One of the best ways to reduce your risk of heart disease is by getting regular medical checkups with your doctor. Routine tests and screenings can help detect heart issues and warning signs before they cause more serious complications.
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So, how do you know where to start when it comes to keeping your heart healthy and preventing heart disease?
Working with your doctor is key. They can help you understand any risks you may have and how your risk factors may impact your heart health. They can also offer advice on smart lifestyle choices and monitor you to make sure any risk factors are kept under control.
One of the best ways to avoid a disease is to try and prevent it from occurring in the first place. This is known as preventive health. It’s a crucial way of reducing your risk of chronic health conditions or diagnosing any issues early on, before they cause more serious problems that are harder to treat.
This is especially true for heart disease, as some major risk factors like high blood pressure (hypertension) and high cholesterol don’t have obvious signs or symptoms. You could have one or both of these conditions for years without knowing about it. Other types of heart disease may also remain undiagnosed until they cause serious complications.
The best way to know if you have any heart disease risk factors is to see your doctor and to get examined and tested. Once you know your results, you can work with your doctor and your healthcare team on any steps you need to take to keep your heart as healthy as possible.
Symptoms your doctor needs to know about
Be sure to tell your doctor about any symptoms that could be a sign of heart disease. While some symptoms may be due to some other cause, it’s still important to let your doctor know if you experience:
Be honest with your doctor
While your age and weight are important pieces of information related to your heart disease risk, it’s equally important that your doctor has a clear understanding of your full medical history and lifestyle habits. The only way your doctor will be able to gather this information is if you share it with them. It’s important to be open and honest with your doctor about your:
- eating habits
- physical activity level
- sleep patterns
- alcohol and/or drug use
- smoking history (and current smoking habits, if applicable)
- medications and supplements you take
- family health history (especially related to heart disease)
- previous or ongoing health conditions or illnesses
Together with any test results, this information will help create a clear picture of your health and lifestyle. Additionally, it can also help your doctor put together a safe and effective treatment plan for you.
For instance, drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. But, if your doctor thinks you abstain from alcohol or consume very little, you may be prescribed antihypertensive medications that may interact with alcohol. The same is true for other medications or supplements you take.
A regular checkup allows your doctor to carefully assess the health of your heart. During a routine checkup, your doctor will likely assess:
- your body mass index (BMI), a measurement used to determine heart disease risk
- blood pressure
- pulse rate
- oxygen saturation level
- your heart by listening to it with a stethoscope for signs of an arrhythmia, valve disease, or other cardiac conditions
Based on information gathered at a routine checkup, your doctor may order certain tests or screenings to get a clearer picture of your heart health.
If your doctor diagnoses any heart issues or heart disease risk factors, they can work with you to create a treatment plan to bolster your heart health.
They can also monitor you to ensure your heart is staying healthy. If anything changes, they’ll be able to alter your treatment plan before any serious complications arise.
Many doctors recommend yearly blood tests to coincide with your annual physical exam. These tests can detect markers for heart disease as well as in-depth information about your overall health.
To get an accurate picture of your heart health, your doctor may order the following blood tests:
- Cholesterol test (lipid panel): This test measures the levels of fats (lipids) in your blood, including LDL (low-density lipoprotein), HDL (high-density lipoprotein), triglycerides, and total cholesterol.
- Complete blood count (CBC): A CBC blood test is a common blood test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your blood. This test can also measure levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that, at high levels, can raise the risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP): A CMP blood test measures the levels of substances in your blood that are related to kidney and liver function, as well as the levels of electrolytes and fluids. A CMP test also tests glucose as well as creatinine levels, which is part of the kidney function test. If levels are outside the normal range, it could be an indicator of heart disease.
- Fasting glucose (sugar): A fasting glucose test can detect high levels of glucose in your blood, which could be a sign of type 2 diabetes, a heart disease risk factor.
- Creatinine blood test: A creatinine blood test measures the level of creatinine in the blood — a waste product that’s eliminated by the kidneys. High levels could indicate reduced kidney function, which could affect your heart health.
If you’ve been prescribed medications to lower your cholesterol, you may be advised to have more frequent blood tests to assess whether your treatment is working.
Other heart health screening tests
A blood pressure check is also key when it comes to assessing your heart health. That’s because high blood pressure (hypertension) often has no obvious symptoms, yet it’s a major risk factor for both heart disease and stroke.
