Any time is a great time to check on your heart health

There’s no better time than now to prioritize heart health for you and your loved ones than right now.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for adults in the United States, but you can do a lot to protect your heart. This is a great time to raise awareness about the symptoms of heart disease, to encourage everyone to adopt heart-healthy habits, and to talk about advancements in the treatment of heart disease.

For both men and women, signs of a heart attack can include chest discomfort; discomfort in other areas of the upper body such as arms, shoulders, back, neck, jaw and stomach; shortness of breath; along with other possible signs such as a cold sweat, nausea, vomiting, rapid or irregular heartbeat, or feeling unusually tired or lightheaded. It is important to note that women can experience a heart attack in different ways than men, sometimes with nonspecific symptoms like unusual weakness or chest pressure without pain.

If you or someone you are with experiences any of these warning signs, do not wait to get help. Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, while others start slowly with mild pain or discomfort, so call 911 immediately.

Getting screened for heart disease and stroke risk factors should occur with your primary care provider. These screenings include blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, and family history. Those with strong family histories of early, unexplained sudden death, heart attacks, severely elevated cholesterol, valve problems, or known genetic heart problems in their family should typically see a cardiologist as well.

If you experience exertion symptoms that are out of proportion to your activity level and are otherwise unexplained by your PCP’s medical workup, you should likely also be referred to a cardiologist.

It is important at any age to have a heart-healthy lifestyle, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and lean proteins, along with physical activity can help reduce your risk of heart disease. Also limiting alcohol intake and quitting smoking are lifestyle changes that can reduce your risks.

Talk with your healthcare provider about your personal health and how to lower your risk of heart disease. If you are at high risk, you may require additional and more frequent testing - especially if you’ve been diagnosed with a cardiovascular condition such as heart failure, atrial fibrillation (AFib), valvular disease, or if you have a history of heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular events.

If you are found to have cardiac disease requiring treatment, your cardiologist will have a number of options to manage any of these issues. In western North Carolina, patients have access to state-of-the-art treatment options.

In Asheville, we are fortunate to have a robust cardiovascular research department that allows us to participate in numerous national and international research studies across the entire spectrum of cardiac care (surgical, electrophysiology, interventional cardiology, heart failure, and general cardiology/prevention). A cardiac surgery colleague here, Dr. Mark Groh, developed a unique stroke protection device used for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and we completed the first-in-human clinical study with this device locally. This achievement allowed us to provide truly advanced, comprehensive care to our patients in western North Carolina. The next phase of the trial for this device will include hospitals across the country and should be starting soon.

Dr. Michael Chenier is a Structural Heart Interventional Cardiologist at Mission Hospital in Asheville.