Did you know that half of all Americans have some form of
cardiovascular disease (CVD)1?
Information like that may have you running to your cardiologist first thing
tomorrow, right? But, what would you ask him when you got there? Keep reading
below to find out what you should be asking at your next visit and why.
Does your heart hurt when your family worries about your
safety? Or when they suggest you consider getting senior care? Mend your broken
heart and your family’s woes by getting Life Alert Protection. Not only can you
maintain your independent lifestyle, you can receive 24/7 personal protection
without having to sacrifice a thing. Simply slip on their lightweight, waterproof
emergency pendant around your neck or wrist and in the event of a life
threatening emergency, push the button on your pendant and summon an emergency
medical response fast. Plus, with 24/7 service, you and your family don’t have
to worry about when a life threatening emergency may strike. Safe guard your
heart, and safe guard your life by getting Life Alert Protection today!
The experts over at Everyday Health1
spoke with heart doctors to find out the right questions to ask to maintain
heart health and why they matter. Check out what they had to say by reading
below.
Question 1: What is my risk
of having a cardiovascular problem in the future?
Why You Should Ask: Understanding your risk for future heart
disease, stroke, aneurysm and the like drives much of your care, Dr. Pollak
says. Someone whose cholesterol is borderline but who has diabetes and a family
history of heart disease will need their cholesterol treated much more
aggressively than someone with a lower risk, for example. Doctors use several
types of risk calculators to determine your 10-year risk of developing heart
disease. But you can also get a sense in advance of seeing your doctor by
utilizing the American Heart Association and the American College of
Cardiology’s ASCVD online risk calculator. You plug in your most recent blood
pressure and cholesterol readings, along with basic health information.
Although Pollack warns that the information offered by a risk calculator is not
perfect, it will be a good beginning for a more meaningful conversation with
your cardiologist.
Question 2: What symptoms might indicate a worsening of my specific
condition?
Why You Should Ask: “This is a really smart question because
heart disease is such a big umbrella term,” Pollak says. Someone with a leaky
valve, for instance, will have different symptoms indicating that the condition
is worsening than someone with a heart rhythm issue. You may think you know the
symptoms for some conditions, like chest pain indicating a heart attack, but a
large percentage of women, and even some men, never experience these signs,
Pollak says. Instead, they get shortness of breath, sweats, nausea, or
discomfort in the neck, jaw, shoulder, or back. That’s why it’s important that
your doctor goes over all the warning signs that are personalized for you.
Question 3: How important do you think it is to adopt new treatments
and procedures?
Why You Should Ask: You don’t want a doctor who just jumps
on the bandwagon because every new technique needs to be studied and confirmed,
says Constantine Athanasuleas, MD,. But equally important, you don’t want
someone so stuck in their ways that you don’t receive the benefits of medical
advances. For example, Dr. Athanasuleas points to several procedures developed
or advanced by the late cardiothoracic surgeon Gerald Buckberg, MD,. Most
doctors’ treatment for heart attacks has not changed over the years, even
though giving patients a specially developed solution in the cardiac
catheterization lab has been shown to dramatically reduce death. Similarly, he
writes about a unique surgical procedure for congestive heart failure that too
many doctors have not adopted, even though a study of 1,200 patients published
in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found it increased
survival over conventional treatments. The best doctors aren’t the first to try
something new, nor are they the last, Athanasuleas says. Instead, they are
“tweeners,” as he calls them, staying up on advances and adopting those that
have proven their value.
Question 4: Why are you recommending I take this test?
Why You Should Ask: Most tests are important, Athanasuleas
says, but in an effort to be comprehensive, sometimes cardiologists order a
test that is not necessary and won’t change your treatment. “Patients should
ask whether a test is accurate and reproducible, and will lead to a specific
recommendation or change in therapy,” he says. You might also ask if the doctor
co-owns the testing facility, a possible red flag for overtesting. Guidelines
for appropriate tests can be found in medical journals online; if you look up a
prescribed test and have questions about its value, call the office to ask more
questions, he says. When Pollak recommends a test, she says that she always
explains what it involves and what her patient will experience. “I view the
doctor-patient relationship as we’re partners in the journey toward your health
and health goals,” she says. She also lets her patients know that no test is
completely accurate, “even if it is an excellent test interpreted by a
well-trained eye,” she says.
Question 5: Why are you prescribing this medication?
Why You Should Ask: Doctors — not your friends or social
media buddies — are best positioned to explain the pros and cons of a drug
based on the science, Pollak says. In fact, the editors of more than two dozen
cardiology-related scientific journals recently published an editorial in the
February 2019 issue of the journal JAMA to “sound the alarm” over patients
deciding whether to take statins and other medications based on incomplete
information they have read online. Be honest with your doctor about any
hesitations or concerns, Pollak says, so they can explain the benefits proven
in research. Carefully going over your prescriptions can also help you handle
any medication hiccups later. “Your doctor can explain potential side effects
and create a plan if any do occur,” she says.
Question 6: Will any changes in my lifestyle make a difference?
Why You Should Ask: Cardiovascular disease is an area where
changes in lifestyle — diet, exercise, stress reduction, sleep — can greatly
impact the course of the condition. For example, the Mediterranean diet — which
is high in vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats, and low in saturated fats and
added sugars — was shown to improve many of the risk factors associated with
heart disease in a study published in December 2018 in JAMA Network. The right
diet is especially important if you are overweight or obese. Some doctors will
go over lifestyle information with you, while others will refer you to
dietitians, physical therapists, and other professionals they work with. Be
sure to talk to your cardiologist about lifestyle changes to develop a plan
that works for you.
When it comes to your heart health, don’t mess around. Get
to your cardiologist today and ask the hard questions. And when it comes to
your at-home safety and protecting your heart, get Life Alert Protection. LifeAlert has been in the personal protection industry for over 30 years, and with
hundreds of thousands of customers you can be sure that they won’t break your
heart. While wearing their emergency pendant around your neck or wrist, you can
summon an emergency medical response fast with just one touch of a button. No
matter what life threatening emergency you may face, Life Alert’s dispatch team
can send you the proper authorities fast, 24/7. Plus, because their pendant is
lightweight and waterproof, you can wear it discreetly and anywhere; even in
the shower! Make a heart healthy choice and get Life Alert today! Call
1-800-513-2934 for a free Life Alert brochure.
Works Cited:
1.
Landau, Meryl Davids. “The 6 Best Questions to
Ask Your Cardiologist.” Everyday
Health. 6 May 2019. <https://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/best-questions-ask-your-cardiologist/>.
