What is Preventive Cardiology?
Preventive cardiology is a medical subspecialty which intends to lower the risk of developing heart disease or cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke. Preventive cardiology may include several treatment options to help patients avoid these issues, and the treatments are especially beneficial for those at a higher risk of heart disease. Treatments may be provided by a range of medical professionals including physicians, nutritionists, dietitians, exercise physiologists, and more.
Preventive Cardiology Treatments
Preventive cardiology may include several treatments or therapies to help patients improve their health and avoid cardiovascular disease. The best course of treatment will vary for each patient, making a consultation with an experienced medical professional necessary. Your physician at Hybrid Medical Solution may recommend a combination of the following.
Cardiovascular Risk Assessment
The first step in your preventive cardiology treatment is typically a comprehensive risk assessment. This may include several tests to measure your cholesterol and blood pressure or blood tests to assess C-reactive protein and lipoprotein. Your physician will also evaluate lifestyle factors such as your weight, whether you smoke, diet, and more. Finally, your family and personal health history will be evaluated.
Preventive Cardiology Medications
As needed, medications may be prescribed to help maintain your best possible health and mitigate heart disease. Appropriate medications will vary depending on your specific risk factors.
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Cardiac Imaging Tests
In some cases, your preventive cardiology specialist may request advanced cardiac imaging tests to assess your heart health. This can include tests such as coronary artery calcium scoring or CT angiography.
Nutrition Services
Maintaining a healthy diet is of vital importance in preventive cardiology. At Hybrid Medical Solution, our team offers nutrition consulting and diet plans to help patients meet their health goals. As needed, you may also pursue medical weight loss services including natural peptides and weight loss medications or pursue an exercise program tailored to your goals and ability. These services can help patients reach and maintain a healthy weight.
Who Can Benefit from Preventive Cardiology?
Many patients who are at a higher risk of heart disease, heart attacks, or stroke may benefit from preventive cardiology. This can include patients with risk factors including:
- Family history of heart attack, stroke, or peripheral artery disease
- Personal history of cardiovascular disease, especially before age 60
- Atherosclerosis
- Cholesterol disorders
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes or high blood sugar
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Sedentary lifestyle or poor diet
In addition to these risk factors, men are typically at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, as are older patients. The condition is also more common in African American patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between preventive cardiology and cardiology?
Preventive cardiology focuses on early prevention to keep your heart and blood vessels healthy. Cardiology is usually practiced by cardiologist with the goal of treating disease after it has occurred. Our mission is to identify the underlying causes of heart disease and treat those before significant damage occurs. Practitioners do not necessarily need to be cardiologist in order to practice preventive cardiology. All the providers in our practice are members of the American Society of preventive cardiology, one of the preeminent societies for preventive cardiology in the world.
What are the components of preventive cardiology?
Preventive cardiology usually requires an approach that looks at the whole body rather than just the heart and blood vessels. Our practice utilizes a large variety of testing to determine future risk. Some of the tests will include advanced lipid testing that includes LP(a), APO B, LDL particle number, and cardiovascular genetic testing. We also order imaging testing such as cardiac calcium scores, coronary artery CT angiograms, echocardiograms, and sleep studies. The goal of preventive cardiology is not to overutilize medication but rather to find ways to optimize health utilizing nutrition, exercise, supplements, and medication as a last resort.
What exercises are good for heart blockage?
This will be completely dependent on the severity of the blockage. Many people are walking around with mild atherosclerotic heart disease and do not need to limit their activity. Once a person has mild heart disease, it is very difficult to reverse the disease. Exercise may help slow down the progression. Although her exercise recommendations are tailor-made for each individual person, a general rule is to get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week.
How can I unblock my heart arteries naturally?
It is very difficult to reverse atherosclerosis. In reality, that is not our main objective. We want to keep heart disease from getting worse. We have a variety of supplements that we utilize to help with this. There are some natural supplements that are derived from marine seaweed that help protect the lining of the blood vessels. There are other supplements that help the elasticity of the blood vessels. The underlying cause of heart disease (and almost every disease) is inflammation. We target treatment by targeting inflammatory processes.
Should I be seeing a cardiologist?
If you need an invasive procedure such as a cardiac catheterization or an ablation, you should be seeing a cardiologist. If it is for management and prevention, you do not necessarily need to see a cardiologist. Unfortunately, many cardiologists do not practice preventive cardiology. They are more reactive and treat diseases after they happen. Most primary care doctors should be able to handle your preventative cardiology needs and refer you to a cardiologist if they deem it necessary.
Schedule a Consultation
If you are at high risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack, or stroke, there are steps you can take to protect, improve, and maintain your health. At Hybrid Medical Solution, our team offers tailored treatment options to improve patients’ overall health and wellbeing. Schedule a consultation to learn more about your preventive cardiology options by calling our Boca Raton, Florida office or contacting us online.
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