What’s a healthy blood pressure reading?
For an adult, a healthy blood pressure reading is one that’s below 120/80 mm Hg and above 90/60 mm Hg.
Although an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) isn’t part of a standard checkup, your doctor may order this test if they want to get more detailed information on how your heart is beating. An ECG uses electrodes placed on the skin to measure the heart’s electrical activity, revealing helpful information about the heart’s rate and rhythm.
An ECG may also be performed as part of a cardiac stress test. This test is done by having you walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bicycle to get your heart rate up. The main goal is to assess how your heart functions when it’s being exerted.
If screening tests suggest that you may be at a higher risk for heart disease, your doctor will likely make recommendations on lifestyle changes, or possibly prescribe certain medications and other treatments.
Your doctor may help you create a heart disease prevention plan by:
- Setting goals for weight loss (if necessary), or daily exercise: Having specific goals can help keep you accountable, but again it’s important that you’re honest about what you’re doing in between doctor visits.
- Providing nutritional support: Your doctor may prescribe the services of a dietitian to help you plan your meals and make changes to the foods you eat.
- Helping you quit smoking, if you smoke: Smoking is a leading risk factor for heart disease, and doctors are well aware that many people need assistance to quit permanently. Your doctor may prescribe medications and recommend programs to help you quit for good.
- Prescribing medication: If lifestyle changes don’t help lower your risk factors, your doctor may decide to prescribe certain medications to lower the chance of heart disease complications.
If you need treatment due to a blockage in one of your coronary arteries — a condition known as coronary artery disease (CAD) — your doctor may discuss options, such as bypass surgery or stenting, to improve blood flow within the heart.
Your doctor would then refer you to a cardiologist (a doctor who specializes in heart disease), who would oversee the treatment of your heart and vascular system.
If your doctor lets you know that you’re at high risk for heart disease, there are important questions to ask. For instance, you’ll want to know:
- What exactly is my risk of a heart attack?
- What lifestyle changes can I take to improve my heart health?
- What dietary changes should I make, such as monitoring my sodium intake?
- Do I need to lose weight? If so, what should my goal weight be?
- How much exercise should I get each day or week, and are there any restrictions on what I can do?
- Can you help me stop smoking? How do I start?
- Should I start taking medications, such as statins, blood pressure drugs, or blood thinners?
- Should I monitor my blood pressure at home and how often? What should my blood pressure reading be?
- Should I start seeing a cardiologist?
If you receive a diagnosis of heart disease, it will be helpful to ask your doctor or cardiologist the following:
- Are there other tests that I need?
- What are my treatment options?
- Can I still carry on doing all my usual daily activities, or do I need to make changes?
- Do I need surgery?
- If I have surgery, what will my recovery be like and should I participate in cardiac rehabilitation?
- How will heart disease affect my overall health, including things like my kidney function?
- What is my prognosis?
Getting regular checkups is key when it comes to reducing your risk of heart disease. The screenings and tests your doctor orders can help detect heart issues and warning signs early on, before they cause serious complications.
Also, if you have risk factors beyond your control, like advancing age or a family history of heart disease, the advice and care you get from your doctor could be a lifesaving intervention that’s beyond what you could manage on your own.
Keep in mind that there’s more to preventing heart disease than seeing your doctor regularly. It’s imperative that you follow your doctor’s advice and make sure you get clear answers to all your questions.
