Cardiology

Almost half of the population in the U.S. have at least one of the main risk factors for heart disease: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and being a smoker. Some other factors may include stress, a poor diet, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. So, managing these conditions is a great way to reduce your risk.

Get Regular Exercise: Some people don’t understand that your heart is a muscle too and needs training just like any other. Even a small 30-minute session is enough to keep your heart healthy so there’s no excuse not to. But overworking your heart isn’t recommended, depending on your level of fitness, it’s best not to start sprinting immediately. Starting with low to moderate exercises and slowing building intensity is highly recommended. Along with keeping your heart in shape, working out regularly also reduces stress and keeps your weight in check, regulating your blood pressure.

Eat Right: Eating right is one of the most important steps in keeping your body healthy as well as maintaining and improving your heart health. Reducing intake of processed foods and saturated fats are a great way to do this as salty food raises your blood pressure and saturated fats raise your cholesterol. Cooking healthy dishes from scratch is a great lifestyle change which will not only improve your heart health but your overall health in general.

Quit Smoking: Even if you maintain a healthy body weight and eat healthily, smoking by itself puts you at major risk for heart disease. We know that quitting is challenging, but the benefits of a healthy body are more than worth it. So please, take your heart health seriously.

Keep Stress Levels Low: Stress wreaks havoc on your blood pressure. And although we have a lot to juggle in the 21st century, it is best if we try to keep stress to a minimum. Along with looking for ways to change your daily habits to lower your stress, breathing exercises and meditation are also clinically proven to reduce stress.

Preventative care is the best way to mitigate heart disease, but it does little if you are already affected by it. If you suspect that you already have heart disease, we have a team of cardiology doctors ready to help you.

If you believe that you are at heightened risk of heart disease, be particularly alert for symptoms. If you have experienced the following symptoms, please visit a cardiologist in Queens immediately to get diagnosed.

• Chest pain
• Fast or slow heartbeat
• Fluttering in your chest
• Lightheadedness/dizziness
• Shortness of breath

Call 911 immediately if you have these symptoms:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath

These are signs of a heart attack but not everybody has the same symptoms for a heart attack. It can be accompanied by pains in the arms, a cold sweat, and nausea.