Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and globally, but many people don’t see it as an urgent concern, according to cardiovascular disease experts at a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Studio event. As a result, patients may put off early prevention strategies such as taking statins or making lifestyle changes—leading to thousands of preventable deaths each year.
It can be difficult for patients to understand that if they don’t take action now, they could get sick in 20 years, said panelist Ami Bhatt, chief innovation officer at the American College of Cardiology. “I have a chip on my shoulder about oncology because you get the diagnosis of cancer, and everybody moves. They move heaven and Earth. Families move. People move,” she said. “You say, ‘heart disease,’ and people don’t move the same way.”
The panel discussion, held Feb. 26 during American Heart Month, was part of the Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forum series. Other panelists included Tommaso Danesi, section chief of valve surgery and director of the endoscopic valvular program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Jorge Plutzky, director of preventive cardiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; and Joseph Wu, professor and chair of Stanford Medicine Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and associate director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute. The event was moderated by NBC10 Boston anchor Melody Mendez.
Panelists discussed advancements in heart disease surgery, in addition to key strategies that remain as important as ever, including early detection and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Honoring a heart health innovator
Before exploring the latest innovations in cardiovascular disease care, the panelists recognized the achievements of the forum’s namesake, Lawrence Cohn, a pioneering cardiac surgeon. Cohn, the first endowed chair in cardiac surgery at Harvard Medical School, was part of the first team to perform a heart transplant in New England in 1984. He also revolutionized the field of heart health by emphasizing minimally invasive procedures, performing more than 11,000 surgeries, and saving countless lives.
Cohn’s influence can be seen in today’s surgical practices, panelists said, which now include transplanting hearts while they are still beating and the use of robotics.
Know your ‘numbers’
While technological advancements are exciting, the panelists emphasized the importance of healthy lifestyles in preventing heart disease and prolonging patients’ lives. “It does matter how we eat and how active we are,” Plutzky said. “As I like to tell patients, I can’t put all the benefits [of diet and exercise] into a pill.”
The other panelists agreed, highlighting the need for patients to know their “numbers”— including weight, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure—and to reduce stress and stay active. Studies continue to show that taking care of yourself has indisputable results, they said.
However, it can be a challenge to help patients stick with their treatment plans and make lifestyle changes, panelists said. Their recommendations included community outreach through workshops and social media.
“Having people understand [health care]—not in a way where they’re just beating themselves up but realizing they can do better by making the small steps to improve their overall health—is often a good motivator,” Plutzky said.
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