According to reliable statistics, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Together, heart disease and stroke are seen as the serious health problems affecting incredibly large number of people here in the United States. But thanks to the advancements made in the field of medical science, heart disease and stroke can be prevented, as well as treated.

Cardiology physicians in Orlando state that if people are aware of the risk factors of heart disease and stroke, and they are told how to prevent them, they can probably avoid or reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.

According to heart specialists all over the world, heart disease and stroke occur due to the narrowing of the blood vessels. This narrowing reduces and in some cases completely stops the blood to flow to heart, brain, and other vital body organs. As blood carries oxygen to cells in the body, when heart and brain do not get adequate amount of blood, the heart muscle cells and brain cells start dying. Over time, it leads to heart attack, heart failure, and strokes. In extreme cases, people get permanently disabled and even die due to heart disease and stroke.

Cardiology physicians Florida believe that the leading cause of heart disease and stroke is Atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a heart disease that occurs when cholesterol and other deposits build up on the inner walls of the blood vessels. Over time, this build-up narrows down the blood vessels, reducing the supply of blood and oxygen to organs in the body.

The other major risk factors for heart disease and stroke are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, physical inactivity, poor eating habits, overweight and obesity, cigarette smoking, and diabetes.

Heart doctors Orlando encourage people to stop smoking, drink alcohol in moderation, and exercise regularly, and keep their weight under control to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. Cardiology physicians say that heart disease may be genetic or may be inherited, but it is mostly the result of poor lifestyle. By bringing significant changes in one’s lifestyle, one can prevent heart disease and stroke to a great extent.

Certain lifestyle changes like exercising regularly, going for a walk, eating healthy foods, cutting down on salt and sugar, overcoming the urge of eating junk food, following healthy sleep pattern, doing yoga, meditation, and combating stress and anxiety are found to be highly effective in dealing with cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Besides all this, cardiology physicians emphasise on the role of regular medical check ups in preventing heart disease and stroke. They ask men as well as women to see cardiology physicians regularly. Those who have a family history of heart disease and stroke and those who have already had a stroke once should follow their doctor’s advice, take their medicines on time and follow a heart healthy lifestyle to avoid getting another stroke.

For detailed information on heart disease and stroke, you can consult our heart doctors at FHG.

Both of these conditions are leading causes of death among both men and women in the United States.

According to the most recent statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, heart disease claims the lives of 597,689 people each year, while stroke causes 129,476 deaths. These unfortunate statistics, combined with the fact May is National Stroke Month, have caused Florida Heart Group to take action in helping people people understand how they can prevent both of these conditions from affecting them or someone they love.

“Even though around 730,000 people die annually from both of these conditions, in most cases, death is preventable. Both uncontrollable and controllable factors play a role. In the case of uncontrollable factors, we recommend people stop in at Florida Heart Group for a preventative screening. For situations where people have control over heart disease and stroke, we recommend lifestyle changes. They’re not easy to make, but in addition to saving your life, these changes also improve the quality of your life,” said the Florida cardiology practice’s CEO, Andrew Laverghetta.

Controllable Factors

In most cases, heart disease victims aren’t helpless over their condition. Following are some of the controllable changes they can make in their lives to reduce the likelihood they experience heart disease or a stroke:

• 1.Quitting smoking
• 2.Improving cholesterol levels through a combination of regular exercise, eating a diet rich in fish, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lowering fat consumption, and using a prescribed medication
• 3.Reducing hypertension
• 4.Exercising three times per week for at least 20 minutes each time
• 5.Minimizing stress and anger levels
• 6.Managing diabetes

Uncontrollable Factors

However, while many factors are controllable and can be affected by lifestyle changes, some are not controllable. Those factors include:

• 1.Male sex
• 2.Being of older age
• 3.History of family heart disease
• 4.Post-menopausal
• 5.Race – African Americans, American Indians, and Mexican Americans are more likely to experience heart disease than Caucasians

Heart attack warning signs include:

• 1.Chest discomfort
• 2.Discomfort throughout other areas of the upper body
• 3.Shortness of breath
• 4.Breaking out in a cold sweat
• 5.Nausea
• 6.Lightheadedness

Warning signs of stroke include:

