At Matthews Internal Medicine, our main priority is to help you avoid disease in the first place. We can help you when you’re sick, but it’s far more effective to focus on preventative care and helping you live a healthy lifestyle. By living a healthier life and keeping an eye out for any strange symptoms, you can potentially sidestep bigger problems down the road.
This is especially true when it comes to heart disease. This ailment is a leading cause of death in this country, but we can tell you what to look out for and help you prevent it. Staying focused on prevention can help you stave off this deadly disease and other health problems.
Early Signs of Heart Disease
Identifying the early stages of heart disease can prevent complications in the future.
Angina
This is one of the most common signs of heart disease. Simply put, this is chest pain. It may feel like indigestion or heartburn, but if you encounter it frequently and it comes along with symptoms like a squeezing feeling or pressure in your chest it may be time to see a doctor.
Shortness of Breath
If you feel like you’re getting tired during physical activity without exerting that much effort, it could be an early sign of heart disease. Shortness of breath is common among people with heart problems because their cardiovascular system isn’t performing at peak capacity. If you’re becoming exhausted after activities that never used to give you a problem, like taking the stairs up to your apartment, it’s time to talk to a doctor.
Nausea and Sweating
Experiencing frequent nausea can also indicate heart problems. Excess sweating can also be an indicator of heart disease. These symptoms show that something in your body is out of whack, and that could be a sign that you need to start focusing on heart disease prevention.
Irregular Heartbeat
Sometimes your heart skips a beat or speeds up. That’s normal, but if it’s happening too frequently it could be a cause for alarm. It might just be a lack of sleep or too much caffeine in your diet or it might be a sign of a much larger problem.
Heart Disease Prevention
If you’re worried about heart disease, there are a few ways that we can help. Our doctors can identify early signs of this disease and help you develop a plan for heart disease prevention. Many of our areas of expertise concern this leading cause of death.
For example, we can help our patients with weight management programs. Losing weight is one effective way to lower your risk of heart disease. We’re all busy, but taking some time out of your week to exercise or pick out healthier foods can pay dividends later. Complications from being overweight, like sleep apnea, can place more stress on your heart and make you susceptible to disease.
We can also assist you when you want to quit smoking. Smoking can increase your heart disease risk due to some of the chemicals and other elements found in cigarettes. We can help you quit and live a healthier lifestyle. These programs, along with an annual physical exam, can help us spot problems, prevent future issues, and keep you healthy for longer.