Dr. Michael Blanc
SAN ANGELO, Texas ?
Many people consider cardiologists ?fix-it? physicians, specialists who repair the heart after the damage is done. While this is often the case, it doesn?t have to be. In fact, cardiologists routinely employ two strategies while treating patients.
The first is primary prevention, meaning that the physicians are trying to prevent the onset of a disease. In cardiology, we are trying to prevent health emergencies such as heart attack and stroke.
The second is secondary prevention, meaning that we are trying to avert the recurrence of a health emergency. For instance, if a person has suffered a mild heart attack, our goal is to prevent a second heart attack.
Circumstances often force us into the role of ?fix-it? physicians. Many people discover that they have cardiovascular disease in one of three ways: experiencing chest pain; surviving a heart attack, or suffering a sudden death event. For up to 25 percent of men and 40 percent of women, a sudden death event is the initial manifestation of their heart disease.
Obviously, if a sudden death event is the disease?s first manifestation, there is no secondary prevention. It is this very real risk of sudden death that makes the case for cardiovascular screening, the first line of defense in primary prevention.
Screening, which can be conducted by your general practitioner, provides baseline information and pinpoints factors that can indicate an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. In an initial screening, your physician will check your blood pressure, your cholesterol levels and your glucose levels.
People have long understood the connection between blood pressure and cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, but many are surprised to find out that blood sugar is a major factor in cardiovascular health. In fact, many cardiologists, including me, consider diabetes a cardiovascular disease because of the debilitating impact it has on all components of the circulatory system. Diabetes affects everything from the heart and its large arteries to the millions of tiny capillaries that compose the kidneys? filtering system. As a result, cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in diabetics.
From a cardiologist?s standpoint, blood sugar can?t be ignored. The incidence of diabetes has increased 100 percent in the past decade, coinciding with the epidemic of obesity. When a patient with diabetes enters a cardiologist?s office the physician immediately adopts a secondary prevention approach for that patient. Why? Because a diabetic?s risk for a cardiovascular event is the same as a person who has already suffered a heart attack, stroke or peripheral artery disease.
The good news is that science has developed many effective therapies that can help patients control blood sugar as well as blood pressure and cholesterol. Physicians can tailor-make a program to help each individual preserve and improve his or her health. Of course, the earlier a problem is detected, the better the outcome. In the best case scenario, physicians will identify a potential problem before it becomes a major threat.
To help you take control of your cardiovascular health, San Angelo Community Medical Center has developed an online health risk assessment. Just visit www.saHEART.com and follow the instructions. It takes about seven minutes to complete. Your personal information will be protected on a secure site. If you?re found to be at risk, you can choose to be contacted by a health care professional for a follow-up consultation.
Knowledge is power. Get to know your heart. Get to know your health risks. Empower yourself.
This article is not intended to replace medical advice from your physician. Consult your physician if you have any questions. Michael Blanc, M.D., is a board-certified interventional cardiologist at Community Medical Associates Heart Vascular Center and a member of the active medical staff at San Angelo Community Medical Center.
Article source: http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2012/may/28/ho/
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