topics say the topics that you plan to
cover
1 Are You at Risk for Heart Disease or Diabetes? covers
basic information on heart disease prevention and diabetes
2 Be More Physically Active
3 What You Need To Know About High Blood Pressure, Salt, and
Sodium
4 Eat Less Fat, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol
5 Maintain a Healthy Weight
6 Make Heart-Healthy Eating a Family Affair
7 Enjoy Living Smoke Free
8 Stress and Your Heart
Please come to all of the sessions I will lead the sessions, but I
need each of you to participate This will help you learn the
information and enjoy the sessions more Please feel free to ask
questions Your questions also help others to learn
3 Group Rules
Note: This section will help members feel like a team It will also make it
easier for you to teach
Everyone will feel more at ease if they know what to expect from
this program Before we begin, lets talk
about the best way to run
the sessions Lets agree as a group on a few basic rules
This program takes effort and time from each group member
1 How often do you want to meet? Once a week, two times a week,
etc
2 Is this a good time to meet? If not, set a meeting time that is
best for everyone
3 Is this a good place to meet? If not, decide on a location that
is best for everyone
Note: Give group members 2 to 3 minutes to answer each question Help
them choose one answer that most people like Go on to the next
question
Here are some things that you can do to help you learn the most
from the sessions
1 Feel free to ask questions
2 Please share personal experiences This will make the program
mean more to all of us
3 Try to stay on the subject We have a lot of information to talk
about in a short time
4 Give everyone a chance to talk
Because you will share your experiences and opinions, we need to
agree on a few things
1 We want everyone to agree to keep other members comments
inside this room What people share here is only for the
group
2 Not to judge others Everyone has a right to her opinion We
wont make negative comments about what others think
3 Are there other rules that you would like to suggest?
Conducting the Session
1 Getting To Know Each Other
Well begin todays session by introducing ourselves and getting to
know each other a little better
You can use the Ideas for Icebreakers or use the questions below
Ask the group members
To say their name and share one or two things about
themselves
To share why they came to this program and what they hope to
learn
Note: Start this activity by going first Tell the group why you
are interested in heart health Be honest and talk about yourself
Give the group members about 3 minutes to answer
Heart disease and diabetes are a family and community issues You
can help your family and friends by giving them information and
encouraging them to live healthier lives Thank you for making this
effort
2
Facts About the Heart
Note: Start the session, by reading the risk factors in the chart
titled Heart Disease Risk Factors and Facts one at a time This
chart lists the risk factors for heart disease and facts that you
need to know
Now we know a little bit about each other Lets get to know a few
facts the heart
A The Heart and Its Structure
The heart is an amazing part of the body It can pump about 5
quarts of blood every minute It beats about 100,000 times a day
The heart sends blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen Then it takes
oxygen to all the cells in the body
You can feel the beat of your heart by taking your pulse
1 To find your pulse, gently place the index and middle finger of one
hand on the inside wrist of your other hand
2 Slide your two fingers toward the thumb side of your wrist until you
feel a slight beating Show the group how to do this
Taking a Pulse
Give each member a copy of The Heart and Your Pulse,
The Heart and Its Structure, and The Circulatory System
B How the
Heart Works
Show picture card 1-1 Heart
The heart is a hollow, muscular, cone-shaped organ, about the size
of a fist Hold up your fist for the group members to see
Point out each part of the heart
The heart has two upper chambers and two lower chambers The upper
chambers right atrium and left atrium receive blood
The lower chambers right ventricle and left ventricle pump blood
Show picture card 1-2 Circulatory System
Say:
The heart is located in the middle of the chest
The heart is part of the circulatory system
The circulatory system is made of all the vessels that carry the
blood throughout the body
Vessels are long, hollow tubes of tissue, much like drinking
straws
Vessels carry blood to and from the heart
The heart also has its own blood vessels and needs a blood supply
3 Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and Risk Factors
A Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is a general term used to describe diseases
that affect the heart and/or blood vessels of the heart and includes
coronary
