Campaign to Prevent Heart Disease (4pg)

Campaign to Prevent Heart Disease

To prevent, detect and treat America’s #1 killer, physicians use a full range of technology and resources to provide comprehensive care at three different levels.

Level 1: Detection and Prevention The first step is to see your primary care physician for a complete physical exam. Your doctor will check your blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol level, and ask questions about your family’s medical history. Your weight, exercise habits and whether or not you smoke, will also be considered to determine your overall risk for heart disease. Don’t have a primary care physician? Just call or visit our website and we’ll be glad to help. Level 2: Additional Testing In many cases, additional testing may be recommended. Here are some of the diagnostic tools your doctor may consider. Stress Test: Sometimes called a treadmill test or exercise test, it begins with electrodes on your chest and arms. You’ll then be asked to walk on a treadmill, set at a slight tilt. During the test, your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing are constantly monitored. In the past few years, some new tests have been developed to detect heart disease. Coronary Calcium Scan: For those with an intermediate risk of heart disease, this non-invasive outpatient procedure checks for calcium deposits that can block the coronary arteries, which supply the heart with oxygen. Ultrasound of the Carotid Artery: The carotid artery is the main blood vessel supplying oxygen to the brain. Higher levels of plaque in this artery are a signal you have an increased risk for a heart attack or stroke. Testing for Bad Cholesterol: This test takes a closer look at the LDL, the bad cholesterol in your blood. Level 3: Diagnostic and Corrective Surgery Sometimes surgery may be required to determine if you have heart disease. A Cardiac Catheterization can help determine if your coronary arteries are partially blocked. This procedure can also be used to check blood flow and pressure in the chambers of the heart.

If heart disease is diagnosed and corrective surgery is needed, a Cath Lab offers a number of treatment capabilities. For example: Angioplasty: can be effective in opening up the coronary arteries. Peripheral Angioplasty: examines arteries in the legs and other parts of the body to diagnose and treat hardening and narrowing of the arteries.

Atherectomy: cam be used to remove plaque from a blocked heart artery.

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