Any Florida cardiology doctor will tell you that sedentary lifestyle is one of the top risk factors for heart disease. But the good news is that this is one risk factor that you can avoid with a little determination and effort. Regular exercises, especially aerobics have multiple benefits. Such exercises can:

• 1. Strengthen your heart and overall cardiovascular system
• 2. Improve your blood circulation and help your body to use oxygen more effectively
• 3. Grow your energy levels so that you can complete your daily tasks without getting tired and breathless
• 4. Improve your resistance and endurance
• 5. Lower your blood pressure
• 6. Help you reduce unnecessary body fat
• 7. mprove your muscle tone and strength
• 8. Strengthen your bones

If you are a heart patient or have suffered any symptoms of heart attack in the past, it is essential to consult your Florida cardiology doctor before starting any exercise program.

This is especially important if you are on some medications – certain drugs can greatly impact your response to exercise. Experienced FL physicians help their patients by advising suitable exercises or altering the course of medications to ensure the safety of exercises.

Raking, shoveling, mowing, scrubbing floors and lifting or pushing heavy objects are few chores that can be good exercises. The golden rule is to make sure that you do only what you can do without getting tired or breathless. A Florida cardiology physician must be consulted before beginning heavy weight lifting exercises.  Jogging and swimming are also good and safe exercises to stay healthy. If you prefer yet lighter versions of exercise, simply choose brisk walking. Daily morning and evening walks for 20 to 30 minutes along with a controlled intake of calories can help you in reaching ideal levels of fitness.

Every exercise session should ideally include a warm-up session followed by the conditioning phase and a cool-down. Warm ups are important as they reduce stress on heart and muscles and gradually increase breathing rate, circulation and body temperature. They also help to improve flexibility and reduce muscle soreness. Some of the most effective ways to warm up are stretching, simple hand and leg motion activities and beginning of any exercise at a low intensity level.

Florida Heart Group is a renowned heart hospital of Orlando. We have a team of highly qualified and richly experienced Florida cardiology doctors including female cardiologists. For any questions about suitable exercises for heart patients, feel free to consult experienced FL physicians at Florida Heart Group.

Orlando doctors often get cases of patients who complain of intermittent coldness, numbness, tingling sensation or severe pain in fingers and toes. In Florida heart hospitals patients complaining about such problems are diagnosed for vascular disorders including Raynaud's Disease. This is a disorder that impacts blood vessels and may also be marked by vasospasm. In patients of Raynaud's Disease, fingers are most commonly impacted but toes also show the symptoms of disease in more than 40 percent of cases.

As per Orlando doctors, Raynaud's disease may be caused by some repetitive actions. Typing, playing the piano for long or continuous periods are some of the activities that may put strain on nerves in fingers and also damage muscles that control blood vessels in the hands.

A more serious cause of Raynaud's Disease is narrowing of blood vessels. Exposure to certain chemicals such as the nicotine in cigarettes makes a person prone to Raynaud’s Disease. According to experienced Orlando doctors, this problem is also linked to other diseases that damage the blood vessels or nerves. These include Rheumatoid arthritis, Atherosclerosis, Sjogren’s syndrome and Buerger’s disease.

Sudden attack of pain is a typical symptom of Raynaud’s Disease. To reduce the possibilities of same, patients need to make changes in lifestyle, take appropriate medications or get a surgical treatment for the disease. Cardiology doctors in Orlando suggest that people with this blood vessel disorder must avoid the intake of beta blockers and over-the-counter cold pills. Women with Raynaud’s Disease must avoid the use of birth control pills as these affect blood flow and can worsen the problem. Headache medicines containing ergotamine must also be avoided.

In Florida, heart hospitals do have facilities for diagnosis of Raynaud’s Disease. If signs and symptoms of this blood vessel disorder – intermittent coldness, numbness, tingling sensation or severe pain in fingers and toes- are noticed frequently, a specialist Orlando doctor must be contacted at the earliest. For treatment, the doctors need to improve the blood flow needs to be improved for the patients and medications like calcium channel blockers may be prescribed for same. In severe cases, the damaged tissues have to be cut out and so a surgery is essential.

