Heart disease has been and remains the leading cause of death for nearly every ethnicity in the United States. There are approximately 610,000 deaths related to heart disease every year, that accounts for one out of every four deaths. There are approximately 735,000 Americans who suffer a heart attack each year; that means someone suffers from a heart attack nearly every 34 seconds. Making key lifestyle changes alongside cardiologist supervision could significantly decrease your risk of heart disease.
Who Is At Risk For Heart Disease?
No one is certain if or when they will develop heart disease, but knowing who is at risk could help individuals prepare by making changes that could help down the road. While there is a genetic basis for heart disease, there is no guarantee that this alone will determine if someone will suffer a heart attack. Nearly half of all Americans have at least one of the three key risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, a high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and tobacco smoking. A proper diet, combined with 30 minutes of moderate-level exercise regularly throughout the week, can help lower an individual’s risk for heart disease.
Treatment Options
No two patients are alike, so cardiologists have developed a variety of ways to combat heart disease. Nearly every heart rhythm specialist will recommend a healthy diet and exercise that may be supplemented with some medication. In some cases, cardiac surgery is necessary to aid the heart by replacing a valve or installing a pacemaker to correct irregular ticking. A cardiac surgeon spends countless years studying and perfecting their techniques; it may be no stretch to state that these are some of the most skilled surgeons in the medical world. Whether surgery calls for the instillation of a valve, pacemaker, or even a new heart, cardiac surgeons have the experience and skill to help patients experience a change of heart.