• 1.Face drooping
• 2.Weakness or numbness in the arms
• 3.Difficulty with speech/slurring
• 4.Confusion and trouble understanding
• 5.Sudden difficulty seeing with one or both eyes
• 6.Dizziness and loss of balance or coordination
• 7.Severe headache with no known cause

Individuals experiencing any of these signs should call 911 immediately, as they may be about to experience a heart attack or stroke. Florida Heart Group recommends all individuals concerned with the health of their heart or their physical health in general to visit for a preventative screening. The Florida vascular clinic has three locations open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Appointments can be scheduled by visiting the following URL: http://www.fhg.org/locations.asp

A recent study by the American Heart Association found an astonishing 80% of US teens eat diets which place them on the path to heart disease. Specifically, they’re eating excess amounts of fat and sugar, while not consuming enough fruits and vegetables. In addition, they don’t exercise often enough. A miniscule 1% eat what the AHA considers to be a perfectly healthy diet.

Florida Heart Group, however, is taking a pro-active approach to addressing the problem by offering tips to parents of teens so they can help their children live long, healthy, and happy, lives. Following are a few tips the Florida cardiology clinic offers:

Parents should live healthy lives of their own. Teens never fail to imitate the primary authority figures in their lives. The best place to start helping teens thinking about living and eating healthy is for parents to provide a good example of their own.
Keep things positive and realistic. Children and teens respond much better to the celebration of their successes. Additionally, taking small steps towards healthy eating over a long period of time works best for building new habits. Avoid punishing behavior and dramatic changes, as teens don’t respond as well to these techniques.
Encourage physical activity they enjoy. It’s easiest for teens to stay motivated if they enjoy what they are doing. Help them discover what form of exercise works best for them.
Tie rewards to good behavior. Don’t reward good behavior with television, video games, or junk food. Celebrate good behavior by allowing more time with friends, for example.
Stay involved. Monitor their cardiovascular indicators such as their BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Give them rewards when they meet more healthy goals.

By using these strategies, parents can help teens avoid symptoms of heart attack and the damage they cause. Parents interested in checking the vascular health of their teens and beginning their journey toward a healthy lifestyle should visit Florida Heart Group for a preventative screening Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and can schedule an appointment by calling 407-894-4472.

Studies have found out that high cholesterol level increases one’s risk of heart disease and stroke. When there is excessive cholesterol in one’s blood, it builds up in the walls of the arteries. Over time, this build-up results in hardening of the arteries, the medical process known as atherosclerosis. When the arteries get narrowed down, the blood flow to the heart is slowed or blocked. Reduced supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart may result in heart attack and other heart diseases.

There are two types of cholesterol- LDL-Low Density Lipoprotein and HDL-High Density Lipoprotein. LDL is the "bad" cholesterol and HDL is the ‘good’ cholesterol. LDLs have lesser amount of protein and very high levels of cholesterol. It is the main cause of plaque build up inside the arteries. HDL on the contrary has a lot of protein and very less amount of cholesterol. HDL works to remove cholesterol from the blood and is therefore good for your heart.

If you wish to reduce your risk of getting heart disease, you must keep your cholesterol levels in control. Heart doctors recommend that one’s LDL cholesterol level should be less than 100 and HDL level should be more than 60. Total cholesterol level should be less than 200. Since there are no physical symptoms that may indicate high or low cholesterol levels, one must get the blood test called Lipoprotein performed once a year to know one’s blood cholesterol level.

Heart doctors Orlando at FHG share 5 useful tips on managing high cholesterol level.

1. 1.Avoid butter, cheese, ice cream, meat, pork, beef, and full fat dairy products as they are known to raise the bad cholesterol

2. 2.Consume foods such as fatty fish, oatmeal, walnuts, bran, whole grain foods, and foods fortifies with plant sterols to lower down your cholesterol level

3. 3.Get enough of physical activity. Do aerobic exercises, go for walk, or do yoga. The more active lifestyle you adopt, the better you can manage your cholesterol level. Physical exertion and regular exercising helps reduce LDL cholesterol and boosts HDL cholesterol. It also cuts down extra calories and keeps your body weight under control.

4. 4.Being overweight is not all good for your heart and body. It can make your LDL level go up and HDL level come down.