Njia bora ya kupunguza hatari ya ugonjwa wa moyo ni kwenda kwa daktari wako mara kwa mara. Uchunguzi wa kawaida waweza kusaidia kugundua matatizo ya moyo na ishara za onyo kabla ya kusababisha matatizo makubwa zaidi. Ugonjwa wa moyo ni tatizo kubwa sana, kwa hiyo, ni muhimu kujua ni wapi kuanza ili kuhifadhi afya ya moyo wako na kuzuia ugonjwa wa moyo. Kufanya kazi na daktari wako ni muhimu. Unaweza pia kuelewa hatari ambazo unaweza kuwa nazo na jinsi sababu zako za hatari zinaweza kuathiri afya ya moyo wako. Pia wanaweza kutoa ushauri juu ya chaguzi za maisha za akili na kukufuatilia ili kuhakikisha sababu zozote za hatari zinadhibitiwa. Njia bora ya kuepuka ugonjwa ni kujaribu kuzuia kutokea kwake. Hii inajulikana kama afya ya kuzuia. Ni njia muhimu ya kupunguza hatari yako ya hali ya afya ya muda mrefu au kugundua masuala yoyote mapema, kabla ya kusababisha matatizo makubwa zaidi ambayo ni vigumu kutibu. Hii ni kweli hasa kwa ajili ya ugonjwa wa moyo, kama baadhi ya sababu kuu za hatari kama shinikizo la damu la juu (hypertension) na cholesterol ya juu hawana ishara dhahiri au dalili. Unaweza kuwa na moja au zote mbili za hali hizi kwa miaka bila kujua kuhusu hilo. Aina nyingine za magonjwa ya moyo huenda pia zisipatwe hadi zikasababisha matatizo makubwa. Njia bora ya kujua kama una hatari ya ugonjwa wa moyo ni kwenda kwa daktari wako na kupata uchunguzi. Baada ya kujua matokeo yako, unaweza kufanya kazi na daktari wako na timu yako ya huduma ya afya juu ya hatua zozote unahitaji kuchukua ili kuweka moyo wako kuwa na afya iwezekanavyo. Dalili ambazo daktari wako anahitaji kujua kuhusu: Hakikisha umwambie daktari wako dalili zozote ambazo zinaweza kuwa ishara ya ugonjwa wa moyo. Ingawa dalili zingine zinaweza kuwa na sababu nyingine, bado ni muhimu kumjulisha daktari wako ikiwa unakabiliwa na: Kuwa mnyoofu na daktari wako Wakati umri wako na uzito ni vipande muhimu vya habari zinazohusiana na hatari yako ya ugonjwa wa moyo, ni muhimu sawa kwamba daktari wako ana uelewa wazi wa historia yako kamili ya matibabu na tabia za maisha. Njia pekee ambayo daktari wako anaweza kupata habari hii ni ikiwa unashiriki na daktari wako. Ni muhimu kuwa wazi na uaminifu na daktari wako kuhusu: tabia za kula, kiwango cha shughuli za mwili, mifumo ya usingizi, matumizi ya pombe na dawa za kulevya, historia ya kuvuta sigara (na tabia ya sasa ya kuvuta sigara, ikiwa inatumika), dawa na virutubisho unavyotumia, historia ya afya ya familia (haswa inayohusiana na ugonjwa wa moyo), hali za afya za zamani au za sasa, pamoja na matokeo ya mtihani wowote. Kwa kuongezea, inaweza pia kumsaidia daktari wako kuweka pamoja mpango salama na ufanisi wa matibabu kwa ajili yenu. Kwa mfano, kunywa kileo kupita kiasi kunaweza kuongeza shinikizo la damu. Lakini, kama daktari wako anafikiri wewe kujizuia kutoka pombe au kutumia kidogo sana, unaweza kuwa prescribed antihypertensive dawa ambayo inaweza kuingiliana na pombe. Jambo hilohilo laweza kusemwa kuhusu dawa nyingine au virutubisho unavyotumia. Uchunguzi wa kawaida unamruhusu daktari wako achunguze kwa uangalifu afya ya moyo wako. Wakati wa uchunguzi wa kawaida, daktari wako anaweza kukadiria: - kiwango cha mwili (BMI), kipimo kinachotumiwa kuamua hatari ya ugonjwa wa moyo - shinikizo la damu - kiwango cha msukumo wa moyo - kiwango cha oksijeni - moyo wako kwa kusikiliza kwa stethoscope kwa ishara za arrhythmia, ugonjwa wa valve, au hali nyingine za moyo. Ikiwa daktari wako anaona matatizo yoyote ya moyo au sababu