artery disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease
Coronary Heart Disease CHD is the most common type of heart
disease The heart needs a constant supply of oxygen and
nutrients, which are carried to it by the blood in the coronary
arteries When the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged
by cholesterol and fat deposits, the heart does not get enough
blood and is ultimately is damaged If the blood supply to a
portion of the heart is completely cut off by total blockage of
a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack The part of
the heart that does not receive oxygen begins to die, and some
of the heart muscle may be permanently damaged
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is
blocked by a clot or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts
When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and
oxygen it needs, and within minutes brain cells start to die
When brain cells die from lack of blood flow, the part of the
body it controls is affected Strokes can cause paralysis,
affect language and vision, and cause other problems
Peripheral Vascular Disease PVD is a type of hardening and
narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the legs and
arms This makes it hard for blood to get through to your
muscles Untreated PVD can even slow blood flow so much that
tissues begin to die If you have PVD, you are also likely to
have coronary artery disease
Give each group member a copy of the handout Cardiovascular
Diseases
There are misconceptions/myths about cardiovascular disease and
women It is also very important to have the right information to
prevent cardiovascular diseases Give each group member a copy of
the handout Misconceptions/Myths about Cardiovascular Disease
Ask members to take turns reading the myths and realities
B Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or
properly use insulin Insulin is a hormone that is needed to
convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily
life
Heart disease is the leading cause of
diabetes-related deaths
Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4
times higher than adults without diabetes
The risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher among people with
diabetes
About 65 of deaths among people with diabetes are due to heart
disease and stroke
The good news is that you can do a lot to prevent cardiovascular
disease and diabetes
In every session, you will hear about something called risk
factors This is a term we use for the traits or habits that make
a person more likely to get cardiovascular disease Some of these
like age, and family history you cannot change
However, there are some risk factors that you can do something
about
They are:
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- Cigarette smoking
- Diabetes high blood sugar
- Being overweight
- Physical inactivity
- Stress
Give each group member a copy of Steps to Prevent Heart Disease
handout This chart gives you steps you can take to prevent heart
disease
Many of these risk factors affect one another For example,
physical activity or exercise can reduce levels of blood
cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and stress and help you
maintain a healthy weight
Another example is an individual who is overweight has a greater
risk of developing high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and
diabetes All of these risk factors together put the individual at
a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease
Making small lifestyle changes, like reducing the amount of fat,
salt and calories in your diet and increasing levels of exercise
can dramatically reduce your risk for developing cardiovascular
disease
The To the Heart of Women program focuses on preventing heart
disease and diabetes, but the risk factors for other cardiovascular
diseases are the same By reducing your risk for heart disease and
diabetes, you are reducing your risk for other cardiovascular
diseases
Do you know someone who has heart
disease and diabetes? Give
members about 3 minutes to answer
Heart disease is a serious health problem for Latina women
- It is the number one cause of death for all women in this
country Heart disease causes about 3 out of 10 deaths among
Latina women each year
- Many Latinos believe that a heart attack or stroke happens
suddenly because of a scary experience, getting back news, or
having strong feelings, like anger
- A heart attack or stroke may seem sudden But the truth is
that heart disease happens over many years Often it can
start when you are very young
- Taking steps to prevent heart disease at any age is
important
This program will show you ways you and your family can have
healthier hearts
4 Risk Factor Activity
Give each group member a copy of the handout Are You at Risk for
Heart Disease? Read aloud each risk factor As you read each one,
ask members, Are You at Risk for Heart Disease?
