Take note, heart problems may not necessarily exhibit symptom. Hence, regular check-ups and screenings are important to assess your heart health and catch a disease early when it is easy to treat.
Our busy work schedules have left us with little time to focus on ourselves. The healthy lifestyle that we all dream of has taken a backseat which in turn has harmed us in many ways. This has resulted in the increasing prevalence of heart problems, cancers and several other serious health problems. It is crucial to maintain our heart health for overall wellbeing as the heart is a vital organ having an important function to pump oxygen-rich blood to our entire body. Regular check-ups and screenings play a significant role in identifying and addressing potential heart-related problems before they get out of hand.
“Early detection is key,” said Dr (Col) Manjinder Sandhu, Principal Director – Cardiology, Max Healthcare.
He elaborated, “One of the best ways to catch a disease early when it is easy to treat is by undergoing regular check-ups with your primary healthcare provider. Regular check-ups and screenings allow healthcare professionals to assess your overall health including risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and a family history of heart disease. Based on the information collected during a routine checkup, your doctor may ask for additional tests to get a clearer picture of your heart health.”
“Identifying these factors early on helps you to make necessary lifestyle changes and initiate essential preventive measures before the disease gets out of hand,” he added.
Essential screening tests to detect heart problems
Heart problems may not necessarily exhibit symptoms which is why screenings and tests are all the more important. Essential screening tests to detect heart problems include blood tests, electrocardiogram (ECG) and stress tests. Dr Sandhu expounds:
- Blood tests can help determine if you have high blood sugar or high cholesterol or other risk factors for heart illness.
- An Electrocardiogram (ECG) can detect any abnormal heart rhythms or damage to the heart muscle.
- A stress test helps determine how well your heart handles physical activity while an echocardiogram can help identify any abnormalities with the help of sound waves creating images of the heart.
“People in the age group of 35 to 65 years have been found to be most affected by lifestyle diseases. Worldwide, doctors advise that people men over 35 years of age and women who are over 40 should undergo yearly preventive health exams. It is estimated that prompt assessment and treatment can avoid 60 70 per cent of these illnesses. For instance, a heart attack may not happen suddenly, rather it may be the result of the gradual buildup of cholesterol in blood vessels. Your cholesterol reading will be determined by a health examination, which will also allow you to alter your diet to consume less fat,” the cardiologist noted.
Preventive Measures To Maintain Heart Health
It is rightly said that “prevention is better than cure”. What more, this term cannot be more relevant with the present-day lifestyle problems.
No matter what your age, proper lifestyle choices will go a long way to lower your risk of heart disease and help prevent heart attack and stroke. Dr Sandhu encourages people to strictly follow these preventive measures to maintain heart health.
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Eat a healthy diet: A healthy and nutritious diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats has a significant impact on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and body weight.
Exercise regularly: A regular dose of physical activity such as walking, cycling, aerobics, etc. can help you lose weight and keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under check.
Know your numbers: Your cholesterol and blood pressure levels are important determinants of your heart health. You can assess whether you need to change your lifestyle to minimize your risks by having regular checkups with your health care physician.
Give up smoking: Smoking not only makes you more likely to suffer a heart attack or a stroke, but it also makes it much harder for you to recover from either event should it happen.
Just remember, you can enjoy your life to the fullest with your family and loved ones only as long as you are healthy.
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