You shouldn’t wait until you have a full-blown heart attack or even a stroke to see a physician. In fact, even conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and coronary artery disease are preventable when you take steps to protect your heart with guidance. The advantage of visiting our practice is that you have access to a range of specialists. Call today for an appointment.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you can avoid about 80 percent of cardiovascular problems with regular checkups and a healthy lifestyle. While many lifestyle choices today have been ingrained for generations, you make more conscious decisions when armed with the facts. Don’t be one of the nearly half of all Americans who have at least one risk factor for developing heart disease.
The CDC ranks heart disease as the leading cause of death among all ethnicities and genders. In fact, a heart attack happens somewhere in the U.S. about every 40 seconds. Yet most heart disease is preventable.
Limit Heart Disease Risks
A supportive medical network can prevent heart disease and stroke. Reducing your risks for heart disease is an empowering process, especially once you begin seeing results.
Leading the list of prevalent risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease is smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, followed by:
Diabetes
Poor nutrition
Obesity
Stress and anxiety
Alcohol and drug abuse
Lack of sufficient exercise
But you may have a heart problem that can’t be addressed with lifestyle changes. For a genetic deformity in your heart from birth or a family history of cardiovascular problems that show up later in life, seek treatment from our physicians.
Your physician knows all about heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. You get the best preventative care, including compassionate counsel on how to return to and maintain a full and active lifestyle.
Screening Saves Lives
When you visit our practice, you have access to highly skilled and trained physicians. They’re available to serve you with all the latest screening technology, such as:
Stress testing
Echocardiograms
Carotid ultrasound Doppler testing
Heart monitors
Electrocardiograms
Blood pressure monitoring
Aneurysm screening with ultrasound
Men and women who see their doctor for annual checkups reduce the risk. You’re closely monitored for signs of potential diseases with services such as:
Heart and stroke screening
Management of chronic diseases
Treatment for high cholesterol and high triglycerides
Weight management plans
Chest pain diagnoses
Diabetes control
Hypertension treatments
Heart Disease Risk
If you’re at a high risk for heart disease, your primary care physician ensures you get the right kind of attention and appropriate risk assessments. Because there are so many different types of heart disease, make an appointment with a cardiologist as a regular preventative step every six months, especially if you suspect something’s wrong. Call us if you experience:
Trouble breathing
Heart palpitations
Chest pain
Loss of consciousness
Other indications that you may be developing more serious blood vessel complications and an increased risk of damaging heart disease include:
Sudden weakness, pain or numbness in your arms or legs
A racing or slowing heartbeat
Dizziness
Blue or gray skin color
Swelling in your extremities
Tiring easily and feeling fatigued
Breathlessness whether you’re active or resting
Prevention
To prevent any level of heart disease, reduce the odds that you’ll develop cardiovascular issues. That’s good for your overall health, as well. Start with preventive steps that your cardiology team recommends, including:
A fitness plan
Nutrition counselling
Lifestyle modification advice
Medical management of risk factors associated with heart disease may include medications to control your blood pressure and other conditions. Surgery is a last resort, but it’s sometimes necessary. The type of surgery required depends on how much damage is involved and what type of heart condition you experienced.
