¿Y si pudiéramos detener los problemas cardíacos antes de que comiencen? Con la cardiología preventiva, podemos

Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in both men and women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every 36 seconds, an American dies from cardiovascular disease. But lifestyle modifications, like diet and exercise, can make a world of a difference in reducing your risk for heart disease and improving your overall health.

La enfermedad cardíaca es claramente algo que todos deberíamos tomar en serio, entonces, ¿qué más podemos hacer para controlar nuestra salud cardiovascular y prevenir enfermedades? ¡La buena noticia es que existe toda una subespecialidad dedicada a prevenir enfermedades cardíacas en personas de todas las edades y orígenes!

¿Qué es la cardiología preventiva?

La cardiología preventiva es una subespecialidad que tiene como objetivo reducir el riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular de los pacientes y retrasar la progresión en aquellos con enfermedad existente.

Este trabajo es altamente personalizado; su cardiólogo trabajará en estrecha colaboración con usted para determinar un plan de tratamiento y modificaciones que se adapten a su estilo de vida. Si bien tomar medicamentos puede ser necesario para algunos pacientes, es posible que otros simplemente necesiten cambiar lo que comen todos los días o agregar o aumentar la cantidad de actividad física que realizan. Estos planes de atención individualizados son fundamentales para abordar sus factores de riesgo específicos.

Por lo tanto, si sabe que la enfermedad cardíaca es hereditaria, o tiene afecciones como presión arterial alta o colesterol alto, ver a un cardiólogo preventivo es un paso importante para evaluar y reducir su riesgo de enfermedad cardíaca.

Related: Women and heart disease: The surprising links you may not know

Qué esperar en la cita con su médico

Ha concertado una cita con un cardiólogo preventivo, ¡genial! ¿Qué debes esperar?

• Family history: For starters, it’s important to know as much of your family medical history as you can. If one of your relatives had a heart attack or stroke, this is information that your cardiologist needs to know to better understand your risk for heart disease.
• Genetic testing: After discussing your family history, they may offer genetic screening to assess your risk for inherited disease.
• Lifestyle: You will also discuss lifestyle habits, such as diet and exercise. What do breakfast, lunch and dinner look like for you? What do you do to stay active? These are questions that your preventive cardiologist may ask so they can counsel you on how to make healthy changes in your daily life.
• Blood tests: Your doctor may also order tests that will provide a clearer picture of your cardiovascular health. One of these tests is a lipid panel, a blood test that measures the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. Based on your history and physical, your doctor may also order a coronary calcium screening. This test uses computed tomography (CT) to check for calcium buildup in your coronary arteries, which can be an early sign of heart disease. This test takes about 15 minutes.

Next steps

You shouldn’t wait to develop heart problems to see a cardiologist. Seeing a preventive cardiologist is an excellent way to be proactive about your health and take the necessary steps Hoy to avoid future heart problems. Whether you’re 20 or 80 years old, it is never too early or late to start improving your heart health.

• Schedule an appointment with a preventive cardiologist to find out how you can minimize your risk and live a heart healthy life.
• Take this short quiz to learn more about your risk for heart disease.