The more risk factors you have checked, the greater your risk
for
heart disease and stroke Something you can do to help in caring
for your heart is to talk to your doctor about your risk factors
It is also very important to know the signs and symptoms of a heart
attack Give each group member a copy of the handout Signs and
Symptoms of a Heart Attack Ask members to take turns reading
aloud the signs and symptoms of a heart attack This program will
explain how these risk factors affect your health It also will
teach you ways that you and your family can prevent or control
them, like:
Getting the information you need about heart care
Being more physically active
Eating in a heart-healthy way
Keeping a healthy weight
Diabetes
Quitting smoking
Managing stress
We spoke with many women in the community who shared with us that
they are not taking good care of themselves but that it is hard to
make changes to be healthier Some found it easier to begin to
make changes if they thought about what was
important in their
lives Heres what a couple of women had to say about making
changes:
You have to look at yourself What is keeping you from doing
this? Then you have to self assess yourself and say, Okay, if I
know that this is wrong and I am in the borderline of this and
borderline of that, why do I continue to take risks? Because
thats what youre doing, taking risks Change is very hard
Its very hard in terms of how you feel about yourself, things
being taken away that youve loved, things that youve had
throughout your younger stages
The first thing that you need is the willpower You have to
decide Im going to change It doesnt matter how much I talk
about changes Has to come from inside
B Family Healthy History
Give each group member a copy of the handout Family Medical Health
History Tree
It is very important to know your familys health history When you
have a chance do the activity at home with your family
It can be hard to change unhealthy habits and learn new healthy
ones This program
will teach you what you need to know and how to
make these changes slowly Seeing you make healthy changes may
make others want to make these changes, too
Closing
Do you have any questions?
If you are continuing with the next topic take a break see Ideas
for Breaks handout
If this is the end of the meeting, thank the group members for
coming
Tell them that you are looking forward to seeing them at the
next session
Remind them of date and place
Remind them to wear comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothes
Think about todays class What worked and didnt work? Have you made
any changes in your own life that were covered in todays session?
Picture card 1-1
Picture card 1-2
we are currently searching for a diagram of the circulatory system on a
woman
Heart Disease Risk Factors and Facts You Need to Know
| |
|
|RISK FACTORS |FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW |
|High blood pressure |When your blood pressure is high, your heart |
|High blood pressure is |works harder than it should to move blood to all|
|called the silent killer |parts of the body If not treated, high blood |
| |pressure can lead to stroke brain attack, |
| |heart attack, eye and kidney problems and death|
| | |
| | |
| |Check your readings: |
| |Less than 120/80 is best High blood pressure |
| |is 140/90 or more based on readings at two |
| |different visits |
|High blood cholesterol |Total cholesterol: |
|Too much cholesterol in |Desirable: less than 200 |
|the blood can lead to |Borderline-high: 200-239 |
|clogged arteries, which |High: 240
or more |
|leads to heart disease | |
| |If you are age 20 or older, have your blood |
| |cholesterol checked every 5 years, or more often|
| |if it is high If it is high, ask your doctor |
| |how you can lower it Cholesterol in your |
| |arteries is like rust in a pipe If there is |
| |too much rust, the pipe can clog |
|Smoking |Cigarette smoking is addictive It harms your |
|You put your health and |heart and lungs It can raise your blood |
|your familys health at |pressure and blood cholesterol and those of |
|risk when you smoke |others around the smoker |
|Overweight |Being overweight increases your risk of |
|You become overweight when|developing high blood pressure, high blood |
|extra fat is stored in |cholesterol, and diabetes |
|your body |
|
|Diabetes |Diabetes is serious; you may not know you have |
|When the sugar in the |it It can lead to heart attacks, blindness, |
|blood is high, your body |amputations, and kidney disease About 2 |
|cannot use the food you |million Latinos 102 percent in the United |
|eat for energy |States have diabetes |
|Physical Inactivity |Physical inactivity increases your risk of high |
|Physical inactivity not |blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and |
|being active can double |diabetes Children and adults should do 30 |
|your chances of heart |minutes or more of moderate physical activity |
|disease and take away |each day |
|years from your life | |
|Stress |Chronic daily stress increases your risk of |
|Chronic stress may |heart disease and high blood pressure and can |
|increase your risk for |lead to depression and anxiety Stress can cause|
|heart disease |flare-ups of asthma, arthritis and stomach and |
| |intestinal
problems |
The Heart and Your Pulse
The heart is an amazing part of the body It can pump about 5
quarts of blood every minute It beats about 100,000 times a day
The heart sends blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen Then it takes
oxygen to all the cells in the body
You can feel the beat of your heart by taking your pulse
1 To find your pulse, gently place the index and middle finger of one
hand on the inside wrist of your other hand
2 Slide your two fingers toward the thumb side of your wrist until you
feel a slight beating
Taking a Pulse
The Heart and Its Structure
How does the heart work?
