Heart Health Awareness: What is Cardiology ?
With the recent flurry of light-hearted fun and romanticised hearts we’ve seen on Valentine’s Day, we wanted to venture a little deeper and dive into some heart health together. Over 7.6 million people in the UK are living with heart and circulatory diseases – and with the heart at the core of the human body, this can seriously affect quality of life. At Haven Medical, we understand that life gets busy, and subtle signs can easily be overlooked. However, seeing a specialist for a heart health checkup can help identify potential issues early—before they develop into more serious concerns.
Cardiology is the study of the heart, and cardiologists, like Dr Amit Patel, are doctors who specialise in treating heart and circulatory diseases. If your doctor is concerned about your heart, you may be referred to a cardiologist for a comprehensive consultation and examination.
Cardiologists can help in the treatment of:
- chest pain
- heart failure
- high blood pressure
- problems with other parts of your circulatory system, including the heart valves and blood vessels
Signs You Need a Cardiologist
Confused about whether you should see a cardiologist? There are a few tell-tale signs that mean you should make a doctor’s appointment, to help determine if you need a cardiologist’s care.
Chest pain or pressure is the primary symptom of a heart problem. It can mean that the heart is not getting enough blood.
Chest pain is not always dangerous, but it should never be ignored. Similarly, if you are having shortness of breath or irregular heartbeats. We would always advise seeing a doctor as soon as possible as these can be signs of an abnormal rhythm or coronary artery disease.
Know Your Risk Factors: When to See a Heart Specialist
Dedicating time and attention to your heart health is important for everyone, but especially so if you’re at high risk for heart disease.
Being aware of the risk factors is key to staying ahead of heart disease:
- High blood pressure raises your risk of a heart attack or stroke as your heart works harder to circulate blood.
- Diabetes is strongly correlated with cardiovascular disease because poorly controlled blood sugar affects the function of your blood vessels.
- People who smoke are at high risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer.
- High cholesterol, which can be caused by lifestyle or genetics, can cause a build-up of plaque in the arteries, raising the risk of heart disease.
- Chronic kidney disease is linked to high blood pressure and arterial disease.
- Peripheral arterial disease, where there is a restriction of blood flow into the legs, can indicate a predisposition to coronary artery disease.
- A family history of heart disease can increase your risk – some types of heart disease are genetic. People who are overweight, or eat a high fat diet are also at increased risk of heart disease.
The Importance of Preventive Care and When to Visit a Cardiologist
Preventative care is one of the areas in which Haven Medical can help you thrive. Whether it’s Advanced Wellness Checks, or encouraging our patients to invest in their overall wellbeing before issues arise, we believe that the role of preventive care in maintaining good health cannot be overstated.
For the heart and circulatory system, there are several proactive steps you can take to reduce your risk of heart disease or relieve your symptoms once you have a heart condition.
- Diet & Nutrition: Make sure that your diet is packed with nutrient-dense foods, focusing on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, lean proteins, and fish. Try to limit or avoid processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and sweetened drinks, as well as sodium, added sugar, and saturated fats.
- Exercise: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise each week, with a view to increasing if you are able. If you are not currently active, gradually work up to regular exercise by sitting less and moving more. Remember, before jumping into any new exercise program, it could be helpful to talk to one of our doctors.
- Weight: Maintain a healthy weight to take any unnecessary strain off your heart. Speak to one of private GPs about how a weight loss plan could help you if you are overweight – reducing your risk of heart disease and other illnesses.
- Quit Smoking: Aim to avoid all tobacco products including cigarettes, shisha, e-cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco – all of these are dangerous for your heart health. Clogged arteries and blood clots caused by smoking can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, reducing the amount of oxygen that your blood carries around your body. If you already smoke, it’s not too late to stop – your body begins to repair itself as soon as you quit.
- Monitor Chronic Conditions: Stay on top of chronic conditions and reduce your risk of heart disease. Conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes can all increase your risk of heart and cardiovascular diseases so aim to work with your doctors to understand how to best manage your health. Regular check-ups allow for the early detection of heart disease.
Haven Medical Heart Health Checks
Our expert Cardiologist at Haven Medical offers complete heart health checks including:
- A Consultation with a consultant Cardiologist
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) – used to look at the electrical activity of the heart, including heart rhythms, inflammation and blood supply.
- Echocardiogram (Echo) – used to look at the structures of the heart, valves and nearby blood vessels.
- A range of Blood Tests
Whether you already have an existing underlying heart condition, you are concerned about potential symptoms you’re experiencing or you have a strong family history, book in for this comprehensive review to give you peace of mind and help you take the right action for you.
Our Cardiology Specialist Consultant will talk through your personal and family history, provide a thorough examination, and then perform a heart tracing (ECG) and a heart scan (echocardiogram). You’ll also be able to do all necessary specialist blood tests done within our Canford Cliffs clinic. The full price of the heart health check is £400.
Haven Medical: Exceptional Healthcare that’s there for you
Offering same or next-day GP appointments and flexible, pay-per-visit appointments or monthly memberships, Haven Medical provides the highest quality diagnostics, as well as personalised patient care. Contact us to learn how we are reaching toward a future offering the highest quality care from the most experienced teams, or book an appointment online.