Myths and Misconceptions About Heart Disease

There are many misconceptions about heart disease, but the fact of the matter is it can be an invisible disease — meaning that we don’t look sick, and most of the time, we have a hard time proving that we are. Cardiovascular disease is one of those groups of diseases that has a wide range of symptoms, and myths about who gets cardiovascular disease can prevent people from being diagnosed correctly and promptly.

Myth #1: CVD only happens to older people

One of the first things that I found out when I was diagnosed with heart disease is that it can affect young people. I was diagnosed with heart disease at the age of 25; meanwhile, there are people younger than me who have heart disease. Heart disease does not discriminate based on age, race, or sex. It is an equal-opportunity disease.¹

Myth #2: 'Fit' people don't get heart disease

Heart disease doesn’t care how much you exercise or how fit you are; it can still affect you.²

The truth is, we don't know how fragile our bodies are, and it’s a lesson that I had to learn the hard way. I thought that if I exercised every day, that would preclude me from having heart disease.

I was a personal trainer for a time in my life after college. I worked with hundreds of clients, and I am a former NCAA track and field athlete. I was the last person anyone would have thought would be diagnosed with heart disease.

Myth #3: A healthy diet fully prevents CVD

"I eat fruits and vegetables, so the risk of heart disease doesn’t apply to me!" is another misconception that people have about heart disease. A lot of people think if they eat healthy, heart disease won’t affect them.

The problem with that is sometimes we are a product of our environment and of our genes. Some people are predisposed to heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other diseases. A healthy diet can be very helpful in maintaining our overall health, though, and this is why there is nothing wrong with eating healthy and we are encouraged to do so.³

Myth #4: I don't have symptoms, so I don't have CVD

"I’m not experiencing symptoms, so I must be healthy" is another misconception about heart disease. Just because you are going to your annual checkups and haven’t missed an appointment doesn’t mean you are healthy. Everything was going well with me, and my doctors were marveling at how healthy I was; meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, my heart was enlarged due to dilated cardiomyopathy.

Myth #5: Genetic conditions are not manageable

"There is nothing I can do if heart disease runs in my family" is also a misconception. We need to focus more on receiving preventative care and taking our health into our own hands, as well as staying up to date on our examinations and blood work.

For example, many women go for mammograms annually in addition to annual checkups. The key is to use these multiple opportunities to let your healthcare providers know about your family history. For instance, my dad's side of the family has heart disease, so it’s imperative that I am vocal about my family’s medical history.

Myth #6: Symptoms of CVD are the same for everyone

Even common signs and symptoms of heart disease may not be the same for each person. Some people may experience symptoms and some people may not.

For me, I didn’t experience any symptoms of heart disease until I was diagnosed and didn’t realize it until I received a heart transplant.

What other myths and misconceptions have you heard?

This is just a small list of misconceptions that I have experienced and seen. What are some other misconceptions that you have heard?