At Florida Heart Group we have advanced facilities for diagnosis and treatment of Raynaud’s Disease and other vascular diseases. Also, if you experience any symptoms of heart attack, or heart attack warning signs, our doctors help through emergency angina treatment. Contact Florida Heart Group team for any questions on vascular diseases

A sudden cardiac arrest is the condition when the heart unexpectedly stops working or beating. The blood then stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. Sudden cardiac arrest typically results in death if treatment is not provided in time. In Florida, heart hospitals provide emergency treatments for sudden cardiac arrests.

The heart has an internal electrical system and this controls the heartbeat pattern. As per doctors in Florida heart hospital, problems with this system can cause abnormal heart rhythms known as arrhythmias. During an arrhythmia the heart may beat too fast, too slow, or it may completely stop beating.  Sudden cardiac arrest is the condition in which the heart develops an arrhythmia that causes it to stop beating.

As per cardiology doctors in Florida heart hospitals, it is important for heart disease patients to know the difference between heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest. It is the inadequate flow of blood to a part of the heart muscles that causes a heart attack but the heart does not stop beating. However, at times, a victim may have sudden cardiac arrest while recovering from a heart attack. To ensure that a heart attack is not followed by sudden cardiac arrest, it is very crucial to control the complications and provide quick treatments. The victim of a heart attack must therefore be taken to a Florida heart hospital in time.

Some of the factors that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest include:

Severe physical stress- This may be caused by a major blood loss or severe lack of oxygen. Very low levels of potassium or magnesium in the blood can also cause stress for a person. It has been noticed that people with weak hearts find it difficult to withstand strain and can become victims of sudden cardiac arrest. 

Coronary artery diseases – Coronary artery diseases cause blood vessels to harden or become narrow. When impacted arteries fail to carry blood to the heart and eventually cause a heart attack, certain heart tissues may die and become scar tissues. This also damages the heart's electrical system, increasing the risk for dangerous arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrest.

Inherent disorders and structural changes in heart – The tendency to develop arrhythmias may sometimes run in the family and such inherent disorders become potential cause of cardiac arrest. Structural changes in the heart due to blood pressure and advanced heart diseases also lead to this condition. It is important to consult a doctor at a Florida heart hospital before the conditions worsen.

Florida Heart Group is a well known heart hospital in Florida. We have facilities for emergency angina treatment and for prevention of sudden cardiac arrests that follow angina and heart attack.

With their constant research on cardiovascular diseases, Orlando doctors are now convinced that emotional stress under certain circumstances does play a critical role in the development of chronic heart diseases. Stress also results in precipitation of acute cardiac crises. If you have been experiencing any kind of emotional stress and are reacting negatively to it, you need to be careful about preventing stress-related heart problems.

As per qualified Orlando doctors, stress can cause heart disease in at least two ways. First, if you experience chronic emotional stress, you are more likely to develop atherosclerosis – the disease process that produces coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke and peripheral artery disease. Second, periods of intense stress tend to precipitate acute heart problems resulting in angina pain and heart attacks.

It needs to be remembered that stress is a normal part of life. While preventing all forms of emotional stress is neither possible nor desirable, there are several ways to minimize your risk of stress-related heart problems. Doctors in Orlando heart hospitals often counsel their patients on stress management while informing them about healthy lifestyle to avoid coronary artery diseases and other vascular diseases. 

According to Orlando cardiology doctors, you should first try to identify those specific situations in your life that cause you to experience particularly severe stress. With a little self control and support of family members and close friends you can then avoid, alter or limit those situations as much as is feasible.

To counter stress, you also need to learn some effective stress management techniques. This is particularly important because it is a person's reaction to emotional stress that is the critical factor in determining whether stress is increasing his or her cardiac risk. Essentially, you must learn new responses to stressful situations, so that your fight-or-flight adrenaline surge is not automatically engaged at the first sign of trouble. FL doctors affirm that professional stress management programs have demonstrated measurable success in accomplishing this end.

