cardiology

What You Need to Know About Heart Disease

Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States and all over the world? Heart disease accounts for 697,000 deaths in the United States in 2020 alone. In addition, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 17 million people worldwide succumb to the disease every year.

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with heart disease and you want to keep yourself from becoming a statistic, or you recognize the importance of being proactive about your cardiovascular health, knowledge is key. Below are some of the things you need to know about the deadly condition.

Causes

The term “heart disease” encompasses various disorders and diseases that affect the structure and function of the heart and its blood vessels. The causes, therefore, vary depending on the specific type of cardiovascular disease.

Below are the most common types of heart disease along with some of their causes:

  • Arrhythmia – high blood pressure, excessive alcohol or caffeine intake, coronary artery disease, use of certain medications, hypertension, etc.
  • Heart failure – hypertension, damage to the heart valves, inflammation of the heart muscle, heart attack, etc.
  • Coronary artery disease – high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, etc.

How to Reduce Your Risk for Heart Disease

Heart disease is partly hereditary, in that your risk increases if someone in your family also suffers from it.

If you are concerned about your heart health and want to reduce your risk for the disease, below are some things you can do:

  • Getting regular exercise
  • Eating a healthy diet
  • Quitting smoking
  • Managing stress
  • Seeing your primary care provider regularly

Treatment for Heart Disease

Outlined below are the methods by which primary care providers treat heart disease:

  • Lifestyle changes – Healthy food choices (low-salt and low-fat diet); engaging in regular physical activity; managing stress; getting good sleep; and not smoking are all crucial for effective heart disease management.
  • Medications – There are many different types of medications used for treating heart disease. These include beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, statins, and more. Your primary care provider will work with you to find the right medication for your specific condition.
  • Use of cardiac devices –Types of implantable cardiac devices include pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), stents, and artificial heart valves.
  • Surgery – Surgery is often necessary for complex heart conditions or those that don’t respond to nonsurgical treatment.

There are various types of surgical interventions for heart disease. These include coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), angioplasty/stenting procedures, valve replacement surgery, and transplantation.

Heart Disease Treatment and Management in Wellington, FL

It’s time take to take “matters of the heart” seriously! Whether you’ve been diagnosed with heart disease and you need a primary care provider to help you effectively manage your condition, or you think you’re at risk for the condition and need a comprehensive evaluation, our team is here for you.

At Advanced Medical, our board-certified primary care providers – Dr. Ishan Gunawardene, an internal medicine provider; and Shariffa Gunawardene, a family nurse practitioner – recognize that patient education is an essential component of cardiovascular care. Thus, in addition to providing first-rate medical management, we delight in sharing useful information, which empowers patients to make the wisest decisions to stay on top of their cardiovascular health.

To schedule an appointment with one of our providers, call our primary care clinic today at (561) 434-1935 or use our convenient online appointment request form.

Symptoms of Heart Disease in Your Blood Vessels

Heart disease is an umbrella term for many heart conditions that affect the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently. The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD), which impedes blood flow to the heart. Certain people are at higher risk of heart disease. People who are sedentary, overweight or obese, smoke or drink excessively, have an unhealthy diet, or have diabetes can suffer from heart disease.

Many people may not have symptoms of heart disease until they suffer a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure. However, for some, it can present symptoms. Let’s discuss the symptoms of heart disease in your blood vessels.

Symptoms of Heart Disease

Heart disease symptoms usually occur when something happens in the arteries. Coronary heart disease can cause plaque – fat and cholesterol deposits – to build up in the walls of the arteries, the blood vessels that supply oxygen to the heart. The buildup of plaque causes a narrowing of an artery, which can partially or completely block the blood flow to the heart, also referred to as atherosclerosis.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis include:

  • Chest pain or angina (even while at rest)
  • Fatigue
  • Feeling hot and clammy (even at comfortable temperatures)
  • Shortness of breath
  • Pain in the arms or legs. There are arteries in the arms and legs, and if plaque builds up in them, it causes peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which can cause leg pain, cramping, or numbness.
  • Unexplained stomach pain.

Heart disease symptoms are not always severe. If you experience these symptoms, no matter how mild, seek medical care. These are not to be taken lightly, as they could lead to fatal outcomes.

What To Do About Heart Disease

Heart disease requires life-long management to improve quality of life and reduce the risk of mortality. Medicine to reduce cholesterol levels helps prevent the buildup of plaque in the arteries. Lifestyle changes, which involve eating a high-fiber, low-fat diet, cutting down on smoking and drinking, and exercising regularly may also help.

Heart disease patients need support from a primary care provider, who can order some tests to evaluate their heart function and monitor their weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. A primary care provider is experienced in disease management and can design a treatment plan that can help with maintaining a normal weight, as well as controlling your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. In severe cases, primary care providers can perform surgery to remove plaque or create a detour around a clogged artery.

Heart Disease Treatment in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, FL

For individualized treatment from a primary care provider, choose Advanced Medical. Dr. Ishan Gunawardene is a board-certified internal medicine provider trained in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of medical conditions that affect adults, including heart disease. Dr. Gunawardene will help get your heart condition under control and reduce your risk of complications.

Dr. Gunawardene uses a compassionate approach to each patient. He will oversee your care from diagnosis to recovery and long-term maintenance. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Gunawardene, call our clinic today at (561) 434-1935 or use our online request form.

What Causes Heart Disease?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among adults in the United States. About 647,000 Americans die from heart disease each year, or one person every 37 seconds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There are various types of heart disease, but the most common heart condition is coronary artery disease. This affects almost 7% of all adults in this country.