5. 5.If you are overweight, avoid fatty foods like burgers, pizzas, potato chips, and soda pops. You must include a lot of vegetables and fruits in your diet. They would keep you full without adding any harmful calories to your body.

Consult your doctor if you can’t manage your cholesterol level on your own. He may prescribe you certain medicines to help you manage your cholesterol level.

To learn more about how you can manage your cholesterol level and can reduce your risk of heart disease, you may consult our cardiology physicians at FHG.   

Eating too much salt or sodium increases your risk of getting heart disease, say cardiology physicians in Florida. Salt makes the body retain too much of water and with increased volume of water in the body, the heart has to pump harder to manage the extra output, causing the blood pressure to rise. High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.

By following a low-salt diet, you can not only reduce your risk of heart disease, but can also manage other health issues like high blood pressure, edema, and breathing difficulties.

Cardiology physicians recommend people not to take more than 2000 mg of sodium per day. One standard teaspoon of salt that you use in your kitchen may have approx 2300 mg of sodium. Plus, the processed foods that you stock in your freezer contain 70% of sodium. It is very important to keep a check on the amount of sodium that you consume every day.

One of the first and indeed the most important thing that you can do to cut down on your sodium intake is to remove the salt shaker from your dining table. You must overcome the urge to add that extra salt in your soups and salads.

Heart doctors in Orlando advise people to make smart food choices. They ask people to add lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to their every day diet as it contains less sodium. While preparing meals, you must use fresh ingredients and foods with no salt added. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables can be used but you must check the food labels given on the package for sodium content. Sodium content is listed on the food label/serving size. Low sodium means 140 gm of sodium per serving and no sodium means less than mg per serving.

Florida heart physicians and cardiologists further advise people to stay away from breads and rolls that have buttery and creamy crusts. Soups and broths must also be avoided. Fresh fruits and vegetables must be selected instead when dining out or at home. Pickles, canned vegetables and cured meats, salted condiments and garnishes like olives must also be avoided.

Grilled, broiled, or roasted meat and poultry are healthy for your heart. Likewise, you may eat plain vegetables, noodles, baked potatoes, non fried and non-breaded salad entrees in your main course. Pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches contain high amount of sodium-more than half of the daily recommended amount of sodium.  If you cannot avoid them completely, eat them occasionally and eat just a slice of pizza or half a sandwich with some side salads. 

Bakery items like cakes and pastries also contain sodium. For desserts, choose fresh fruits, plain cakes and gealtin instead.

These small steps make a significant change in your life by reducing your risk of stroke, diabetes, obesity and other health issues. For more information on low-sodium dietary plan, you can consult our cardiology physicians at FHG.

Smoking is a major cause of coronary artery disease. The nicotine that is present in cigarettes increases blood pressure and heart rate. It increases blood clotting, reduces the supply of oxygen to the heart, and damages the coronary arteries and blood vessels. Studies reveal that approximately 20% of the deaths that occur due to heart disease are because of cigarette smoking.

The latest studies and researches have found out that heart disease may start early in teen smokers. Teenagers who smoke once a week or monthly have thicker artery walls. Smoking results in build up of the plaque in the arterial walls and reduces the blood flow through them. In medical terminology, this condition is called as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the major cause of most heart diseases. The tobacco that is present in cigarette triggers atherosclerosis. 
 
According to cardiology physicians in Florida, even little or casual smoking can prove hazardous in the long run. Even less frequent smoking brings structural changes in the arteries. Teens who smoke are at an increased risk of heart stroke and other heart disease in adulthood. Heart health experts further state that the longer one smokes, the higher is one’s risk of getting heart disease.

Cigarette smoking is a prime risk factor for coronary heart disease. But there are other health problems too associated with smoking. Smoking causes breathing problems and lung cancer. It also causes throat cancer, emphysema, and ulcers. 

Cardiology physicians in Florida share some useful tips to help teens overcome the habit of smoking:

Parents must adopt a kind and caring approach rather than getting strict when they find that their child has picked up the habit of smoking.

Teen smokers must be made to understand the health hazards of smoking. Parents can take their child to a health expert for making him/her understand the side effects of smoking.

Teen smokers should be encouraged to keep themselves busy and indulge in better activities when they are free as most people smoke when they are idle to kill their time. You can involve your child in household activities when she is at home or you may inspire her to read or play musical instruments.

