When is Preventive Cardiology Necessary?

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, with hundreds of thousands of Americans succumbing to this medical condition. Most people have the wrong assumption that cardiovascular disease only occurs in your older years and solely affects men. Conversely, this medical problem can develop at any age and equally affects both sexes, although men are more likely to develop it earlier. While anyone can develop heart disease, some people are at a much greater risk. Preventive cardiology in Upper East Side can help you lower your risk factors and stop disease progression. Here is why you may need preventive cardiology.

What does preventive cardiology involve?

A preventive cardiologist evaluates your heart and cardiovascular system using different tests that include:

•         Blood tests to check for levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and other factors.
•         Calculations of your weight and body mass index
•         Echocardiograms
•         EKGs to measure your heart electrical activity
•         Cardiac stress testing. It assesses the heart’s function during strenuous activity.

Specialists also review your personal and family medical history to determine if factors put you at risk for cardiovascular disease. Your cardiologist also asks about your lifestyle habits, including whether you smoke, consume alcohol or other drugs, exercise, and other factors that impact your health.

Who benefits from preventive cardiology?

Considering the prevalence of heart disease in the United States, almost all adults can benefit from this subspecialty. Experts recommend cardiovascular screening beginning at age 20, which can help even healthy men and women with no known risk factors. While evaluation is essential for everyone, it is indispensable for individuals with known risk factors which can be controllable or uncontrollable. Examples of uncontrollable risk factors include:

Family history

You are considered at risk of cardiovascular disease if one of your close family members, including your brother or father, was diagnosed with heart disease before age 55, or your sister or mother developed CVD before age 65.

Age

Older adults, including postmenopausal women, are more susceptible to heart disease, and the risk increases as you get older.

Ethnic background

African-Americans are more likely to develop heart disease since they also have other risk factors such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Examples of controllable factors include:

Physical inactivity

Physical activity regulates your weight and reduces your risk of developing conditions that strain your heart, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol. You don’t have to engage in vigorous exercises to achieve the benefits; simple activities such as gardening, walking your dog, and taking the stairs can help.

Obesity

Extra fat, especially in your midsection, puts you at risk of heart disease and other conditions that make you more susceptible to heart disease, such as type2 diabetes. Your waist measurements can help you determine the amount of belly fat you have. Women with a waist measurement greater than 35 inches are at risk of heart disease. For men, the waist measurements should not exceed 40 inches.

If you have one or several risk factors for cardiovascular disease, schedule an appointment with your specialist at UPPER EASTSIDE CARDIOLOGY to lower your risk of heart disease and improve life quality.