za hatari za ugonjwa wa moyo, wanaweza kufanya kazi na wewe kuunda mpango wa matibabu ili kuimarisha afya ya moyo wako. Pia wanaweza kukufuatilia ili kuhakikisha kwamba moyo wako unabaki ukiwa na afya. Ikiwa kuna mabadiliko yoyote, wataweza kubadilisha mpango wako wa matibabu kabla ya matatizo yoyote makubwa kutokea. Madaktari wengi hupendekeza upimaji wa damu wa kila mwaka ili ufanane na uchunguzi wako wa kila mwaka wa kimwili. Uchunguzi huu unaweza kugundua dalili za ugonjwa wa moyo na pia kutoa habari za kina kuhusu afya yako kwa ujumla. Kwa mfano, kwa ajili ya uchunguzi wa moyo, daktari anaweza kuagiza uchunguzi wa damu wa cholesterol (lipid panel): Uchunguzi huu hupima viwango vya mafuta (lipids) katika damu yako, ikiwa ni pamoja na LDL (low-density lipoprotein), HDL (high-density lipoprotein), triglycerides, na cholesterol. Mtihani wa damu wa CBC (Complete Blood Count) ni mtihani wa kawaida wa damu ambao hupima viwango vya chembe nyekundu za damu, chembe nyeupe za damu, na platelets katika damu yako. Uchunguzi huu pia unaweza kupima viwango vya homocysteine, amino asidi ambayo, katika viwango vya juu, inaweza kuongeza hatari ya ugonjwa wa moyo na kiharusi. Uchunguzi wa damu wa CMP unaonyesha viwango vya damu yako vya vitu vinavyohusiana na kazi ya figo na ini, pamoja na viwango vya electrolytes na umajimaji. CMP pia ni mtihani wa kiwango cha sukari na creatine, ambayo ni sehemu ya mtihani wa kazi ya figo. Ikiwa viwango vya damu haviko katika kiwango cha kawaida, huenda ikawa dalili ya ugonjwa wa moyo. Mtihani wa sukari ya haraka unaweza kugundua viwango vya juu vya sukari katika damu yako, ambayo inaweza kuwa ishara ya ugonjwa wa kisukari wa aina ya 2, sababu ya hatari ya ugonjwa wa moyo. - Uchunguzi wa damu wa creatinine: Uchunguzi wa damu ya creatinine hupima kiwango cha creatinine katika damu - bidhaa ya taka ambayo huondolewa na figo. Kiwango cha juu cha dawa hiyo kinaweza kuonyesha kwamba figo hazifanyi kazi vizuri, na hilo linaweza kuathiri afya ya moyo wako. Ikiwa umepatiwa dawa za kupunguza kolesteroli yako, unaweza kushauriwa ufanye uchunguzi wa damu mara kwa mara ili kutathmini kama matibabu yako yanafanya kazi. Uchunguzi wa moyo: Uchunguzi wa shinikizo la damu ni muhimu pia wakati wa kutathmini afya ya moyo wako. Hiyo ni kwa sababu shinikizo la juu la damu (hypertension) mara nyingi halina dalili dhahiri, lakini ni sababu kuu ya hatari ya magonjwa ya moyo na kiharusi. Mshuko wa damu wenye afya ni wa kiasi gani? Kwa mtu mzima, msukumo wa damu wa afya ni chini ya 120-80 mmHg na juu ya 90-60 mmHg. Ingawa electrocardiogram (ECG) si sehemu ya uchunguzi wa kawaida, daktari wako anaweza kuagiza mtihani huu ikiwa wanataka kupata habari zaidi juu ya jinsi moyo wako unavyopiga. ECG hutumia elektroni zilizowekwa kwenye ngozi kupima utendaji wa umeme wa moyo, ikifunua habari muhimu kuhusu kiwango na mdundo wa moyo. ECG inaweza pia kufanywa kama sehemu ya mtihani wa mkazo wa moyo. Mtihani huu unafanywa kwa kutembea kwenye treadmill au kuendesha baiskeli ili kuongeza msukumo wa moyo. Lengo kuu ni kutathmini jinsi moyo wako unavyofanya kazi unapokuwa ukijitahidi. Kama uchunguzi wa uchunguzi unaonyesha kwamba huenda ukawa na hatari kubwa ya kupatwa na ugonjwa wa moyo, daktari wako anaweza kukupa mapendekezo kuhusu mabadiliko ya mtindo wa maisha, au labda kukupa dawa fulani na matibabu mengine. Daktari wako anaweza kukusaidia kuunda mpango wa kuzuia ugonjwa wa moyo kwa: - Kuweka malengo ya kupoteza uzito (kama inahitajika), au