If your teenage child smokes two-three cigarettes in a day, you should take help of a drug rehab center. Rehab center would offer great help in preventing your child from becoming an addict.

Teen smoking should be addressed seriously given the serious health consequences of smoking.

You can consult our cardiology physicians at FHG Group to know more about smoking and its link to heart disease.

Studies reveal that there are numerous health problems related to obesity. A person who is overweight is more likely to encounter health issues which normal- weight person doesn’t. People who are obese face serious medical conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and gallstones.

How does obesity increases one’s risk of heart disease?
Cardiology physicians worldwide believe that obesity increases one’s risk of cardiovascular diseases. Overweight people usually suffer from high blood pressure, which is a major factor for heart stroke and heart failure. Obesity triggers other factors as well that lead to heart disease. For example, people who are overweight usually get type II diabetes and high cholesterol level. Both these diseases increase an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease.

Treating obesity
According to the cardiology physicians in Florida, the best way to reduce one’s risk of heart disease is to treat obesity. Cardiologists advise obese people to follow a healthy, balanced diet. Studies have found out that the main cause of obesity is poor eating habits. People eat junk food, fried stuff, and all sorts of unhealthy foods that add extra calories to their bodies, resulting in obesity.

Those who are overweight must make healthy food choices. Whenever you are hungry, you must pick up a fresh fruit or prepare a healthy salad for yourself. Do not binge on that packet of potato chips or a king size burger filled with mayonnaise and cheese. To keep your weight under control, you must look for alternative cooking methods. Use healthy oils rather than adding butter and cream to your food. You can add fresh herbs and spices to add taste to your food. Unhealthy fats should be avoided as far as possible.

Cardiology physicians advise obese people to avoid sweets as much as possible if they want to control their weight. Cakes, chocolates, candies, and canned juices contain a high level of sugar that increases your weight and your risk of heart disease.

Heart health experts in Florida recommend vigorous exercises like cycling, brisk walking, swimming, and work out in gym to shed extra calories. In addition, cardiology physicians advise people to live an active lifestyle in order to keep their weight under control and their heart healthy. Whether you are overweight or not you must go for a walk every day. You must take stairs whenever possible rather than using the elevator. Women who can not go to gym due to busy lifestyle may do yoga to keep themselves fit.

For those who are obese, there are professional weight management clinics and drug therapies to deal with obesity and the numerous health issues associated with it.

To know more about obesity and to understand its association with cardiovascular disease, contact our cardiology physicians Florida at FHG Group.

Cardiologists from all over the world advise people to eat healthy as healthy eating is the best way to reduce one’s risk of heart diseases. Those who have had heart attack, angioplasty, or bypass surgery can protect themselves against any complications by eating right and healthy.

Heart healthy nutrition strategy helps lower down cholesterol, blood pressure level, and allows one to achieve healthy body weight. Heart doctors in Florida and in other parts of the world strongly believe that right eating habit goes a long way in protecting your heart and in keeping it strong and healthy.

Florida cardiologists share the following heart healthy nutrition strategy to minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease - 

Eat lot of fresh fruits and vegetables as they help remove the free radicals in the bloodstream and protect the blood vessels. Also, fruits and vegetables replenish the body with the essential vitamins and minerals that you are required not just for your heart, but for your whole body to function normally.

Avoid trans-fats, such as those present in fried food, packaged sweets, and snacks. You must intake fats that are high in monounsaturated fats. Olive oil and peanut oil contain monounsaturated fats that are good for your heart.

Eat fish at least 2-3 times in a week as fish is an excellent source of protein. It contains omega-3 fatty acids which help cut down the risk of heart attack and stroke. Salmon is also a good source for getting omega-3 fatty acids. 

Some other food items that contain omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseed, oatmeal, almonds, and walnuts. You must take them every day to keep your heart in good shape.

Avoid eating processed meats like sausages and bacon as they are found to increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. You may take lean meat and chicken.

Limit the amount of sugar that you take every day. Sugar can increase your cholesterol level and diabetes and can ultimately put you at a greater risk of heart disease. Soft drinks, canned juices, bakery items, cakes, pastries, and sweets are all bad for your heart.