The second-most common heart condition according to the CDC is heart attack, and it is estimated that someone suffers from a heart attack every 40 seconds here in the U.S. About 20% of all heart attacks are “silent” heart attacks, which show no symptoms.

What Is Heart Disease?

Heart disease (or cardiovascular disease) is actually a group of a heart conditions. Some of the most common medical conditions affecting the heart include stroke, hardened arteries, atrial fibrillation (AFib), cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. The issue can be due to a problem with the heart muscle itself, due to the internal valves and vessels that run through the heart muscle, or due to how it beats and the regulative systems.

There are numerous factors that can affect the health and condition of your heart, including exercise, lifestyle, and diet. A sedentary lifestyle does not exercise the heart enough, and poor food choices may lead to clogging of the pulmonary arteries. Plus, too much psychological stress can cause harm to the heart.

>Causes of Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease happens when the coronary (heart) arteries are blocked. This makes it difficult for the arterial vessel to supply blood to the heart. This disease usually starts with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Coronary artery disease is caused by the patient’s high levels of bad cholesterol and/or low levels of good cholesterol. Some of the risk factors include obesity, smoking, and stress.

>Causes of Heart Arrhythmia

Heart arrhythmia (cardiac dysrhythmia) describes an irregular heartbeat wherein the heart may beat too fast or too slow. Arrhythmia usually occurs when the electrical signals to the heart that coordinate the heartbeats are not working properly.

A number of factors can cause the heart to beat improperly. These factors can include excessive coffee consumption, hypertension, an overactive thyroid gland, and drug abuse.

Causes of Heart Failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart does not pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. It is usually caused by high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, or thyroid disease.

One of the most common causes of heart failure is an undiagnosed heart condition. Other contributors are an unhealthy diet and poor lifestyle choices.

Family Medical Clinic in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach

Here at Advanced Medical Clinic, we are a family-oriented primary care healthcare provider that offers patient-centered, high-quality medical care for people of all ages. With convenient locations in both Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, we are here to help you and your whole family achieve a better quality of life.

Call us today at (561) 434-1935 to schedule an appointment, or fill out our online appointment request form now. We look forward to being your trusted family medicine provider!

What Is a Dangerous High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of blood that is placed on the walls of the arteries and other blood vessels as it courses through the body. It is common for blood pressure to increase and decrease – but when the pressure rises to an unhealthy level for a long period of time, this is the state of having high blood pressure, also called hypertension.

In the United States, there are approximately 75 million adults who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). The condition is especially linked to heart disease and stroke, which is a great concern because they are the first and third leading cause of death, respectively.

There are also millions of Americans who have high blood pressure and do not realize it. This underscores the importance of having your blood pressure checked by a family medicine provider on a regular basis to ensure optimum health. Let’s talk about what blood pressure is and what can cause it to become higher than normal.

What Do the Blood Pressure Numbers Mean? 

A blood pressure test is quick and easy, and it determines your systolic and diastolic pressure. When read, the systolic number is first, and the diastolic pressure is second. The systolic number represents the pressure on your blood vessel walls when your heart beats; the diastolic pressure is the pressure between beats.

A normal blood pressure is less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic (120/80, or “120 over 80”). High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.

What Are the Symptoms of High Blood Pressure?

It is entirely possible to have dangerously high blood pressure and not even know it. However, most people with this condition tend to experience occasional bouts of shortness of breath, headaches, and even nosebleeds. By the time these symptoms occur, high blood pressure has become severe – see a family medicine provider right away for an evaluation.

In addition to a medical history, a blood pressure check is a normal part of every health checkup. In between family medicine providers’ visits, you may be tempted to check your own blood pressure at blood pressure machines that are sometimes located in grocery stores or pharmacies – however, these machines are not completely trustworthy. The blood pressure machine in the family medicine provider’s office is much more accurate.

Who Is at Risk of High Blood Pressure?

There are several factors that affect blood pressure, including heredity, obesity, a lack of exercise, and smoking. Let’s take a look at some of these contributing factors:

  • Excess weight requires the blood to work harder to supply oxygen throughout the body. Plus, pressure on the artery walls is increased as the volume of blood being circulated is increased.
  • Exercise lowers a person’s heart rate, which lowers blood pressure. Conversely, a lack of exercise can cause a higher heart rate, causing the heart to work harder.
  • Smoking or chewing tobacco raises blood pressure. Additionally, arteries are susceptible to damage from the chemicals found in cigarettes and tobacco products.
  • Ordinary table salt affects blood pressure. Too much salt/sodium increases fluid that is retained in the body, which also causes blood pressure to rise.
  • Excessive alcohol consumption affects blood pressure and can cause damage to the heart. For men, more than two drinks a day could negatively affect blood pressure, and more than one drink each day will have an effect on a woman’s blood pressure.

There are factors that can contribute to a person’s susceptibility to high blood pressure which are beyond our control:

  • People of African heritage are more likely to develop high blood pressure, and are more susceptible to the condition at an earlier age, than those of other races.
  • Diabetes, kidney disease, and certain other chronic health conditions can negatively affect blood pressure.

Family Medicine Provider in Wellington, FL

If you haven’t had your blood pressure checked recently, we’ll make it easy for you: Walk-ins and same-day appointments are welcome here at Advanced Medical Clinic. Our offices are located in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach for your convenience.

Call us today at (561) 434-1935 or fill out our online appointment request form now. We look forward to seeing you here!