Preventive cardiology is a medical specialty that helps you manage heart disease risk factors. It involves your specialist identifying the risk factors that may lead to heart disease, preventing heart problems, and treating existing heart-related conditions. Preventive cardiology Upper East Side focuses on keeping your heart and blood vessels healthy to help prevent heart diseases. Preventive cardiology plays a significant role in overall health, so you may receive care from different specialists during the appointments. Preventive care mostly includes treating your underlying condition, changing lifestyle habits to prevent heart conditions, and managing existing health issues.
Which are types of preventive cardiology?
Primary intervention: This type of preventive cardiology involves preventing heart and blood vessel issues before you develop conditions like a heart attack or stroke.
Secondary prevention: This form of preventive cardiology is beneficial when a patient develops a heart event. It mainly focuses on stopping heart problems and preventing them from worsening.
When should you consider preventive cardiology?
Your doctor can recommend you get preventive cardiology if you have a family history of heart attacks, stroke, or peripheral artery disease. Preventive cardiology is also important if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, are overweight, smoke cigarettes, or eat an unhealthy diet.
Which tests should you expect during a preventive cardiology appointment?
Depending on your risk factors or condition, your specialist may recommend the following tests:
Electrocardiogram: This test measures your heart activity ad helps detect problems like arrhythmias.
Electrocardiogram: This test is done using a noninvasive ultrasound system to detect your heart function.
Stress test: Your doctor can use a stress test to observe metabolic activity and cardiac and pulmonary function when your body is in motion or exercising.
Computed tomography (CT) scan: A CT scan shows several images of your heart from different angles.
Cardiac MRI: Cardiologists use this test to observe the heart in three dimensions and its activity.
Cardiac catheterization: This test involves your specialist inserting a catheter through a cut in your groin until it reaches the arteries. It helps measure the pressure of your arteries and cardiac activities.
Which treatments can you get in preventive cardiology?
Lifestyle habits
Practicing healthy lifestyle habits is the first step in preventive cardiology. Your doctor will guide you on the best exercises to help prevent or manage your heart problem. Exercise strengthens your heart muscles and helps you lose weight if you are overweight. A healthy diet also plays a significant role in preventive cardiology. Your cardiologist may refer you to a nutritionist to help create a diet program suitable for your condition.
Medications
Depending on your situation, your doctor may recommend medications to control your heart condition. The drugs may help treat heart disease or underlying conditions like hypertension that can lead to heart issues.
Surgery
Some heart diseases may require surgery for effective treatment. For example, your doctor can recommend a preventive surgery like placing a stent in your heart to strengthen the venous walls.
Preventive cardiology helps prevent heart diseases and treat and manage underlying conditions that can lead to heart diseases. Depending on your risk factors or illness, your specialist may recommend medications, lifestyle changes, or surgery. Schedule an appointment at Upper East Side Cardiology for preventive cardiology to manage your heart conditions.
