The Key to Good Heart Health:
Know Your Numbers
from Better Health magazine, Winter, 2002
A. S. Chauhan, M. D., Cardiologist with Cardiology Clinic, explains heart disease risk
factors and gives valuable tips for the detection and prevention of heart ailments.
 What are the most common heart problems you encounter?
 Heart attacks and heart failure. In our community we have a significantly greater number of cases of heart disease than in the rest of the Commonwealth. This is due to a number of risk factors that seem to prevail in our region, such as poor diet, excessive smoking, and substantially higher genetic predisposition for heart disease.
If I think I'm having a heart attack, what's the first thing I should do?
Call 911 as soon as the symptoms start. Our axiom is: "Time is Muscle." Treatment with clot busters within the first hour of a heart attack means your mortality rate (risk of death) can be reduced by as much as 50%. After that first hour, called the "Golden Hour," heart muscle damage increases dramatically.
How do I know if I'm having a heart attack?
The classic symptoms are prolonged chest pains and shortness of breath with sweating during activity. In women, the signs aren't so obvious. For example, they may also experience atypical warning signs such as "indigestion" and depression.
Are the risks the same for men and women?
Not really. Because their warning signs are often atypical and even deceptive, women are less likely to seek treatment. Yet, women are ten times more likely to die of heart disease than breast cancer. And the risks for women rise rapidly after menopause.
Beyond diet and exercise, what can I do to prevent heart disease or a heart attack?
"Know your numbers." Treat your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels like you would your phone number. Consult your family physician to learn what your ideal numbers should be. These values help determine your risk factors for having heart problems. This is the focus of the third report of the National Cholesterol Education Project (NCEP), where waist girth was added to the above-mentioned numbers.
Are there other risk factors I should be aware of?
Absolutely. Smoking, a family history of diabetes or premature heart disease, your age and gender, high triglyceride levels, high homocystine levels, low HDL level, or a high LP(a) all contribute to the overall picture. Your physician can help you assess all these factors.
When should I start getting regular checkups?
Certainly no later than 40 years old. But if you have any of the risk factors you should start getting regular physicals even earlier. Knowing your numbers and the risk factors of heart disease is the key. Information is your strongest ally against heart disease.
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