Show picture card 1-1 Heart
The heart is a hollow, muscular, cone-shaped organ, about the size
of a fist Hold up your fist for the group members to see
Point out each part of the heart
The heart has two upper chambers and two lower chambers The upper
chambers right atrium and left atrium receive
blood
The lower chambers right ventricle and left ventricle pump blood
Picture card 1-1
The Circulatory System
How does the circulatory system work?
The heart is located in the middle of the chest
The heart is part of the circulatory system
The circulatory system is made of all the vessels that carry the
blood throughout the body
Vessels are long, hollow tubes of tissue, much like drinking
straws
Vessels carry blood to and from the heart
The heart also has its own blood vessels and needs a blood supply
Picture card 1-2
we are currently searching for a diagram of the circulatory system on a
woman
Cardiovascular Diseases
What is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease also called Heart Disease It affects the heart
and/or blood vessels of the heart and includes coronary artery disease,
stroke and peripheral vascular
disease
|Coronary Heart Disease CHD is the most common | |
|type of heart disease The heart needs a constant | |
|supply of oxygen and nutrients, which are carried | |
|to it by the blood in the coronary arteries When | |
|the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged | |
|by cholesterol and fat deposits, the heart does | |
|not get enough blood and is ultimately is damaged| |
|If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is | |
|completely cut off by total blockage of a coronary| |
|artery, the result is a heart attack The part of| |
|the heart that does not receive oxygen begins to | |
|die, and some of the heart muscle may be | |
|permanently damaged | |
|A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of| |
|the brain is blocked by a clot or when a blood | |
|vessel in the brain
bursts When that happens, | |
|part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen | |
|it needs, and within minutes brain cells start to | |
|die When brain cells die from lack of blood flow,| |
|the part of the body it controls is affected | |
|Strokes can cause paralysis, affect language and | |
|vision, and cause other problems | |
|Peripheral Vascular Disease PVD is a type of | |
|hardening and narrowing of the arteries that | |
|supply blood to the legs and arms This makes it | |
|hard for blood to get through to your muscles | |
|Untreated PVD can even slow blood flow so much | |
|that tissues begin to die | |
Steps You Can Take to Prevent Heart Disease
| | |
|RISK FACTORS |TAKE
THESE STEPS TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE |
|High blood pressure |Have your blood pressure checked once a year Have |
| |it checked often if you have been diagnosed with |
| |high blood pressure |
| |Aim for a healthy weight |
| |Be active every day |
| |Use less salt and sodium |
| |Eat more fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy |
| |products |
|High blood |If you are age 20 or older, have your blood |
|cholesterol |cholesterol checked every 5 years, or more often if |
| |it is high |
| |Learn what your number means |
| |Eat fewer foods high in saturated fat and |
| |cholesterol |
| |Eat more fruits, vegetables, and grains |
|
|Stay physically active |
| |Aim for a healthy weight |
|Smoking |Stop smoking now or cut back gradually |
| |If you cant quit the first time, keep trying |
| |If you dont smoke, dont start |
| |Limit exposure to second hand smoke |
|Overweight |Keep a healthy weight Try not to gain extra |
| |weight |
| |If you are overweight, try to lose weight slowly |
| |Lose to 1 pound a week |
|Diabetes |Find out if you have diabetes Have your blood |
| |sugar level checked at least twice a year |
| |If you have diabetes, work with your doctor to keep |
| |your blood sugar controlled |
|Physical Inactivity |Stay active You can build up to 30 minutes each day|
| |by being active for 10 minutes three times a day |
|
|Try walking or dancing |
| |Use the stairs instead of the elevator |
|Stress |Stay active, eat a heart healthy diet, and make time|
| |for yourself |
| |Learn to reduce and manage your stress by using |
| |relaxation and other techniques |
Are You at Risk for Heart Disease?
