One in three Americans are affected by heart disease. Essentia Health is providing a better understanding of heart disease with their annual symposium on heart failure.

Essentia Health’s heart failure symposium is for survivors of heart failure, and for friends and family members of survivors with heart failure too. Community members could learn about living with heart disease, but also tips and techniques to improve quality of life.

Funded by the Heltne Foundation, the symposium featured Essentia cardiology physicians and health care providers. Dr. Kimberly Boddicker, the Medical Director of the Essentia Health Heart Failure Disease Management Program, says the symposium started back in 2015.

“This is our biggest turnout year. So we have 125 people here this year,” Dr. Boddicker said. “These are patients and family members to talk about common symptoms and how to best treat them. One of the most common is coronary artery disease or narrowing or blockages of the heart vessels. Our symposium today is focusing on heart failure.”

Dr. Boddicker says it’s imperative people know about the signs and symptoms of heart disease, because it’s the second most common cause of death in Minnesota.

“So those symptoms related to restriction in the pumping function of the heart. So symptoms of shortness of breath, chest pain, swelling with fluid,” Dr. Boddicker said. Many of those can be caused by coronary artery disease,” also can be caused by heart valve problems or heart rhythm problems. Our focus is on teaching them how to deal with those symptoms, but also how to prevent them in the first place.”

Heart disease and stroke being the top two most common causes of death for Americans. Dr. Boddicker says Essentia Health is providing people information on how people can take steps to prevent heart disease.

“Simple things that we can do at home is just following up with your primary care doctor. Making sure that your blood pressure is controlled, your cholesterol is controlled. If you have diabetes, treating your diabetes. Having a well-balanced healthy diet, exercising on a regular basis, and importantly, not smoking. Those are all things that you can do to help prevent a whole spectrum of various heart conditions, which ultimately may end up with heart failure symptoms.”