Heart disease is one of the most significant health risks facing Americans. It is even worse if somebody has a preexisting condition because they have a six times greater chance of hospitalization and a twelve times greater chance of dying from heart disease.
Modern medicine has increased the survival rate for many patients with cardiac episodes, such as heart attack and stroke. However, people must make regular appointments with their primary care doctors and cardiologists to catch a potential heart problem before it becomes life-threatening. Unfortunately, it is difficult to get people to visit a primary care doctor, let alone a cardiologist. That is why most people with underlying heart issues won’t know they have them until too late. By that point, the heart has already suffered permanent damage. Even if the person does survive, any other health problem they develop could elevate the severity of their heart problem.
An excellent example of this is the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ve probably seen the high numbers of infected people who have died from the virus. However, you don’t often hear from the news media how many of those people had preexisting conditions, especially heart conditions. Such an underlying health factor probably had more to do with their death than COVID-19.
Therefore, it is essential to take preventive cardiology seriously. You may not think you have a heart problem right now, and that is a good thing. But you cannot become complacent and assume your heart will stay strong forever. There may come the point when your heart develops problems unexpectedly. If you don’t get your heart examined periodically, you’ll end up with a heart attack one day out of the blue.
Sadly, most people wait until they get heart attacks or strokes before visiting a cardiologist for an examination and treatment. That doesn’t have to be you. Take your heart health seriously now, especially if you’re over 40 years old.
The Power of Preventive Cardiology
Did you know there are new pharmaceutical drugs on the market which can reduce your odds of getting a heart attack? The development of these drugs results from many years of scientific research. If you can maintain a relatively healthy lifestyle consisting of good nutrition and exercise, the drugs will help your heart stay healthy even more.
But first, you need to make an appointment with a licensed cardiologist in your area. When you get a heart examination for the first time, the cardiologist will likely conduct an echocardiogram procedure to evaluate the valves and chambers of your heart. Don’t worry, though, because it is a non-invasive procedure that assesses how well blood gets pumped through your heart.
The echocardiogram can detect warning signs of potential heart problems, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. If these signs are detected, the cardiologist will probably prescribe one of those innovative cardiovascular medications we just discussed. Then you can enjoy lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels by taking the medication according to the doctor’s directions.
This is an example of preventive cardiology. Any cardiologist will tell you that they save more lives with preventive cardiology than with interventional cardiology. So if you wait until you need interventional treatment, your heart has already suffered damage that you cannot reverse. Then all you can do is watch your lifestyle habits more closely and not aggravate your heart too much. Does that sound like a lifestyle you would want? Of course, not.
Trust Your Cardiologist
People have developed such a distrust of doctors and medicine. But when faced with a scary health condition like a heart attack, they won’t mind putting their trust in a doctor at that point. So, the trick is for a doctor to build trust with patients before they become unhealthy.
What is the worst thing that could happen if you visit a cardiologist for preventive care? The worst thing is that you could find out the truth about your current heart health. So wouldn’t you rather know the truth than not know the truth? Most people would probably want to know the truth, so why not make an appointment to see a cardiologist to be safe?
Cardiologists have several non-invasive tools at their disposal to evaluate your risk of developing heart disease. They will consider your age, gender, race, blood pressure, history of diabetes, and family medical history. In addition, they will want to know about your smoking habits, diet, current medications, and whether you live an active or a sedentary lifestyle.
Of course, no doctor can detect all this medical information about you in one visit. You will be required to make multiple visits to your primary care doctor and cardiologist for the entire scope of your health status and risk variables to be revealed.
Make an Appointment Today
You can trust our doctors and cardiologists to tell you the truth. If you need to make an appointment for an examination by a primary care doctor and cardiologist, please contact us at 305-751-1500. Primary Medical Care Center is always open to seeing new patients in South Florida.