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Internal Medicine

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 doctor regularly

Treatment for Heart Disease

Outlined below are the methods by which doctors 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 doctor 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 physician; and ShariffaGunawardene, 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 doctor, who can order some tests to evaluate their heart function and monitor their weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. A primary care doctor 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, doctors 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 doctor, 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 is Internal Medicine?

There is often confusion in understanding the difference between internal medicine, family medicine and primary care. On the face of it, they seem to be one and the same. People are not all one-size-fits-all, and neither are their needs. Nor are physicians. People have unique needs and should choose a doctor that best fits those needs.

Primary care is a role and not a specialty. Physicians trained in different specialties can offer primary care services: pediatrics, women’s health, or geriatrics, for example.

Internists or internal medicine physicians too are qualified primary care physicians. But they only focus on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of adults, 18 years or older across the spectrum of health and illness. Some focus their practice on hospital medicine, medical education and/or research. Family physicians, on the other hand, treat adults and children.

The goal of the internal medicine doctor is health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment of both acute and chronic illness.

Patient-centric Care

The central person in internal medicine is the adult patient as a whole individual. They work to establish and maintain a trusting relationship to create the best plan for your health. This includes age-appropriate health maintenance through routine monitoring, immunizations, and screenings.

They provide counseling, patient education, and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses. They promote healthy lifestyle choices. The internist is the focal point of a patient’s health care needs. They offer continuity of care that extends from their office to specialists, to hospitalizations, and anywhere the patient requires medical attention.

Internists are skilled diagnosticians, adept at figuring out complex symptoms to identify both common and rare illnesses. They are often known as the “doctor’s doctor” or “medical detectives.”

General Internal Medicine

Many internists begin practicing upon completing basic internal medicine training.  They practice “general internal medicine” and are referred to as “general internists.” They handle the broad and comprehensive spectrum of illnesses that affect adults. They provide primary care to patients over the duration of their adult lives.

General internists practice in different locations. Some, known as “hospitalists,” may focus on caring for patients in the hospital setting. Others combine both outpatient and inpatient care. General internists may practice in settings such as rehabilitation centers and long-term care facilities as well.

Internal Medicine Subspecialties

Internists may take additional training to “subspecialize” in a more focused area of internal medicine. This training, known as a “fellowship” usually requires several additional years beyond the basic three-year internal medicine residency.

Physicians with additional training in a particular area of internal medicine are frequently referred to by their area of subspecialty –cardiologists, pulmonologists etc. They have all undergone the same basic internal medicine training and are also considered as “internists.”

The subspecialty training in a particular medical area is comprehensive and qualifies them to manage complex medical issues and perform advanced procedures.

Conditions Treated by Internal Medicine Physicians

Internal medicine practitioners focus on the whole body. They treat both internal and external conditions. They diagnose and treat a wide range of medical conditions. A doctor of internal medicine may be employed by a hospital or work out of his own clinic or office.

Subspecialties of internal medicine include: 

Arthritis and joint conditions

Hepatitis

Allergy and immunology

Cardiology (heart diseases)

Endocrinology (hormone disorders)

Hematology (blood disorders)

Infectious diseases

Gastroenterology (diseases of the digestive system)

Nephrology (kidney diseases)

Oncology (cancer)

Pulmonology (lung disorders)

Rheumatology (arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders)

Hypertension

Diabetes

ENT – ear, nose and throat

Neurological conditions

Sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction (ED)

Weight loss and management

This exhaustive area of medicine basically includes any illness that affects adults.

The role of the internist is to manage your overall health, promote a healthy lifestyle and recommend steps to prevent illness, and treat illnesses. Your internist is your “go-to” when you have health concerns because he knows you best. He can provide most of your medical needs.

At Advanced Medical, PA, we pride ourselves in providing quality healthcare in both internal medicine and primary care. To learn more about us and the services we offer, or to schedule a visit, call us at (561) 434-1935 to request an appointment.

How Your Doctor Can Help You Manage Your Pain

Chronic pain can wear you down and further degrade your physical and mental health. Your doctor can work with you to reduce your pain and improve your ability to carry on with your everyday activities.

Approaches to pain management have evolved over the last decade. Medical professionals increasingly put you at the center of all aspects of pain management, and that is a good thing. A common misconception is that pain medications such as opioids are the go to for pain management, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. There are many ways your doctor can help you manage your pain.

Encourage Communication

Your doctor can help you best by getting you actively involved in your treatment. By communicating openly with you, your doctor will involve you with decision-making and problem solving. Living better with chronic pain is the goal (after all attempts to correct the painful condition, of course), and this requires excellent communication between you and your physician, and your medical team. Communicative and caring physicians can empower you as a person, not just as a patient.

Listen and explain

Your doctor will ask you about how you experience your pain, and specifically, to describe your pain in everyday language. Because there are no specialized tests to assess where and how you feel pain, you are the primary source of information. Don’t hold back. You are your best advocate. Everybody has a different pain threshold, so it’s important to get a unique understanding of each patient.

In turn, your doctor can help you understand that even if your chronic pain has no specific cure, there are ways to manage it. Your doctor can provide you with resources such as easy to read information, referrals for physical therapists, and other therapeutic experts.

Provide options

You doctor will talk with you about these and other options for your pain management plan:

·      Medications including analgesics such as acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen can be of help with mild to moderate pain.

Stronger pain medications, including opioids, provide important relief for patients who have strong or severe pain. You doctor will work with you to ensure that you receive the appropriate and safe type of medication.

·      Pain management procedures such as electrical stimulation, acupuncture, nerve blocks, or surgery may be appropriate if pain is not controlled by medications.

·      Non-invasive treatments such as biofeedback, behavior modification, and psychotherapy are all important tools.

·      Alternative or complementary medicine (CAM) include treatments such as acupuncture, massage, Tai Chi, mindful meditation, and relaxation techniques, all of which have been shown to be helpful.

Advise and support

Your doctor can suggest healthy lifestyle changes that will help you better manage your pain and improve your quality of life. Some suggestions your doctor may make include:

Exercise: Chronic pain caused by certain conditions such as arthritis shouldn’t stop you from engaging in physical activity. Natural painkillers or endorphins released by your body after exercise help reduce perception of pain, and exercise has been shown to boost mood. Of course, first discuss any exercise plans with your doctor to make sure they are safe and appropriate for you.

Diet: Eating regular meals rich in antioxidants and nutrients will help your body best deal with pain and stress. Eating fresh vegetables, fruits, and lean protein ensures you have the best fuel to repair and restore your health.

Reach out to us with any questions you have about how to manage your pain. call Advanced Medical in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Florida at (561) 434-1935 to request an appointment, or you can request an appointment online.