Heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in the United States, accounting for approximately one of every four fatalities. Although heart disease is commonly assumed to be a medical condition that mainly arises in old age or only affects males, these ideas are incorrect and may be hazardous to your health. Heart disease may occur at any age and is the leading cause of mortality in both sexes. Furthermore, persons with specific risk factors are at a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease and the issues it might cause. The great news is that preventive cardiology Upper East Side can assist you in minimizing your risk of heart disease. Your doctor can do this by detecting risk factors and giving you the information and treatment you need to address those issues and improve your cardiovascular health.
What does preventive cardiology entail?
Risk management
Learning about your risk is the first step toward prevention. Your care plan will be tailored to your medical history, current health state, and desired outcomes. Your initial consultation will include a thorough risk assessment. This will show you and your team any current risk factors. Your risk assessment should include:
- Discussing your medical and cardiovascular history
- Discussing your lifestyle
- Anxiety and depression screening
- A physical examination that focuses on your heart
- A blood test to evaluate your cholesterol, blood sugar, and other health indicators
Additionally, the blood examination goes above and beyond what you may expect from your primary care practitioner. Your team will do additional testing to look for unconventional and newly identified risk factors for heart disease. These may contain particular proteins, lipoproteins, and other chemicals associated with an increased risk of heart disease. This risk evaluation informs your treatment strategy. Your team will review the outcomes with you and explain what they imply.
Moreover, other tests like an EKG or echocardiography may be required. These imaging examinations provide further information about your heart’s function. Follow-up visits should be scheduled every three months. Depending on your risks and needs, you may need to attend more frequently or less frequently.
Medical management
The first step is to understand your risks. Following that, you will collaborate with your team to reduce those risks. Many individuals have more than one risk indicator for heart disease. Treatment for one might sometimes benefit the others as well. Your team will discuss therapy options with you and assist you in managing risks such as:
- Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol)
- Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Obesity and being overweight
- Kidney failure
Lifestyle management
Lifestyle modification is a critical component of preventive cardiology strategies. You will discuss aspects like dietary habits, physical activity level, smoking, and alcohol consumption with the team at Upper East Side Cardiology. Talking about your lifestyle may be complicated and daunting. It’s okay to take things slowly and to communicate with your team when you are puzzled, irritated, or unsure about anything.
Heart disease, at any stage, is a complicated journey. Every modest modification you make to reduce risks might add up over time. Preventive cardiology programs are tailored to your specific requirements. Learn about program choices by speaking with your healthcare physician. Call Upper East Side Cardiology to schedule your consultation today to learn more about preventive cardiology.
