Enrolling in cardiovascular disease prevention can reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke and improve your quality of life. At Candid Primary Care in Coppell, Texas, board-certified internal medicine doctor and primary care specialist Monsur Ali, DO, offers cardiovascular disease prevention to adults. Dr. Ali regularly works with people to determine their risk of heart disease and develops personalized treatment plans. Call the office today to request a cardiovascular disease prevention consultation, or make your appointment online.

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What is cardiovascular disease prevention?

Cardiovascular disease prevention is an internal medicine subspecialty that works to prevent heart problems. It uses a combination of regular checkups, preventive screenings, and healthy lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, or other more serious issues.

Who can benefit from cardiovascular disease prevention?

At Candid Primary Care, Dr. Ali recommends that all adults 20 and older undergo screening for heart disease every two to four years. If you have a family history of heart attacks, stroke, or high blood pressure, more frequent screenings may be necessary.

What are the symptoms of cardiovascular disease?

Cardiovascular disease tends to develop slowly over an extended period. It doesn’t always present symptoms, but signs to watch out for include:

  • Chest pain or discomfort
  • Dizziness
  • Fluttering in the chest
  • Breathlessness
  • Swelling in the arms or legs
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Fatigue

If you have any of these symptoms and they last for more than a day or two, contact Dr. Ali. Heart disease is much easier to treat when caught early on. Intervention can prevent the problem from worsening and keep your heart muscle healthy.

What does cardiovascular disease prevention involve?

At Candid Primary Care, cardiovascular disease prevention begins with a review of your medical records and a discussion of your lifestyle. Dr. Ali asks about your diet, how often you exercise, and whether you smoke or drink alcohol.

Next, he completes a physical exam and orders several tests to calculate your risk of a heart attack or stroke. The most common tests are electrocardiogram (EKG) and echocardiogram. EKG records your heart’s electrical activity, while an echocardiogram uses ultrasound imaging to capture high-quality photos of your heart.

Dr. Ali completes these tests in-office, checking your heart muscle for abnormalities in its rhythm, pumping mechanisms, or size. If your test results indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, Dr. Ali makes personalized treatment recommendations, emphasizing heart-healthy lifestyle changes.

How is cardiovascular disease treated?

Treatment of cardiovascular disease depends on the type and severity of the problem. Often, losing weight, quitting smoking, and eating a healthy diet is enough to reduce the risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

If you have a more serious condition, Dr. Ali recommends prescription medication or surgery.

Call Candid Primary Care today to learn more about cardiovascular disease prevention, or make your appointment online.