Breathing exercises, stretching exercises, aerobic exercises, visualization techniques, Yoga, meditation, and massages are some effective ways to counter stress. All these stress management programs aim towards the same goal –- to blunt the adrenaline response to minor stresses.

At Florida Heart Group we have a team of efficient Orlando cardiology doctors who are skilled not only at diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease but also help their patients to follow a healthy lifestyle. Consult a doctor at Florida Heart Group if you or any of your loved ones have experienced a sign of heart problems.

February is being observed as National Heart Month across United States. And no, it is not just because of Valentines Day! This is a way to educate people, particularly women about heart diseases and the ways to avoid such fatal medical problems. The American Heart Association is celebrating February with the ‘Go Red For Women’ events. Even you should wear your heart on your sleeve by wearing something red this month – to show your support for this educational and helpful campaign. The ‘Go Red For Women’ campaign will actually fund research for women and heart diseases and it also aims to educate American women and help them lead longer, healthier lives.

A cold fact about heart disease is that it kills more people every year than all other major medical problems combined. In other words cardiovascular problems are more fatal than breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer. Unfortunately, not many women are aware that they are more prone to heart diseases than their male counterparts. As per a study by American Heart Association, heart attacks and strokes kill one in very 3.7 men but one in 2.4 women lose their lives to heart disease and stroke.

Florida Heart Group has been regularly updating women about the kind of vascular problems that they can face. We have explained how lifestyle factors and even race can play a role in development of heart problems. The risk of heart disease also increases after menopause in women. Obesity and its related complications are of course some major causes of heart disease. Did you know that over fifty percent of Americans with a BMI of over 25, and one-quarter of American adults with a BMI of over 30 are considered over weight?

The good news is that with a healthy, balanced diet and adequate exercise, the possibilities of heart disease can be significantly reduced. If you have been addicted to nicotine, it is time to stub the cigarettes forever and say a strict goodbye to those silent killers! Promoting healthy lifestyle and spreading information about heart healthy eating habits is the very purpose and goal of American National Heart Month celebration.

At Florida Heart Group, we are celebrating National Heart Month. Meet one of our cardiologists to learn how you and your loved ones can lead better, healthier lives. We have advanced facilities and state-of-the-art equipment for diagnosis and treatment of heart disease at the earliest stage.

Wish you a very Happy (and healthy) National Heart Month!

Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment is very critical for coronary artery diseases and other vascular diseases. For this, it is important to have good cardiac care hospitals – the hospitals with highly qualified and experienced doctors, trained and courteous support staff, state-of-the-art equipment and ultra modern technology.

Florida Heart Group has been providing excellent medical services since 1979 and has grown to become Florida's dynamic leader in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The highly regarded heart hospital of Florida now has a new peripheral intervention lab. This offers our interventional cardiologists the ability to perform vascular procedures in a comfortable, outpatient setting for patients.  Further, when compared to performing of such procedures in clinic or hospital, the outpatient laboratory drastically reduces the total costs involved.

With this new peripheral intervention lab, patients who seek peripheral vascular treatments and vein treatments in Orlando have access to the most superior facilities at Florida Heart Group. For vascular disease patients, catheterization test may be required for investigational or interventional purposes. It involves passing of a thin flexible tube (catheter) into the right or left side of the heart, usually from the groin or the arm under X-ray visualization. A slight pressure is felt when the catheter is placed but the patients taking the test at our new facility can feel at ease and get accurate results concerning their cardiovascular problem. The test also detects problems with heart valves and causes of heart failure or cardiomyopathy. All tests at peripheral intervention lab are performed by highly qualified and experienced cardiologists with the assistance of trained technicians and nurses.

