Heart Disease and Wound Healing: At the Heart of the Matter
Heart disease can impact wound healing by reducing blood flow and oxygen to the wound site. This can delay wound healing and increase the risk for infection.
How does heart disease affect wound healing?
- Reduced blood flow: heart disease can disrupt the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently throughout the body.
- Inflammation: chronic conditions like heart disease can lead to inflammation in the body, which can impair wound healing.
- Delayed healing: poor blood flow and oxygen delivery to the wound site can delay healing.
How to Improve Heart Health
- Eat a balanced diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Manage stress levels
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid smoking and limit alcohol intake
- 7-8 hours of sleep
- Schedule regular screenings with your healthcare provider
Wound Healing Tips
- Regular skin checks to help identify wounds early, especially foot checks in people affected by diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease
- Early intervention with advanced wound care from a wound care specialist team
- The longer a wound is left untreated, the great the risk of infection, hospitalization, and possibly amputation.
Who does the Wound Care Team wear RED for?
- Dawn wears RED in memory of her late husband, Whitey.
- Cindy wears RED for John McNeeley, the 2nd heart transplant recipient in Indiana who is Cindy’s best friend’s dad.
- Amy B. wears RED in memory of her dad and in honor of her mom.
- Kay wears RED in memory of her sweet Grandma Anita who passed away from heart disease at 74.
- Gabbi wears RED in honor of our wound care patients who are living with heart disease.
- Anita wears RED in honor of her family.
- I wear RED in memory of my mom, Elaine Traxler, who passed away from heart disease at age 61. I also wear RED in honor of my son, Wesley, who is living with congenital heart disease.
