Chances are, at some moment, you’ve thought about whether or not to visit a cardiologist. With statistics like heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, it has undoubtedly crossed your mind.
General cardiologists are practitioners that concentrate on the heart. If you are at risk for heart disease, a routine check-up with this specialized physician can help you stay on top of your heart health.
12 Reasons to Plan a Visit With a Cardiologist
1. Your immediate care physician has directed you to a cardiologist. If your direct care physician suggests you see a cardiologist, do it! Possibly your family doctor spots a red flag during your exam and likes to have your heart checked slightly more closely. Or it could be that your unique or family record warrants an exam by a doctor who focuses on the heart.
2. Family history. Check for inherited heart disease. Do some digging, chart your home tree, and ask questions of your family associates about their health records. If you notice a way of heart disease, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure, bring action and get inspected by a cardiologist.
3. High Blood Pressure. High blood pressure is a vital risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and ensuring you “know your blood pressure numbers” is critical in preventing a cardiac event. Regular blood pressure reviews should occur from age 20 on. If your blood pressure is trending up, or possibly it’s always been tall, you must get it under management.
4. High Cholesterol. Increased cholesterol does not induce symptoms and can be questioned for management. As one of the essential risk elements for heart disease, bringing cholesterol numbers under control is vital. Read more details about healthy cholesterol levels.
5. History of Preeclampsia. According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, heart disease research has shown that women with a history of preeclampsia—high blood pressure during pregnancy or postpartum—have double the risk of heart disease. The risk may be higher for those who deliver preterm infants or suffer from this disease more than once. If you had preeclampsia during incubation, it is best to get your heart contained.
6. Your heart years are higher than your real age. Do you understand your general risk for heart disease? If the response is no, take a two and find out.
7. History of Smoking. Smoking at any time raises the risk of developing heart disease. If you are a smoker, creating an appointment with a cardiologist may not be a poor idea.
8. You’ve been diagnosed with diabetes. Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart conditions than those without diabetes. The American Heart Association lists diabetes as one of the seven major controllable risk factors of heart disease. Take a step and work toward managing it.
9. Congenital Heart Disease in Childhood. One common misconception of those born with congenital heart disease (CHD) is that once it is fixed as a child, continued care is not needed. This is not true. The rate of life of those adults that had CHD surgery as a child is significantly increased by including a routine check-up with a technical cardiologist during adulthood.
10. Starting a New Exercise Routine. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends seeing a doctor before engaging in moderate to high-intensity exercise if you currently maintain an inactive lifestyle or have heart disease, kidney disease, or type 1 or type 2 diabetes. A cardiologist can check for any underlying heart condition you may not be aware of and ensure you do not partake in an exercise program that’s too intense for your lifestyle.
11. Gum Disease. There is a link between gum illness and heart disease. Bacteria seen in gum disease can journey through the body and cause illness in heart valves and inflammation in heart containers. In addition to seeing a cardiologist, prioritize practicing good oral hygiene and visiting your dentist every six months for a check-up and cleaning.
12. You’re a Cancer Patient or Survivor. Cardio-oncologists (cardiologists specializing in caring for cancer patients) recommend that all cancer patients and survivors make an appointment to check their hearts. This is because typical cancer treatments can harm the heart or strain the heart muscles and blood plates. These cardiac issues do not impact every cancer patient, but it is more suitable to play it safe and specify if you are at risk or not.
