Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center

To lower your risk of heart disease, focus on these key lifestyle habits:

• Eat a balanced diet: Choose a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. Try to limit foods high in saturated fats, salt and added sugars.
• Stay active: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, like brisk walking, swimming or cycling. Physical activity helps keep your heart and blood vessels strong.
• Maintain a healthy weight: Achieving and keeping a healthy weight lowers the strain on your heart and reduces risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Manage stress: Chronic stress can negatively impact your heart health. Find ways to relax, such as deep breathing, meditation or hobbies you enjoy.
• Manage your diabetes: Cardiovascular disease contributes to more diabetes-related deaths than any other condition. If you have diabetes, you are four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than a non-diabetic person. This means it is important to work with your doctor to take steps to manage your diabetes — or prevent it altogether.
• Avoid tobacco and limit alcohol: Smoking significantly raises your risk of heart disease, and excessive alcohol can do the same. Quitting smoking and moderating alcohol can protect your heart.
• Get regular check-ups: Monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Managing these with the help of your healthcare provider can make a big difference.

Each small change helps keep your heart healthy!

Heart attack symptoms can vary, but here are some common signs to watch for:

• Chest discomfort: This often feels like pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center or left side of your chest. It can last a few minutes or come and go.
• Pain in other areas: You might feel discomfort in your arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach. Sometimes, it can feel like indigestion or heartburn.
• Shortness of breath: This can happen with or without chest discomfort and might feel like you cannot catch your breath.
• Cold sweat: You may break out in a sudden sweat that feels clammy or cold.
• Nausea or lightheadedness: Some people feel dizzy, queasy or even like they might faint.
  
  

Heart attack symptoms can be different for everyone, and they may be milder or more subtle in women. If you or someone else experiences these symptoms, call 911 immediately. Quick action can save lives.

Yes, there are several non-surgical treatments that can help improve heart and vascular health. Here are some common options:

• Medications: Medicines can help manage blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rhythm and other factors that affect your heart and blood vessels. For example, blood thinners can reduce your risk of blood clots, while statins help lower cholesterol.
• Lifestyle changes: Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, quitting smoking and reducing stress are essential steps to improving heart health. Your doctor can help guide you in making these changes.
• Cardiac rehabilitation: This is a structured program of exercise, education and support designed to strengthen your heart, improve your stamina, and help you adopt heart-healthy habits. Cardiac rehab is often recommended after a heart event but can benefit others with heart conditions, too.
• Minimally invasive procedures: Some treatments, like angioplasty, are not considered major surgery. Angioplasty involves using a small balloon to open blocked arteries, often with a stent placed to keep them open. These procedures typically have shorter recovery times compared to traditional surgery.

These treatments can often be very effective and help you maintain or improve your heart health without surgery. Your doctor can work with you to find the best plan for your needs.

The cardiac and vascular systems work together to keep blood flowing throughout your body, but they focus on different parts of the circulatory system:

• Cardiac system: This refers to your heart. It includes the heart’s chambers, valves and muscles, which pump blood to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your body. The cardiac system is responsible for keeping the heart itself healthy and beating effectively.
• Vascular system: This is your network of blood vessels — arteries, veins and capillaries — that carry blood throughout your body. The vascular system transports oxygen-rich blood from the heart to your organs and tissues and returns oxygen-poor blood back to the heart to be re-oxygenated.

In short, the cardiac system is about the heart, while the vascular system is about the blood vessels. Together, they keep blood moving efficiently so your organs and tissues get the oxygen and nutrients they need.

Here is a quick breakdown of what cardiology, cardiac surgery and vascular surgery focus on:

• Cardiology: Cardiologists are doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating heart-related conditions without surgery. They manage issues like high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, heart failure and more. They may use medications, lifestyle recommendations and non-surgical procedures, like placing stents, to help keep your heart healthy.
• Cardiac Surgery: Cardiac surgeons perform surgeries on the heart itself. This includes procedures like bypass surgery (to improve blood flow around blocked arteries), valve repairs or replacements, and surgeries to correct structural issues within the heart. These surgeries often require opening the chest to directly access the heart.
• Vascular Surgery: Vascular surgeons focus on blood vessels outside the heart, like the arteries and veins in your legs, arms and neck. They treat conditions such as blocked or narrowed arteries, aneurysms and varicose veins. Treatments can include both surgical procedures and minimally invasive techniques to improve blood flow and prevent complications.