You must switch to healthy and natural sources if you have a sweet tooth. Eat sweet potato as it is contains vitamins A, C, and E and lot of fibre. Also include oranges in your diet as they contain vitamin C, potassium, foliate, and beta carotene. Cantaloupe and papaya are also good for your heart as they would add B-complex, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and many other important minerals to your body.

Heart doctors in Florida list some other heart healthy foods that you may add to your everyday diet. They include brown rice, soya milk, blue berries, tofu, green tea, dark chocolate, kidney beans, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, red bell peppers, and pineapples.

Finally, cardiology physicians at Florida advice people to drink 8-9 glasses of water in a day and exercise for reducing the risk of heart disease.

For advice on heart healthy nutrition, you can contact our team of heart doctors at FHG Group.

Heart diseases are commonly associated with men and the studies pertaining to vascular diseases also relate to them. But as per data revealed by American Heart Association, out of the 500,000 heart attack deaths each year, almost 50 percent occur in women. Women ought to be aware of the common risk factors that lead to vascular disease. Four of these include:

High levels of blood cholesterol and triglyceride – Cholesterol and triglycerides are kinds of fat found in bloodstream. They are carried in the blood by lipoproteins. The body needs small amounts of these substances to function properly. But an excess of cholesterol and triglycerides cause the buildup of plaque on artery walls. In fact, plaque typically comprises unused cholesterol. Periodic checkups at a heart hospital are essential to check blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

High blood pressure or hypertension – Blood pressure is the force that blood makes against the walls of arteries. High blood pressure is a silent killer and big risk factor for heart problems. A high blood pressure problem that persists for years can damage walls of artery and result in atherosclerosis and heart disease. High blood pressure is a common medical problem for women, especially African American women.

Smoking – The more a person smokes, the higher are their chances of a heart attack and this is true for both men and women. Indeed excessive smoking causes almost half of the total deaths caused by heart attacks. What’s more, women who smoke and also use birth control pills are at high risk of all kinds of vascular diseases.

Women need to know such risk factors and adopt healthy lifestyle practices to prevent them. Cardiologists must be consulted before a problem gets too severe. 

Problems in personal relationship, work overload, unemployment, pregnancy, birth of a baby, financial problems, death of a close friend or family member, are just some of the several factors that can give you stress. You may be experiencing anger, anxiety, frustration, and other behavioural problems due to stress. But do you know that you are also increasing your risk of getting heart disease?

Cardiology physicians at Florida have revealed that stress increases a person’s risk of heart disease. According to FL cardiologists, stress is not a direct factor for cardiovascular heart disease, but it definitely contributes to one’s risk level. They have found that stress makes other risk factors worse.

Studies reveal that when a person is under stress, his blood pressure and cholesterol levels increase. Both high blood pressure and high cholesterol level can lead to heart attack and strokes. Stress also increases the level of adrenaline and cortisol in the body-the unhealthy hormones that affect the normal pattern in which the blood clots and increases one’s risk of heart attack.

So what can you do to cope up with stress?

Cardiology physicians in Florida provide some useful tips to cope up with stress and to eventually reduce one’s risk of heart disease.

FL cardiologists ask people to recognize situations that make them stressed and then learn to deal with them. If, for instance, you are a home maker and endless activities at home make you stressed and exhausted, you must organize things. You must make a time table-dividing the different activities and then taking them as per your individual capability. If you can’t do all the things in one day, postpone some of the tasks for next day. Taking help from kids and your partner is another way of reducing your burden and stress.

Then you must keep yourself calm and relaxed. Do not panic yourself if you are over burdened with work in office or if some guests turn up unexpectedly at home. If you would stay calm, you will be able to tackle every situation.

Do some physical exercise like walking, swimming, dancing, or going to gym to beat the stress away. Cardiology physicians also point out healthy eating habits also help lower down the stress and risk of heart disease.

You may join yoga or classes on relaxation techniques to deal with stress and anxiety. Yoga is found to be very useful in managing stress. You would learn exercises for enjoying better control on your mind and body and of staying calm and cool in tough times.

Reading, gardening, meeting friends, holding up small get togethers at your place, and spending time with family are some other simple but effective ways of dealing with stress.

You can talk to FL cardiologists at the Florida Heart Group. They would guide you on how you can reduce your stress and can successfully overcome your risk of getting heart disease.