Health care
BY SIERRA MARTIN
Q&A: Learn how to maintain a healthy heart from a cardiologist Dr. Sandeep Ravi is a cardiologist who special- izes in cardiovascular disease at the Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Institute for the Greater Austin region. Located in Buda, Dr. Ravi is a board-certified lipidologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions related to lipids, or fatty substances, in the blood. Dr. Ravi said his passion is on preventative heart disease and he helps patients maintain various lifestyle approaches to prevent heart disease. “Despite having great progress in the last few decades in managing heart disease, heart disease still remains the number one cause of death in the Western world,” Dr. Ravi said. “Unfortunately, about 800,000 people every year have a heart attack in the USA, according to [the Centers for
call TLC, or therapeutic lifestyle change. This is a very nuanced topic, but the 30,000-foot overview is having a healthy diet. There are two particular diet patterns that have been studied. One is the DASH Diet and the other one is the Portfolio Diet. Both diets emphasize on having more plant-based proteins, such as legumes, beans [and] lentils. How much salt is too much in a day? Can it impact my heart? On average, Americans get about 3,400 mil- ligrams of sodium a day. ... The 2015 Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium [per day]. In other words, that is a teaspoon of salt. ... [The] American Heart Association actually goes even further, saying the recommended sodium intake is limiting it to less than 1,500 milligrams a day ... I think general guidance should be less than 2,300 milligrams [per day], which is what I tell my patients. What are signs of a heart disease? When should I be worried? ... 90% of heart disease manifests in three con- ditions: one is heart attack, blockages and reduced circulation issues. A second thing is having heart failure. And lastly, arrhythmia, the majority of it being a rhythm issue called atrial fibrillation. ... So the important thing is, in addition to looking for symptoms of shortness of breath, chest pain or waking up at night not being able to breathe compared to what was normal for them a few months ago, if there is a change that should be taken seriously. How does smoking affect heart health? Smoking shortens the lifespan by 10 to 20 years, depending on which study you look at. ... In general, there is three to 10 times the risk of heart attack in people who smoke and people who do
COURTESY BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE
not smoke, and that is mainly thought to be due to damage to the blood vessels. What can someone do to live long and live well? In terms of longevity and living well, the most important thing is getting 30 minutes of exercise, maintaining ideal body weight, good quality sleep and managing stress. If those four facets of things are well done, that should really significantly extend somebody’s life by several years, if not a couple of decades.
Disease Control and Prevention].” How can I avoid a heart attack?
The first step in preventing a heart attack would be for everyone to understand what their risk of heart disease is. Everyone should have that con- versation with their medical provider because we now have very well-validated clinical estimators, [and] risk calculators that can estimate [potential risk] for any given person. How can I manage my cholesterol without medications? The most recent estimates show one in four peo- ple have high cholesterol. ... Cholesterol, for the majority of people, can be managed with what we
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .
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SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION
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