In short, cardiologists treat heart issues without surgery, cardiac surgeons operate on the heart itself, and vascular surgeons treat blood vessels throughout the body.

Diabetes significantly increases the risk of heart disease. High blood sugar from diabetes can damage blood vessels and the nerves that control the heart over time. Here’s how diabetes raises the risk:

• Increases plaque buildup: People with diabetes are more likely to develop atherosclerosis, a condition where fatty deposits (plaque) build up in the arteries. This narrows and hardens the arteries, making it harder for blood to flow, which raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Raises blood pressure and cholesterol: Diabetes often comes with higher blood pressure and cholesterol, which put extra strain on the heart. Together, these factors can lead to heart disease faster.
• Inflammation and blood vessel damage: High blood sugar levels can cause inflammation, which damages the lining of blood vessels, making it easier for plaque to build up and cause blockages.
• Higher risk of blood clots: People with diabetes are more prone to blood clots, which can block blood flow to the heart or brain, leading to a heart attack or stroke.

Managing blood sugar levels, along with blood pressure and cholesterol, is crucial for people with diabetes to reduce their risk of heart disease. Regular check-ups and a heart-healthy lifestyle can make a big difference in protecting heart health.

A heart and vascular screening is a set of tests that checks how well your heart and blood vessels are working. Here is what typically happens during a screening:

• Health history and risk assessment: You will discuss your medical history, lifestyle and any family history of heart disease with a healthcare provider. This helps identify any personal risk factors.
• Blood pressure check: High blood pressure is a big risk factor for heart disease. Measuring it gives a good sense of how hard your heart is working.
• Blood tests: A simple blood test can measure your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. High cholesterol and blood sugar can raise your risk of heart disease and other issues.
• Heart rhythm test (ECG): An electrocardiogram (ECG) may be done to check your heart’s rhythm. It is a quick, painless test that looks for irregular heartbeats or signs of past heart issues.
• Ultrasound of blood vessels: In some cases, an ultrasound is used to check for plaque buildup or blockages in your blood vessels, often in the neck or legs. This helps spot any circulation issues that might affect heart health.

These tests help your doctor understand your heart health and identify any early signs of heart or vascular problems. Regular screenings can be an important step in preventing heart disease.

Cardiovascular care refers to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. It encompasses a range of medical services aimed at maintaining heart health, managing chronic conditions and addressing acute cardiac events like heart attacks or strokes.

• Key components of cardiovascular care include:
• Preventive care: Managing risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity to reduce the likelihood of developing heart disease.
  
• Diagnostic tests: Tools like electrocardiograms (EKG), echocardiograms and stress tests to assess heart function and detect issues.
• Treatment: Includes medications, lifestyle changes, interventional procedures (like stenting) and surgeries (such as bypass surgery).
  
• Rehabilitation: Programs designed to help patients recover after a cardiac event or surgery and improve their overall cardiovascular health.

Cardiovascular care is often provided by specialists such as cardiologists and vascular surgeons, supported by a multidisciplinary team including primary care physicians, nurse, and therapists.

Smartwatches are increasingly sophisticated when it comes to monitoring heart health. Many models now include features that go beyond simple step counting, offering real-time insights into cardiovascular wellness. Here's what they can do:

• Heart rate monitoring: Most smartwatches continuously track your heart rate and provide data on resting, active, and maximum rates. This helps you understand your heart's response to exercise and stress levels
• ECG functionality: Some advanced models, like the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch, include an electrocardiogram (ECG) feature. This can detect irregular heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation, and prompt users to seek medical advice.
• Blood oxygen and VO₂ max estimates: Many smartwatches measure blood oxygen levels and estimate VO₂ max, which reflects your cardiorespiratory fitness. These metrics can indicate overall heart and lung efficiency.
• Heart rate variability (HRV): HRV tracking gives insights into stress, recovery and fitness. Low HRV can signal potential health issues, while higher HRV indicates good autonomic nervous system function.
• Exercise and sleep analysis: Smartwatches monitor workouts and sleep patterns, encouraging behaviors that promote heart health, like regular activity and restorative sleep.

While smartwatches provide valuable data, they’re not a substitute for professional medical evaluation. They’re best used as tools to complement a healthy lifestyle and facilitate discussions with health care providers.

• Make sure to bring your insurance and ID card
• Bring a list of current medications (including over the counter medications and supplements)
• Bring outside medical records (reports, clinic notes, imaging), if appropriate
• Bring a family member or a friend to offer support and a second “ear”
• Bring something to write with and on