Name:
_______________________________________________________________________
Risk factors are traits or habits that make a person more likely to develop
heart disease Read this list of risk factors for heart disease Check the
ones you have or-next to each risk factor listed, circle the answer that
is true for you Think about the risk factors for your family members
too
Heart disease risk factors you can do something about:
|Cigarette smoking |No |
| |Yes |
|High blood pressure |No |
| |Yes |
| |Not sure |
|High blood cholesterol |No
|
| |Yes |
| |Not sure |
|Diabetes |No |
| |Yes |
| |Not sure |
|Being overweight |No |
| |Yes |
| |Not sure |
|Not being physically active|No |
| |Yes |
| |Not sure |
Heart disease risk factors you cannot control:
Age 45 years or older for men and 55 years or older for women
People in your family having early heart disease before age 45 in men or
before age 55 in women
The more risk factors you have, the greater your risk for heart disease
Talk to your doctor about your risk
Family Health Tree Activity
Use this tree to learn about your familys health history
Do this activity at home with your family
———————–
Misconceptions/Myths About Heart Disease
Myth Reality
_________________________________________
___________________________________________
|Heart disease is a mans disease|Heart disease is an equal opportunity|
| |killer It is an epidemic in women |
|Women dont get heart disease |It is the No 1 killer of women, |
| |accounting for nearly half of all the|
| |deaths in women each year |
|I am too young to have a heart |Heart attacks can sometimes occur |
|attack, people younger than 40 |when people are in their 20s and |
|do not get heart disease |30s, and are not really all that |
| |uncommon at all by the time a person |
| |reaches 40 years of age |
|That pain cant be from my heart|Many women do not experience the |
|it isnt severe enough or it |typical signs and symptoms of a heart|
|doesnt go to my left arm or |attack Some experience trouble |
|its just indigestion |breathing, sweating, nausea, |
| |dizziness, and
indigestion Many also|
| |have unusual symptoms such as: |
| |stomach pain, vomiting, and mid-back |
| |pain |
|Youve got to die from | |
|something Might as well go |Heart disease and heart attacks dont|
|quick |always lead to death Sixty percent |
| |of women who have a heart attack |
| |survive It is best to try and |
| |prevent a heart attack form occurring|
| |in the first place Heart attacks can|
| |cause other permanent disabilities |
| |such as recurrent chest pain, heart |
| |failure or strokes |
| |Heart disease is the leading cause of|
|Women believe they should be more|death in American women over the age |
|concerned about breast cancer |of 40 One in twenty-nine women will |
|than
heart disease |die of breast cancer compared to 1 in|
| |2 who will die from heart disease |
| |Only 8 of women think heart disease |
| |is a major health concern |
Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack
These include:
Squeezing, heavy chest pain, especially with:
Exercise or exertion
Emotional stress
Cold weather
A large meal
Pain in both arms the left shoulder, left arm back, neck or jaw
Shortness of breath Having trouble breathing
Sweating, clammy skin
Nausea
Dizziness Light-headedness/Feeling Faint
Weakness extreme fatigue
Loss of consciousness
Indigestion
Unusual symptoms of heart attack may occur more frequently in women:
Stomach pain
Vomiting
Mid-Back pain
Confusion
Fainting
Fatigue
If you think you are having a heart attack, call 911 immediately You
need
emergency medical care - even if the symptoms subside go away after a few
minutes
Your Name:
__ Diabetes
__ Stroke
__ High Blood Pressure
__ Heart Attack at an early age
__ Obesity
__ Smoking
__ Physical Inactivity
Sibling:
__ Diabetes
__ Stroke
__ High Blood Pressure
__ Heart Attack at an early age
Sibling:
__ Diabetes
__ Stroke
__ High Blood Pressure
__ Heart Attack at an early age
Mother:
__ Diabetes
__ Stroke
__ High Blood Pressure
__ Heart Attack at an early age
Father:
__ Diabetes
__ Stroke
__ High Blood Pressure
__ Heart Attack at an early age
Grandmother:
__ Diabetes
__ Stroke
__ High Blood Pressure
__ Heart Attack at an early age
Grandmother:
__ Diabetes
__ Stroke
__ High Blood Pressure
__ Heart Attack at an early age
Grandfather:
__ Diabetes
__ Stroke
__ High Blood Pressure
__ Heart Attack at an early age
Grandfather:
__ Diabetes
__ Stroke
__ High Blood Pressure
__ Heart Attack at an early age
Source:asaging.org
