Dr. Zielke Shares Essential Heart Care Tips for Southern Alberta

February is recognized as heart health month, an important time for individuals to assess their cardiovascular well-being. Dr. Sayeh Zielke, lead of the Cardiac Sciences Physician for Alberta Health Services South Zone, emphasizes the significance of understanding personal heart health and identifying risk factors.

Dr. Zielke believes that the heart is the most vital organ in the body, noting that individuals have only one heart to care for. She urges everyone to be proactive about their health by knowing their critical health numbers. “I encourage everyone I know to make sure that they know what their blood pressure is, their blood sugar, and their cholesterol so they can get early help and intervention if needed,” she stated.

Understanding these numbers is crucial, as they can indicate the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks or strokes. “We often review a person’s cardiac risk factors, which include things that we don’t have control over such as family history or genetics,” Dr. Zielke explained. “And things that we do have some control over and should control, like diabetes, blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking status.”

High blood pressure, often termed a “silent killer,” can go unnoticed as symptoms may not appear until the condition becomes severe. Dr. Zielke highlighted that while some individuals may experience headaches or swelling in their legs due to high blood pressure, these symptoms typically occur at much higher levels. “Even having mild hypertension, mildly elevated blood pressures, is a significant risk for developing heart disease, and you wouldn’t know that unless you’re monitoring it,” she cautioned.

Regular checkups with a primary care provider are essential for maintaining heart health. Dr. Zielke advocates for a healthy lifestyle that includes consuming eight to ten servings of fruits and vegetables daily, engaging in at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity weekly, and managing stress levels.

This advice is particularly pertinent in southern Alberta, where residents face a 15.5 percent higher risk factor profile for cardiovascular issues. “We have more people in our community who have diabetes or high blood pressure, or are a smoker, and that feeds into the fact that we experience approximately a 30 percent increased rate of mortality from cardiovascular disease in our zone compared to the rest of Alberta,” Dr. Zielke stated.

To address these challenges, the Bringing Heart Home Campaign aims to enhance cardiac services within the community. Dr. Zielke elaborated on the campaign’s goals, which include establishing a Cardiac Catheterization Lab and an Electrophysiology Lab. These facilities will enable rapid treatment of arterial blockages during heart attacks.

The campaign also focuses on a comprehensive approach to cardiac prevention, targeting community risk factors. “This campaign will help support development of cardiac sciences and the cardiac centre of excellence across the zone,” Dr. Zielke noted. Additionally, it includes plans for a new intensive care unit at both Chinook Regional Hospital and Medicine Hat Regional Hospital.

The community’s response to the campaign has been overwhelmingly positive. “Our goal has been to raise $30 million by January 2027, and we are currently at $25 million raised,” Dr. Zielke shared, expressing gratitude for the support received.

To further engage the community, various events are planned. A hockey game on February 13, 2026, will see the Hurricanes donate a portion of the proceeds to the campaign. Additionally, a Valentine’s Day gala at the Norland historic site will feature dueling pianos, with some proceeds directed towards the initiative. “We would love to see our community participate in those events,” Dr. Zielke encouraged.

Overall, Dr. Zielke’s commitment to heart health and community engagement stands as a vital resource for residents of southern Alberta, encouraging proactive measures to ensure cardiovascular wellness.