Maybe you think about seeing the doctor only when you are sick, but when it comes to heart disease, visiting a healthcare provider can help keep you from you getting sick. At Georgia Heart Institute, we help patients with cardiovascular disease prevention as well as treatment.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, accounting for one in five deaths. Many other Americans are at risk for heart problems. Nearly half of all adults have at least one of the three big risk factors for heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking.
Being at risk of cardiovascular disease doesn’t mean you will develop heart problems, though. You can take action to protect your heart and lower your risk. The non-invasive cardiologists at Georgia Heart Institute are here to help.
Types of Cardiovascular Disease
When you hear about “cardiovascular disease” or “heart disease,” it may sound like a single medical condition. Those terms, however, represent a group of diseases affecting heart health.
Coronary artery disease, or CAD, is the most common type of heart disease in the United States. This condition occurs when fatty plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, which carry blood to the heart. Over time, plaque buildup can limit blood flow to the heart, weakening the heart and forcing it to work harder to pump blood.
Other types of heart disease include:
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congenital heart disease
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Heart rhythm disorders, known as arrhythmias
- Pericardium disorders
- Valvular diseases
Each type of cardiovascular disease affects the heart in different ways. At Georgia Heart Institute, we offer comprehensive care for heart disease, including diagnosis, treatment and cardiovascular disease prevention.
Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease
While high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking are considered the three most significant risk factors for cardiovascular disease, they aren’t the only factors that increase your risk. Other risk factors for developing some type of heart disease include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Being physically inactive
- Eating a diet high in saturated fat, excess sodium and added sugar
- Having a family history of early heart disease, with at least one family member diagnosed before age 65
- Having a history of preeclampsia, a form of high blood pressure during pregnancy
- Having prediabetes or diabetes
Your risk also increases as you get older, though heart disease can affect any person at any age. Having even one of these risk factors puts you at a higher risk of heart problems—the more risk factors you have, the higher your risk.
While some risk factors can’t be changed, such as your age or your family medical history, you can take steps to lower your risk in other ways. Changing your habits can help mitigate risk factors related to your diet and activity level.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Heart
When it comes to protecting your heart health, getting to know your risk factors is perhaps the most important step you can take. Looking through the list of risk factors above, consider whether you’re at an elevated risk of developing heart problems.
If you are, talk with your primary care provider about your health and what you can do to lower your risk. If you aren’t already seeing a cardiologist, your PCP can refer you to a non-invasive cardiologist with Georgia Heart Institute.
While you can’t do anything to change a family medical history of heart disease or your own history of preeclampsia, a cardiologist can advise you about what you can do now that will help. This advice may include regular checkups, diagnostic testing and medications.
Practicing heart-healthy lifestyle habits is also important. Your cardiologist can provide personalized guidance about helpful habits to incorporate, but these steps are a good place to begin:
Eat for your heart. Fill at least half of your plate at meals with fruits and vegetables. Supplement those antioxidant-filled foods with lean protein, such as chicken, legumes or beans, and whole grains. Twice a week, eat a 4-ounce serving of fatty fish like tuna or salmon, which contain high doses of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Limit your intake of saturated fat, sodium and added sugar.
Commit to moving your body. Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. That’s around 20 minutes of brisk walking or a similar activity each day. If you prefer more intense activities, like running, aim for 75 minutes or more each week. You should also include strength training in your routine to build muscle and boost your metabolism.
Get to a healthy weight. Talk with a medical provider about what a healthy weight looks like for you. If you could benefit from losing some weight, the two steps outlined above can help you do so. Even losing a small amount of weight can have a big impact on your heart health and your overall health.
Limit your alcohol consumption. When it comes to alcohol, less is more. If you drink, stick to a moderate amount of alcohol, which is defined as one drink per day for a woman and two drinks per day for a man.
Work to manage other health conditions. Do you have diabetes or high cholesterol? See a medical provider regularly to keep an eye on those conditions, and carefully follow your provider’s recommended plan for treating and managing them. Keeping your blood sugar and total cholesterol under control can help protect your heart.
Just say no to smoking. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. It’s also an enemy to your heart health. When you smoke, it damages the blood vessels, which can limit blood flow to the heart. Work with a medical provider to create a smoking cessation plan.
Choosing Georgia Heart Institute
When it comes to your heart, you have a friend in Georgia Heart Institute. Our team of non-invasive cardiologists is here to help you protect your heart and prevent cardiac events, now and in the future.
Whether you have known risk factors for cardiovascular disease or you wonder whether you’re at risk, we can offer you a look at your current heart health and how it can improve. Call 770-534-2020 or book an appointment here.
