Heart Health for First Responders With Dr. Steven Borzak

First responders in Florida face the same challenges as other people when it comes to their heart health, with an additional factor: the unique stressors of the job itself have been determined to create the conditions that could lead to a heart attack. Dr. Steven Borzak discussed these issues with us on our podcast and presented some of the ways first responders can deal with heart health, stress, and workers’ compensation laws designed to help their profession.

Treatment and Prevention

Dr. Borzak discussed the current state of medical care and workers’ compensation under Florida law, especially the statute that requires an employer or insurance company to disprove a claim of work-related injury. The ACOEM has separate guidelines for first responders. He commented that these guidelines make it difficult for first responders to receive preventative treatment when, under the guidelines, the stresses of the job are known to contribute to heart disease and other health risks.

Dr. Borzak emphasized the need for first responders to monitor their physical and mental health. He mentioned that many first responders are reluctant to “take pills” for things like high cholesterol, and pointed out that in these situations, diet alone may not be sufficient, contrary to what many people believe.

Florida’s Heart & Lung Bill

These factors resulted in Florida passing a unique addendum to its workers’ compensation law, the “First Responder Heart and Lung Bill” (Florida Statute § 112.18). The law creates a presumption that certain cardiac conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and some related cardiovascular diseases, are work-related injuries, and are covered by workers’ compensation. The law shifts the burden to the employer or the insurance company to prove otherwise. The only requirement is that the first responder have a clean physical exam prior to beginning work.

Getting Well and Staying Well to Protect Your Heart

Dr. Borzak states that first responders should not rely on a single method of cardiac health. Exercise is not enough, but taking a pill and calling it a day won’t work either. “Invest early,” he says, “don’t wait until the engine is out of the barn.” Statistically, firefighters, law enforcement, and other first responders have a greater risk of heart disease than the average person. They need to take charge of their cardiac health as soon as possible, before they need to think about workers’ compensation benefits.