We’re all familiar with the standard heart health advice: eat nutritious foods, exercise regularly, avoid smoking, and manage weight. Additionally, family history plays a significant role in heart health. However, research has uncovered several lesser-known factors that may surprise you regarding their impact on your heart. Answer our 10-question quiz to see if you have the latest information about your heart health.

1. An annual flu shot has no impact on your heart.

False.  According to current research, getting a flu shot can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering the chance of experiencing cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes. For people with heart disease, getting a flu shot is particularly important.  Heart disease can lower your body’s ability to fight the flu and increase your likelihood of developing serious complications such as heart attack, pneumonia, and respiratory failure. A yearly flu shot can help prevent complications from the infection and prevent your heart disease symptoms from worsening.

2. Can loneliness and social isolation increase your risk of heart attack?

True. Loneliness and social isolation are more than just emotional struggles—they can seriously impact your heart health. Research has shown that people who feel lonely or lack solid social connections are at a higher risk for heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases. Isolation can lead to chronic stress, increased blood pressure, and inflammation, all of which strain the heart over time. One study suggested the effects of loneliness can be as harmful to heart health as smoking or obesity. Staying connected with others isn’t just good for the soul—it’s essential for a healthy heart!

3. Your Psoriasis is more than just a skin-deep issue. 

True. Chronic inflammatory conditions like psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus can elevate the risk of heart disease. These autoimmune disorders cause persistent inflammation, damaging blood vessels and increasing arterial plaque buildup. This inflammation contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases by promoting factors such as high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels. Managing inflammation through proper treatment and lifestyle changes is crucial for reducing the risk of heart disease in individuals with these conditions.

4. Early menopause can be more than a bothersome hormonal shift. 

True. Studies indicate going through menopause before age 40 can pose a hidden threat to your heart. Estrogen is protective of the heart in the pre-menopausal years—it relaxes the arteries and promotes good cholesterol. The drop in estrogen levels accompanying early menopause can disrupt your cardiovascular system by increasing cholesterol levels, raising blood pressure, and promoting the buildup of arterial plaque. This hormonal shift means that women who experience early menopause may face a higher likelihood of heart disease compared to those who go through menopause at a typical age. Managing heart health through lifestyle changes and medical support is crucial.

5. A nightly symphony of snores is an opening act to potential health problems.

True. Snoring, especially when associated with obstructive sleep apnea, can seriously affect your heart. The repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep cause drops in oxygen levels, which stress your cardiovascular system. This can lead to increased blood pressure, heightened risk of heart attacks, and even heart failure over time. So, while snoring might seem like a sleep disturbance, it can signal underlying issues affecting your heart’s health. Addressing snoring and sleep apnea is crucial for protecting your heart.

6. Chewing an aspirin as soon as heart attack symptoms appear helps limit heart damage.

True. After calling 911, the first thing you should do if you start experiencing heart attack symptoms is chew —rather than swallow whole— a 325-milligram aspirin pill. Aspirin helps break up clots in the bloodstream that may be blocking blood flow to the heart and causing heart muscle cells to die. Breaking up these clots can prevent more heart muscle cells from dying.  Chewing the pill is recommended as it causes quicker results than swallowing it.

7. Air pollution can play an undercover role as a heart troublemaker.

True. Air pollution isn’t just a nuisance for your lungs; it’s also a sneaky villain in the story of your heart. The delicate particulate matter and toxic gases in polluted air can enter your bloodstream, wreaking havoc on your cardiovascular system. These pollutants contribute to inflammation, raise blood pressure, and can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries. Over time, this can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

8. Women under age 50 are less likely than men of the same age to die from a heart attack.

False, they are two times more likely. Once thought to be an issue affecting primarily men, heart disease is now recognized as a leading cause of death for women. While men are more likely than women to experience a heart attack—and at younger ages— women who do have heart attacks are more likely to die from them.

One reason women have lower survival rates may be that many women may not recognize lesser-known heart attack symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, and dizziness. Researchers have also found that women may tend to downplay or ignore heart attack symptoms and delay seeking treatment as a result.

9. Shift work can be working overtime on your heart. 

True. Shift work, or unconventional work hours, can be like a sneaky saboteur for your heart. Irregular hours and night shifts mess with your body’s natural rhythms, disrupting sleep and increasing stress levels. This constant juggling act can lead to higher blood pressure, increased cholesterol, and a higher risk of heart disease. Your heart thrives on routine, so if your work schedule is constantly in flux, it might put extra strain on your cardiovascular system. So, while you’re clocking in those odd hours, don’t forget to give your heart some much-needed TLC!

10. Mouth hygiene and gum health do not affect your heart health.

False.  Bacteria from your mouth, including periodontal disease, can get into your blood and set off inflammation in the lining of your arteries, leading to fatty buildup (atherosclerosis). Research shows that treating gum disease can lower the level of an inflammation marker called C-reactive protein in your blood. Doctors use this measurement, along with your cholesterol levels, to predict "cardiac events" like a heart attack.

While factors like nutrition, smoking, exercise, obesity, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and uncontrolled high blood pressure have a more significant impact on heart health, it’s still important to be aware of all potential risk factors, even the lesser-known ones. Staying informed about every possible risk, no matter how marginal, helps you take a comprehensive approach to maintaining your heart health.

ACLS Academy is an authorized American Heart Association (AHA)- Aligned Training Center. We have three convenient locations in Massachusetts—Quincy, Bridgewater, and Newton Center—and most of our classes include an online training component. We provide high-quality courses taught by instructors practicing in the medical profession for ACLS, TNCC, BLS, ENPC, NRP, PALS, PALS Plus, PEARS and Bloodborne Pathogen, HeartSaver CPR/AED, First Aid, and Instructor Courses. Please browse our catalog of courses.