Cardiovascular Disease
SCENARIOKeisha’s family has a history of heart disease. When Keisha attends a school health fair and participates in several of the health screenings, she is told she has high blood pressure and poor serum cholesterol readings. She attributes the results to her stressful class schedule and the poor eating habits she has developed as a busy college student. Still, Keisha is not worried and believes her risks are low. Keisha is more concerned about the increasing number of women being diagnosed with breast cancer and spends a lot of her time volunteering for breast cancer awareness events on campus. She assumes that after graduation her life won’t be as hectic and that she will go back to eating nutritious food.Answer the following questions:How are stress and nutrition tied to heart disease?Why should Keisha be concerned about her health screening results now rather than later in life?Typically, men have been the focus of heart attack prevention campaigns while breast cancer awareness programs have been directed at women. Why do you think this is?What steps can and should you take to become more aware of heart disease either for yourself or your family/friends?
