Your heart never takes a break and pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood every day. Knowing this, it’s crucial to take care of your heart because, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year. At Crown Clinic PA in Charlotte, the Historic South End of North Carolina, Obinna Oriaku, MD, understands the importance of educating his patients on how to keep a healthy heart and avoid cardiovascular disease. For specific questions about your heart health, call the office today or schedule your appointment online.
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking are three crucial risk factors for heart disease. About half of all Americans have at least one of the three key risk factors, making them a target for heart disease.
While there are major risk factors that can’t be changed, such as increasing age, gender, or ethnicity, there are some risk factors you can modify, treat, and control. These include:
Dr. Oriaku can’t stress enough how important it is that you pay attention to your lifestyle habits, as they can cause your heart performance to be subpar.
There are multiple ways Dr. Oriaku and you can keep your heart performing optimally and free of any disease. The first is to visit Crown Clinic PA at least yearly for your physical exam so Dr. Oriaku can check your heart rate, blood pressure, and, if needed, give a blood test to measure your cholesterol.
Dr. Oriaku performs echocardiograms that use ultrasound to evaluate your heart valves and heart muscle. This is done to assess your heart’s overall function and determine if further steps need to be taken.
Your heart never stops beating throughout your whole life. It’s crucial to make small changes to your lifestyle habits to not only live longer, but to also spend more time healthy, without cardiovascular disease. Dr. Oriaku suggests you do the following to help prevent heart disease:
Making these lifestyle changes takes time and effort. It could take a few attempts before you actually stick to changing your bad habits. Nonetheless, making these changes can have a tremendous impact on your heart’s future and provide you a better and healthier life.
Does heart disease run in your family? Do you believe you could be at risk for heart disease? If your answer is yes, call Crown Clinic PA today or schedule your appointment online.
