Is your heart at risk? One in four deaths in the United States is caused by heart disease each year. Heart disease is very dangerous because many chronic conditions that lead to the disease often go unrecognized while slowly damaging your heart. Toussaint Smith, M.D., board-certified cardiologist with Houston Methodist Cardiology Associates at Sugar Land, explained some of the most common cardiac conditions and what you can do to help protect yourself.

 

THREE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS

 

  • High cholesterol – Individuals with high cholesterol are twice as likely to develop heart disease as those with lower levels of cholesterol. “The body needs cholesterol for many things that are useful,” Smith explained. “But, when you have too much cholesterol, it builds up in the walls of blood vessels. When this occurs in the arteries of the heart, it can lead to a heart attack.” One of the most troubling aspects of high cholesterol is that it often presents no symptoms, meaning it’s crucial to have your cholesterol checked by your doctor regularly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults have their cholesterol checked every five years.

  • High blood pressure – One-third of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, a condition that can have potentially life-threatening consequences. “High blood pressure has been called the silent killer,” Smith said. “It is a kind of background threat to your health when you have it. High blood pressure affects the entire body, putting you at higher risk for stroke, heart attack, atrial fibrillation (AFib) and can also put strain on your kidneys, causing damage.”

  • Atrial fibrillation (AFib) – Irregular heartbeats, or heart arrhythmias, can put strain on the heart and the systems it supports. AFib, is one of the most common heart arrhythmias and a condition that often worsens with age. “In a normal heartbeat, the heart has a natural pacemaker that fires electricity located in the right upper chamber of the heart,” Smith explained. “In between a normal beat, the heart rests. When the heart has beats coming from different locations than the natural pacemaker, it can cause extra heart beats. This is AFib.” Among the most dangerous potential effects of AFib are stroke and heart failure.

 

REDUCING YOUR RISKS

 

While these cardiac conditions must be taken seriously, effective treatment options exist for all of them. Medications are available that can help reduce high cholesterol levels and bring blood pressure levels to a normal range. AFib similarly can be treated with medications as well as promising new surgical options. But, Smith stresses that in addition to proper medical care, it’s vital to improve your lifestyle choices to lower your risk of future heart problems. Focusing on making healthy food choices and getting regular physical activity are two of the most important behaviors you can adopt for heart health.

 

“Many diseases of the heart are caused or worsened by living a sedentary life with poor eating habits,” Smith said. “Combining effective treatment with lifestyle changes offers the best hope for a healthier life for most people. That’s why the first thing we do for cardiac patients at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is implement patient education to help develop healthy dietary and exercise habits.”

 

FREE HEART HEALTH SCREENINGS

Thursday, Feb. 21 | 5-7:30 p.m.

 Schedule an appointment to learn more about your 10-year risk for heart disease and receive cholesterol and blood pressure screenings.

Registration required. For more information or to register, visit events.houstonmethodist.org/heart-sl or call 281.274.7500.

 

To schedule an appointment with Toussaint Smith, M.D., at Houston Methodist Cardiology Associates, visit houstonmethodist.org/appointments or call 713.776.9500.