Heart Health

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a disease in which a deposit of cholesterol gradually builds up inside the blood vessels, making them narrower. It is a systemic problem that is a risk factor for heart attack, peripheral artery disease and stroke. Symptoms of trouble include chest pain, shortness of breath, abnormal heart rhythms, pain in the legs and neurological symptoms that might indicate stroke.

Despite a lot of progress, heart disease is still the leading killer in the United States. We are in a curious situation. We are blessed with many wonderful technologies for treating heart disease, but we are not very good at preventive care. Risk factors are increasing at an unprecedented rate. Epidemics of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure are all long-term health-care issues that contribute to heart disease.

We have many useful drugs that modify the disease and reduce the chances of future events such as heart attack or stroke. They include statins that lower cholesterol, drugs that keep blood sugar under control in people with diabetes and drugs that control blood pressure.

In patients who already have symptoms, we have a host of technologies to call on: balloon procedures to widen the narrowed vessels, stents to hold them open and, when necessary, bypass surgeries to get around the blockage.

The new frontier in therapies for treating heart disease is the use of stem cells to grow new blood vessels to bypass blockages. For people with a lot of muscle damage already, the latest technologies include innovations in pacemakers and defibrillators. These devices are becoming very good at improving heart function and can make a big difference in how people feel.

People aren't making the lifestyle changes they need to make to prevent disease. People need to be active participants in their health care by taking better care of them.

Avoid obesity. Exercise. Don’t Smoke!