American Heart Month: Three cardiologists spread awareness

Did you know that heart disease has been the leading cause of death in this country for 100 years? A recent American Heart Association study found that despite heart disease's century-long reign, It has been revealed that more than half of Americans did not know that heart disease is the number one killer of people.

February is American Heart Month, an opportunity to highlight the importance of cardiovascular health and raise awareness for heart disease prevention.

To educate the community about heart disease, three cardiologists, Dr. Bradley Martin, Dr. John J. Allan, and Dr. Charles DeBerardinis, discuss heart disease prevention, when to call 911, and community shed light on heart care.

Controlling the Controllables: Dr. Bradley Martin (Statesville Cardiovascular Clinic)

You have the power to take action to protect yourself from heart disease. Some risk factors for heart disease, such as family history, cannot be controlled, but other risks can be controlled. Making small heart-healthy lifestyle changes, like eating a healthy diet and moving more throughout the day, can have a big impact on protecting your heart.

1. Eat a heart-healthy diet.

“One of the most important things you can control is what you put into your body. Diet is so important. Many patients ask me, 'What is the perfect diet, or what should I follow?' What’s the right diet?’” Martin said.

Martin often recommends a Mediterranean-style diet that is low in saturated fat, high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and limits added sugars. The American Heart Association also recommends a Mediterranean-style diet:

• Emphasize vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and legumes
• Includes low-fat or fat-free dairy products, fish, poultry, non-tropical vegetable oils, and nuts.and
• Limit added sugars, sugary drinks, sodium, highly processed foods, refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, and fatty and processed meats.

“Sixty percent of your daily caloric intake should come from protein. I often try to get my patients to maintain a diet of 1,800 to 2,000 calories per day. However, this varies depending on body size and physical activity. It’s different,” Martin says.

2. Keep toxins out of your body.

“We need to keep toxins out of our bodies. Nicotine and tobacco products are the biggest offenders. If you haven't already, set a goal to stop using tobacco products in 2024. Heart attack It's always the number one thing you can do for your health to reduce your risk of stroke or stroke,” Martin said.

Martin also recommends limiting your intake of beverages high in caffeine, as they can increase the chance of heart arrhythmias.

“I try to avoid energy drinks that contain anything other than caffeine, such as taurine or guarana,” Martin says.

If you must consume caffeine, Martin recommends drinking only two low-caffeine beverages a day, such as a cup of coffee or diet soda.

3. Take care of your physical health.

“As you probably know, exercise is super important. Running, walking, swimming, biking, hitting a heavy bag, whatever gets your heart rate up and your breathing heavy, five days a week. If you do it for 30 minutes, you're less likely to have a cardiovascular event,” Martin said.

4. Manage stress.

Mental health can have a positive or negative impact on heart health. Stress can contribute to poor health behaviors such as smoking and drinking, which are associated with increased risk of heart disease. Chronic, long-term stress can cause high blood pressure, which can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

“We all deal with stress. It's hard on our systems. Stress increases something called catecholamines in the bloodstream, which can increase blood pressure. Learn relaxation techniques and… “Just five minutes a day of deep breathing can help regulate your stress levels,” Martin said.

Exercise and getting enough sleep can also help manage stress levels.

5. Collaborate with your medical team.

“Be sure to follow up with your primary care physician or our Statesville Heart and Vascular Center to manage risk factors such as high blood pressure, blood sugar, and high cholesterol levels. “It's easy to test with standard test measurements, so you can be sure you're controlling risk factors,” Martin said.

To call 9-1-1: Dr. John J. Allan (Iredell Cardiology)

Heart attacks can be sudden and severe. However, it can also begin as a mild pain or discomfort. Not everyone shows typical heart attack symptoms. So it's important to learn what it feels like to have a heart attack and to call 911 right away if you suspect you're having one. Quick action could save your life or someone else's.

According to Alan, common symptoms of a heart attack include:

• chest pain or discomfort
• back, neck and jaw pain
• pain in left arm or shoulder
• shortness of breath
• nausea or vomiting
• sweaty

“Deciding when to call 911 can be difficult for people. It's not always clear to patients when to do it. However, if you have symptoms you don't know what, chest pain you've never experienced before, If you have pain or other warning signs of a heart attack, it's best to err on the side of caution and call 911,” Alan said. “When you have a heart attack, time is of the essence. We don't want to suffer any damage or trauma to our hearts. Once it happens, it can't be reversed, so get to the hospital early and get treatment.” The more you receive, the better.”

Community Heart Care: Dr. Charles DeBerardinis (Statesville Cardiovascular Clinic)

Iredell Health System provides a wide range of heart and vascular services to the community and has maintained its status as a Certified Chest Pain Center for 13 years. Iredell Memorial Hospital was recognized for its high performance in heart failure specialties as part of U.S. News & World Report's 2023-2024 Best Hospitals rankings.

Iredell Health System's team of cardiologists, vascular surgeons, and specialized nursing staff is committed to providing personalized care and treating the whole person, not just the symptoms, because heart disease affects a lifetime. Masu.

“Our board-certified cardiologists have a wide range of special interests and expertise in all subspecialties of cardiology, and here we provide a wide range of cardiac care. We also have several nurse practitioners and physician assistants who help us in the hospital and in the office,” DeBerardinis said.

The cardiologists and vascular surgeons at Iredell Memorial Hospital's Heart and Vascular Center can perform a variety of procedures, including cardiac catheterizations, pacemaker and defibrillator implants, cardiac interventions, peripheral arterial interventions, and venous procedures. . We also offer nuclear stress tests, electrocardiograms, and echo stress tests.

“I have always thought that being in a non-tertiary care center would give me the opportunity to provide more personalized care, and I want to reassure everyone there that we take that privilege very seriously here. I can absolutely say that,” DeBerardinis said.

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Martin and DeBerardinis both practice at the Statesville Cardiovascular Clinic, located at 925 Thomas Street. In addition to Statesville, Martin also sees patients in Taylorsville and Mooresville. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Martin or Dr. DeBerardinis, please call our office at the number below. 704-873-1189.

Alan practices at Eidel Cardiology. He sees patients in Statesville and Mooresville. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Alan, please call our office. 704-878-4694.