mazoezi ya kila siku: Kuwa na malengo maalum inaweza kusaidia kuweka uwajibikaji wako, lakini tena ni muhimu kwamba wewe ni mnyoofu kuhusu nini wewe ni kufanya kati ya ziara za daktari. Msaada wa lishe: Daktari wako anaweza kuagiza huduma za mtaalamu wa lishe kukusaidia kupanga chakula chako na kufanya mabadiliko katika vyakula unavyokula. Kwa sababu ya kuondolewa kwa uvutaji sigara, dawa za kulevya ni moja ya sababu kuu za ugonjwa wa moyo, na madaktari wanajua kwamba watu wengi wanahitaji msaada ili kuacha kuvuta sigara. Daktari wako anaweza kukupa dawa na programu za kukusaidia kuacha kuvuta sigara. - Kuagiza dawa: Ikiwa mabadiliko ya mtindo wa maisha hayawezi kusaidia kupunguza sababu zako za hatari, daktari wako anaweza kuamua kuagiza dawa fulani ili kupunguza uwezekano wa matatizo ya ugonjwa wa moyo. Ikiwa unahitaji matibabu kwa sababu ya kuziba kwa moja ya mishipa yako ya damu - hali inayojulikana kama ugonjwa wa mishipa ya damu (CAD) - daktari wako anaweza kujadili chaguzi, kama vile upasuaji wa bypass au stenting, ili kuboresha mtiririko wa damu ndani ya moyo. Daktari wako atakupeleka kwa daktari wa moyo (daktari anayefanya kazi katika magonjwa ya moyo), ambaye atasimamia matibabu ya moyo wako na mfumo wa mishipa. Ikiwa daktari wako anakujulisha kwamba una hatari kubwa ya kupatwa na ugonjwa wa moyo, kuna maswali muhimu ya kuuliza. Kwa mfano, utataka kujua: - Ni nini hasa hatari yangu ya mshtuko wa moyo? - Ni mabadiliko gani ya mtindo wa maisha ninayoweza kufanya ili kuboresha afya ya moyo wangu? - Ni mabadiliko gani ya lishe ninayopaswa kufanya, kama vile kudhibiti ulaji wangu wa sodiamu? - Je, ninahitaji kupunguza uzito? Ikiwa ndivyo, ni uzito gani unaopaswa kuwa lengo langu? - Ni lazima nifanye mazoezi gani kila siku au kila juma, na je, kuna vizuizi yoyote juu ya kile ninachoweza kufanya? - Je, unaweza kunisaidia kuacha kuvuta sigara? Ninaweza kuanzaje? - Je, nianze kutumia dawa, kama vile statini, dawa za kupunguza shinikizo la damu, au dawa za kupunguza damu? - Je, nifanye uchunguzi wa shinikizo langu la damu nyumbani na mara nyingi kadiri gani? Mshuko wangu wa damu unapaswa kuwa nini? - Je, nianze kumwona daktari wa moyo? Ikiwa unagunduliwa kuwa na ugonjwa wa moyo, ni vizuri kumwuliza daktari wako au mtaalamu wa moyo maswali yafuatayo: - Je, kuna uchunguzi mwingine unaohitaji kufanywa? - Kuna njia gani za kunitunza? - Je, bado naweza kuendelea kufanya shughuli zangu za kawaida za kila siku, au je, ninahitaji kufanya mabadiliko? - Je, ninahitaji kufanyiwa upasuaji? - Ikiwa nitafanyiwa upasuaji, kupona kwangu kutakuwaje na je, ni lazima niingie katika mazoezi ya kurekebisha moyo? Ugonjwa wa moyo unaathiri afya yako kwa ujumla, ikiwa ni pamoja na kazi ya figo? - Matokeo yangu ni yapi? Kufanya uchunguzi wa kawaida ni muhimu ili kupunguza hatari ya kupatwa na magonjwa ya moyo. Uchunguzi na uchunguzi unaopendekezwa na daktari wako unaweza kusaidia kugundua matatizo ya moyo na ishara za onyo mapema, kabla ya kusababisha matatizo makubwa. Pia, ikiwa una sababu za hatari zisizo chini ya udhibiti wako, kama vile umri wa kukua au historia ya familia ya ugonjwa wa moyo, ushauri na huduma unayopata kutoka kwa daktari wako inaweza kuwa hatua ya kuokoa maisha ambayo ni zaidi ya kile unachoweza kusimamia peke yako. Kumbuka kwamba kuna mengi zaidi ya kuzuia magonjwa ya moyo kuliko kumwona daktari wako kwa ukawaida. Ni muhimu sana kwamba ufuate ushauri wa daktari wako na uhakikishe kwamba unapata majibu ya wazi kwa maswali yako yote.