February is American Heart Month, which raises awareness about the 2,300 Americans who die of cardiovascular disease daily. It is the leading global cause of death.
Dr. Anu Shivaraju, a cardiologist with Advocate Heart Institute, visited ABC7 to talk about symptoms, risk factors and how to keep our heart healthy.
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Most common form of heart disease: Coronary heart disease (plaque builds in coronary arteries); decreased blood flow to the heart; elevated risk of blockages in leg.
Symptoms to watch out for: Different in women, diabetics and the elderly; shortness of breath, lightheadedness, fatigue, neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort.
Risk factors: High cholesterol, obese, low exercise, diabetes, age, gender, family history, smoking, stress, depressed, high blood pressure.
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What can we do to minimize our risk and protect our heart? Lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. Obviously can't change genetics; find out if you're at risk for the most common form of heart disease. Visit advocatehealth.com/heartscans to schedule $49 heart scan. It's simple, non-invasive and can reveal life-changing information. You should get a scan if you're at least 35, have not been previously diagnosed with heart disease, do not have a pacemaker and have at least two of the risk factors we discussed: male over 45, female over 55, obese, physically inactive, diabetic, family history of heart disease, high cholesterol, depressed, high blood pressure, smoker.
For more information, visit: advocatehealth.com/heartscans