The cardiology doctors at Florida Heart Group have always provided the best of services to their patients. We also have a team of female cardiologists with an excellent understanding of heart diseases in women. Florida heart Group is also known for its considerate nursing staff, caring technicians and polite receptionists. We remain prepared for any emergency cases to prevent painful symptoms and death caused by sudden heart problems. As a matter of fact, heart attack warning signs, no matter how minor they may be, should never be ignored and a qualified, experienced cardiologist must be consulted in time. Feel free to contact Florida Heart Group anytime for an appointment with a doctor to discuss your concerns for heart problems

Heart attack warning signs are more commonly noticed for men. This is because typical heart attack sign – angina or severe and squeezing chest pain may not impact many women prior to a heart attack. In females, the more prominent heart attack symptoms include nausea, breathlessness, cold sweat, and a general weakness or numbness in body parts. Such signs may not be understood an may be dismissed as a case of indigestion. But they can actually get very serious if proper medication or medical attention is not provided on time.

It is indeed important for women to comprehend some common risk factors that make them more likely to develop heart disease before serious or fatal signs of heart attack affect them.

Abnormal blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels – Cholesterol and triglycerides are types of fat found in blood and other parts of the body. They are carried in the blood by lipoproteins. The body needs small amounts of these substances to work well. But too much can lead to plaque buildup on your artery walls. In fact, plaque is made up mostly of unused cholesterol. A periodic check up at heart hospital is 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. Years of high blood pressure can damage artery walls, causing atherosclerosis and heart disease. High blood pressure is a common problem among women, especially African American women.

Cigarette smoking – The more a woman smokes, the higher are her chances of a heart attack. Indeed about half of all heart attacks in women are due to smoking, What’s more, the women who smoke and also use birth control pills are at a higher risk of all kids of vascular diseases.

Diabetes – This is a disease in which blood glucose levels become very high. Uncontrolled diabetes can damage artery walls leading to atherosclerosis and heart diseases.  It raises the risk of heart attack in woman more than in a man.

To prevent severe heart attack warning signs, it is important to take care against such factors. At Florida Heart Group we have a team of efficient female cardiologists and physicians. We not only provide services for diagnosis and treatment of all types of vascular disease but also keep our patients and visitors informed of ways to prevent such problems.

Heart attack or myocardial infarction is often preceded by chest pain typically in male victims. Medications such as aspirin, beta blockers, nitrates, statins, and calcium channel blockers are prescribed by FL doctors for emergency angina treatment at home. An over the counter medicine such as aspirin is commonly kept at home and can be used immediately in such cases. It reduces the ability of the victim's blood to clot, making it easier for blood to flow through narrowed heart arteries. Prevention of blood clotting reduces risk of a heart attack. However, any sign of heart attack needs to be taken very seriously if the problem persists or re occurs after some time. The victim at such times needs attention of cardiology physicians at a good heart hospital so that an effective angina treatment and heart attack treatment can be arranged for.

In FL doctors may use coronary angioplasty or stenting for angina treatment. For a better recovery they may also prescribe medications that treat related conditions for heart attack- high blood pressure, elevated blood cholesterol level, or irregular heart rate.

Heart attack patients may need to be hospitalized for a few days up to a couple of weeks – this depends on the severity of myocardial infarction and how the body responds to treatment. Complete recovery can sometimes take six to eight weeks.

In the first few weeks following a heart attack, the heart begins to heal through the formation of scar tissue and tiny new blood vessels, known as collateral arteries – these develop near the damaged tissue to help bring additional blood flow to the area. During this period, adequate rest is crucial. Return to normal activity has to be a gradual process.

Most cardiology physicians also prescribe a simple exercise program, such as walking. How much exercise a patient can manage and the rate of exercise depends on the severity and complications of heart attack, the prior activity level, increased activity impacts the patient's heart.

Angina treatment and treatment of the heart attack are basic steps in restoring good health and normal functioning of heart muscles. But they do not cure the underlying conditions that cause such problems to develop. This is why FL cardiologists prescribe changes in lifestyle and diet to reduce risk factors for subsequent heart attacks.

At Florida Heart Group (FHG) we not only have excellent facilities for angina treatment but also help our patients to adopt better living habits and ensure a longer, healthier life. Meet cardiology physicians at FHG for any consultation on vascular diseases.