Cardiac Health: Myths & Facts
Common misconceptions about cardiac health, often repeated in daily life and accepted as well-rooted beliefs, can sometimes pose vital risks. The Project of Cardiac Health: Myths and Facts was shared on September 29, World Heart Day, witf the aim of replacing these misconceptions with accurate information, raise social awareness, promote healthier habits, and contribute to the early detection of heart disease. These misconceptions were illustrated by caricaturist Alper Yılmaz, using the power of humor to turn them into a source of accurate knowledge supported by scientific data. The Project of Cardiac Health: Myths and Facts was organized with the unconditional support of Ali Raif İlaç and the scientific guidance of Prof. Dr. Erdal Belen, a cardiology lecturer at Istanbul Haseki Training and Research Hospital, affiliated with the University of Health Sciences.
Take care of your cardiac health!
Cartoons
Common misconceptions about cardiac health, often repeated in daily life and accepted as well-rooted beliefs, can sometimes pose vital risks.
The Project of Cardiac Health: Myths and Facts was launched to replace these misconceptions with accurate information, raise social awareness, promote healthier habits, and contribute to the early detection of heart disease.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing the real facts.
False: There didn’t use to be so many heart attacks. Then why is it increasing? I think it’s the vaccines, doc.
True: Vaccines have not caused an increase in heart attacks but have reduced infection-related cardiovascular diseases.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing the real facts.
False: I’m still young; I’ll only have my heart checked when I get older.
True: Cardiovascular diseases can also affect young people, who should have health check-ups based on their risk category.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing real facts.
Common misconceptions about cardiac health, often repeated in daily life and accepted as well-rooted beliefs, can sometimes pose vital risks.
The Project of Cardiac Health: Myths and Facts was launched to replace these misconceptions with accurate information, raise social awareness, promote healthier habits, and contribute to the early detection of heart disease.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing the real facts.
False: Doc, I have a family history of heart attacks, so whatever I do will be futile, and that’s why I don’t care.
True: If heart attacks run in the family, that’s certainly a risk factor, but we can greatly reduce our risk by addressing the other risk factors like smoke, high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, diabetes, obesite, bad diet, physical inactivity, alcohol, stress and depression etc.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing real facts.
False: Exercising isn’t that important, is it?
True: Exercising is one of the most important ways to maintain and protect our cardiovascular health. That said, you should be well-informed about which type of exercise to do, when to do it, who should exercise, and what the target pulse rate should be.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing real facts.
False: Doc, nothing on earth can kill me, because I got the most expensive vitamin complex from abroad. Besides, I’m also using an anticoagulant.
True: Vitamins and other supplements have no effect on cardiovascular diseases, even with regular use. Moreover, routinely taking anticoagulants without a doctor’s advice is harmful rather than beneficial.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing the real facts.
False: Doc, I have a family history of heart attacks, so whatever I do will be futile, and that’s why I don’t care.
True: If heart attacks run in the family, that’s certainly a risk factor, but we can greatly reduce our risk by addressing the other risk factors like smoke, high tension, high LDL cholesterol, diabetes, obesite, bad diet, physical inactivity, alcohol, stress and depression etc.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing real facts.
False: If I experience tachycardia, I’ll know I’m having a heart attack and, fortunately, I can reach the hospital on time if I just cough continuously.
True: A heart attack comes with a wide range of symptoms, so tachycardia alone is not enough for a diagnosis, and unfortunately, coughing does not help.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing real facts.
False: Let’s throw the hypertension medication out the window, doc. It could cause addiction in future.
True: Anyone who needs to take hypertension medication according to guidelines should follow their prescription strictly to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing the real facts.
False: Doc, I have a family history of heart attacks, so whatever I do will be futile, and that’s why I don’t care.
True: If heart attacks run in the family, that’s certainly a risk factor, but we can greatly reduce our risk by addressing the other risk factors like smoke, high tension, high LDL cholesterol, diabetes, obesite, bad diet, physical inactivity, alcohol, stress and depression etc.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing real facts.
False: If I experience tachycardia, I’ll know I’m having a heart attack and, fortunately, I can reach the hospital on time if I just cough continuously.
True: A heart attack comes with a wide range of symptoms, so tachycardia alone is not enough for a diagnosis, and unfortunately, coughing does not help.
What can we do during a heart attack?
- The person should be kept calm and seated.
- Emergency services should be called immediately.
- Most importantly, if the heart stops, we must begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) – chest compressions and rescue breaths.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing real facts.
False: “Hey doc; CT and MR, they’re the best of the bunch. Why don’t we take a look at the blood vessels with virtual angiography?”
True: Not everyone should undergo routine cardiovascular imaging tests!
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing the real facts.
False: Cholesterol is essential for the body. I shouldn’t let it reduce.
True: Unfortunately, like other risk factors, high cholesterol levels increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing real facts.
Common misconceptions about cardiac health, often repeated in daily life and accepted as well-rooted beliefs, can sometimes pose vital risks.
The Myths and Facts Cardiac Health Project was launched to replace these misconceptions with accurate information, raise social awareness, promote healthier habits, and contribute to the early detection of heart disease.
Take care of your cardiac health.
Raise awareness by sharing the real facts.