February is American Heart Month, a time when we can refocus on our cardiovascular health and take steps to get our hearts in the right place. It’s a perfect time to schedule a heart-to-heart with your primary care provider (PCP) to get all the answers you need about your heart health.
We sat down with one of our experts, April Gustafson, APRN, to focus on which questions you should ask at your appointment, along with some heart health tips. By being proactive, you can keep your heart in good shape and help prevent heart disease.
Primary Care for Your Heart
“Since your heart is at the center of your overall health, it’s important to make sure it’s healthy and strong,” says April. While patients normally think of their primary care provider as their go-to for common colds and annual check-ups, your PCP is your partner in whole health. They can assess your risk of heart disease during a routine exam, making those annual check-ups even more important.
Heart Tests Your PCP Might Do
Your PCP will start by checking your blood pressure and heart rate. These are simple yet important measures for your heart health. They will listen to your heart and lungs and check for swollen feet and ankles. You might not notice these little details, but by performing these checks, your PCP is caring for your heart.
Other tests your PCP might conduct to check your heart health are blood tests to check for cholesterol and diabetes, and an ECG (electrocardiogram) to measure the electrical activity of your heartbeat.
Along with gathering information through testing, your PCP will likely ask you about your medical and family health history and your lifestyle, such as your diet, whether you smoke and how much you exercise. They can recommend lifestyle changes, prescribe medicines and refer you to a cardiologist if necessary.
Questions to Ask Your PCP at Your Appointment
Whether you’re visiting your doctor for a routine visit or you’ve been experiencing symptoms, it can be daunting to know which questions to ask and where to start, especially when it comes to something as important as your heart. Here are some questions for a start:
- Am I at a healthy weight?
- Can we discuss the symptoms I’m having?
- Can we go over my medications?
- Do I need to take any supplements?
- How do I reduce stress?
- How is my blood pressure and heart rate?
- What can I do to improve my heart health?
- When should I have a follow-up visit?
“I always tell my patients that we’re here to help and that any question is a good question,” says April. No matter how big or small you may feel your question is, it can give you the peace of mind you’re looking for and the information your provider needs to care for your whole health.
Heart-Smart Tips
Here are some tried and true heart-smart tips to help keep your heart healthy for life:
- Don’t smoke: Smoking doubles your heart attack risk and makes it less likely you’ll survive if you suffer cardiac arrest.
- Eat a balanced diet: Eat foods low in cholesterol, saturated fat, salt and refined sugars and high in fiber, vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy cholesterol and blood pressure and weight.
- Exercise: At least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity spread throughout the week is recommended.
- Manage stress: Focus on your mental health. Practice mindfulness, exercise, meditate, pray, talk to friends or a counselor or spend time doing what you love. Find what works for you.
Know Your Numbers for Your Heart Health
“It’s important that you know your numbers,” explains April. A normal heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. An ideal blood pressure is less than 120 for systolic (the highest reading) and less than 80 for diastolic (the lowest reading), which reads as 120/80. Most doctors consider anything above 140/90 as high blood pressure, and below 90/60 as low blood pressure.
Care From the Heart, for the Heart
Taking care of your heart with healthy lifestyle choices and partnering with your primary care provider is the best formula for preventing heart disease. Learn how our primary care provider can help you manage any risk factors and achieve your goals.
We want you healthy and whole. Whether you need preventive care with our skilled, compassionate primary care providers, or more specialized care for your heart with our world-class cardiovascular team, we’re here for you.
Schedule your appointment for a heart-to-heart today.
