Each February, the American Heart Association (AHA) encourages us to pay closer attention to heart health during American Heart Month. To participate, you might choose to learn (or brush up on) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), volunteer, or wear red all month long to raise awareness of the United States’ #1 killer: heart disease.
American Heart Month is also a great opportunity to pay attention to your heart health. If you have a family or personal history of cardiovascular disease, are obese or overweight, or have other risk factors, you may need specialized screening tests.
At our office in Rosedale, Queens, New York, expert cardiologist Dr. Ola Akinboboye may recommend a variety of tests to evaluate your heart health, depending on your risk factors and symptoms. He then customizes lifestyle adjustments or therapies to help your heart.
What are cardiology screenings, and which do you need? Below is a brief breakdown.
Your blood pressure measures how well your blood circulates throughout your body and how healthy your blood vessels are. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg.
Once your top number (i.e., systolic pressure) is 120 or more or your bottom number (i.e, diastolic pressure) is 80 mm Hg or more, you have elevated blood pressure. Your cardiologist recommends lifestyle changes to help you get to healthy levels.
Hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure) starts at 130-139/80-89. If you have hypertension, you may need to start medications that lower your pressure. Higher rates than that can be life-threatening.
A cholesterol test measures total cholesterol, as well as low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and triglycerides. High total cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol, or high triglycerides indicate an increased risk for atherosclerosis.
You should get a cholesterol test every 4-6 years. If your numbers are high, you may need to make lifestyle changes or take medication to normalize your levels.
Being overweight or obese puts you at risk for cardiovascular disease. One of the fastest ways to determine your risk is to measure your waist circumference. A large waist means that you’re probably carrying too much fat for your frame, which stresses your heart.
A waist size higher than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women is an indication of abdominal obesity. Body-mass index (BMI) is also helpful, but may not apply if you’re a bodybuilder or otherwise have dense muscles or bones.
A fasting blood glucose test measures how much sugar is circulating in your blood. Too much glucose could mean that you have diabetes or are in danger of developing it. Diabetes increases your risk for obesity as well as heart disease.
An EKG is a simple, noninvasive test that measures the electrical activity in your heart. Your doctor uses an EKG to evaluate your heart health, identify abnormalities, and look at your blood vessel health, too. You should have an EKG if you’ve had chest pain or other symptoms, or if you suspect you had a heart attack.
A Holter monitor is an EKG that you wear for 24 hours or longer. This long-term test provides your doctor with a clearer understanding of how your heart responds over time. It’s used to evaluate arrhythmias and other irregularities.
A stress test uses an EKG to evaluate your heart at rest and during stress, such as exercise or a medication that raises your heart rate. You should get a stress test if you’re about to start a new sport or exercise regimen after inactivity, or if you’re in a profession that’s stressful, such as an athlete, pilot, or firefighter.
Your cardiologist uses ultrasound (i.e., sound waves) to evaluate the health of your abdominal aorta. It’s used when your doctor suspects you have an abdominal aneurysm or if you have a family or personal history of aneurysm.
This type of ultrasound evaluates the carotid arteries in your neck to check for plaque buildup. Atherosclerosis in your carotid arteries increases your risk for stroke. Your cardiologist may order this if you’ve had stroke symptoms or have fainted recently.
Your cardiologist uses a special kind of X-ray to evaluate the health of the arteries that feed your heart. They look for evidence of atherosclerosis and calcification (i.e., hardening) and may recommend statins or other medications.
Take care of your heart this February for American Heart Health Month by booking the screenings you need today. Call our helpful team at 718-208-4816 or use our online outreach form to schedule an appointment for heart failure treatment today.
