Heart Disease in Saginaw, MI
According to statistics from the US Center for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in the United States. Out of every four American deaths, one is caused by heart disease. That comes to more than 600,000 deaths every year.
Heart disease is a broad or umbrella term that includes a range of conditions that can affect your heart. These include congenital heart defects, heart rhythm problems or arrhythmias, heart valve disease, cardiomyopathy or disease of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease, and heart infections caused by viruses, parasites, and bacteria.
Despite its otherwise gloomy outlook, heart disease is preventable and manageable. By adopting a healthier lifestyle, you can significantly minimize your risk of developing heart disease.
Symptoms of Heart Disease
Signs of heart disease vary depending on the disease you have, and the symptoms may further differ depending on your gender.
Arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythms are typically characterized by lightheadedness, dizziness, chest pain, fainting spells, slow pulse, or racing heartbeat.
In contrast, plaque build-up in your blood vessels or atherosclerosis may result in chest pain or chest discomfort (angina), shortness of breath, pain or numbness in your legs and arms, and pain in your neck, jaw, and upper abdomen.
Cardiomyopathy or diseased heart muscle often results in fatigue, breathlessness, lightheadedness, irregular heartbeats, and swelling of the feet, ankles, and legs.
It may not always be easy to keep track of all these symptoms, especially if you live a busy and demanding lifestyle. That’s why we encourage our valued patients to schedule regular exams with our doctors. Our doctors can catch heart disease symptoms before it’s too late.
Diagnosis and Treatment
To determine if you have heart disease, our doctors perform a variety of checks. Besides a physical exam, our doctors also ask about your personal and family medical history. Our doctors in Saginaw, MI, also use blood tests, chest x-rays, stress tests, echocardiograms, and various other tests to get to the bottom of your health issue.
Heart disease treatment depends on the type of heart disease a patient has. Treatment includes lifestyle changes, medications, and in some cases, surgery.
If you’d like to learn how to prevent and manage heart disease, please contact MI Health Clinic today.