Your heart is a hard worker, ceaselessly pumping your blood 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Yet despite the critical role it plays in your health and wellness, it’s surprisingly easy to take it for granted — until something goes wrong.
In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States. The good news: Managing your heart health doesn’t have to be difficult — and it all starts with having expert support on your side. That all starts with scheduling a cardiovascular evaluation with Anthony B. Lewis, MD, FACC, and the skilled team at TLC Medical Group Inc. in Port St. Lucie.
A cardiovascular evaluation doesn’t just look at the current state of your heart — it also looks at your risk factors, the characteristics that can make heart issues more likely or more serious. Lots of factors play a role in your heart health, including:
Even your personal and family medical histories can influence your heart health now and as you get older.
The problem is, while some risk factors are easily identifiable, others — like hypertension and high cholesterol — cause no symptoms on their own. Regular checkups with our team help identify these factors so we can help you modify your risks through lifestyle changes or, in some instances, medication.
While cardiovascular disease statistics may be alarming, remember: Many heart issues can be avoided or their severity lessened by playing a more proactive role. That’s the biggest reason why you should make heart evaluations and checkups a part of your regular healthcare routine — even if you don’t have any known risk factors.
On the other hand, if you do have risk factors for heart disease or if you’ve had any heart disease-related symptoms, like chest discomfort or shortness of breath, you should definitely call our office to schedule an evaluation right away.
Depending on your symptoms, we can recommend state-of-the-art testing to evaluate your heart and its activity at rest and during brief physical exertion. Along with blood work, cardiovascular testing looks for abnormalities in your heart and the blood vessels surrounding it, helping identify issues with your heart’s structure, electrical activity, or blood flow.
At TLC Medical Group, we offer comprehensive on-site diagnostic services, including EKGs, echocardiograms, Holter monitoring, stress testing, and arterial, venous, and carotid ultrasound. Having these services at hand enables our team to evaluate your cardiovascular health and determine the best treatment plan more quickly and accurately.
And of course, if you have a diagnosed cardiovascular issue, ongoing care is especially critical for ensuring your treatment plan stays on track.
Unfortunately, there’s no single strategy that guarantees a healthy heart. Instead, you need to play an active role in managing controllable lifestyle factors.
Eating a heart-healthy diet, staying physically active, avoiding tobacco products, maintaining a healthy weight, getting adequate sleep, and managing other health conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all important components of a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Yes, it sounds like a lot. But with TLC Medical Group, you don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Dr. Lewis and his team can help you understand your individual risk factors and provide the guidance and support you need to make healthy changes to improve your overall cardiovascular health.
Taking control of your heart health starts with a decision to be proactive. Whether you’re concerned about a new symptom, managing an existing condition, or simply want to better understand your cardiovascular risk, the right care can give you the information and support you need.
For comprehensive cardiovascular care in Port St. Lucie, TLC Medical Group offers experienced, personalized care tailored to your unique health needs. To schedule your cardiovascular evaluation, request an appointment online or over the phone with Dr. Lewis and the team at TLC Medical Group in Port St. Lucie, Florida, today.
