Heart diseases often fall in the category of silent killers. It means that they do not show any visible signs and happen suddenly. Do you want to know the causes?
- High Blood Pressure
- High Blood Cholesterol
- Smoking
- Stress
- Genetic factors
Probably each one of us knows about it but very few know what are the indicative signs of the above factors.
Do you want to know?
Hi! I am Dr. Ranjit Shukla, a cardiologist in Vadodara, working with Janvi Hospital.
Sometimes people are unaware of the blood pressure problem that they might be having. Usually, a person with high blood pressure has the following symptoms:
- Severe headaches
- Nosebleed
- Fatigue or confusion
- Vision problems
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Irregular heartbeat
- Blood in the urine
- Pounding in chest, neck, or ears
What causes high blood pressure?
- Overweight and obesity
- Unhealthy diet
- Diabetes
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol use
- Smoking
- Stress
At times people with high BP do not feel its symptoms at all. Hence it is risky. High BP is the leading cause of heart attack.
The second important factor is ‘high blood cholesterol’. The problem with it is that we don’t come to know about it unless we suffer from a heart attack or a stroke.
A simple blood test can reveal the presence of cholesterol in your blood. But we Indians don’t do preventive medical checkups.
This brings me to the point:
When Should You Approach a Cardiologist?
Generally, you are referred to a cardiologist by a physician. But as said earlier, after a certain age it is better if you continue to do preventive checkups.
Visits to a cardiologist should be made if:
1. Pain in the heart:
If you experience chest pain then you should visit a cardiologist. Cardiologists can make out the exact cause of the pain. It is possible that the pain might not be related to the heart. But it is better to ascertain it beforehand rather than to wait for something to go wrong.
2. Genetic factors:
It is said that diseases like diabetes, BP, heart problems are there in genes. So if you have a family history of heart diseases then it is better to do preventive checkups after age 45.
3. High Cholesterol:
If your blood report shows a very high HDL then it should be a warning sign and you must immediately consult a cardiologist. You should get preventive checkup blood tests done once you are over 45 years of age.
4. High blood pressure:
As I said earlier, high BP is the leading cause of heart problems. So if you have high BP then it is better to consult a cardiologist.
Although the standard blood pressure is 120/80, it differs from person to person. Someone might have 110/70 as normal whereas the other one may have it on a higher side.
However, if it is persistently high and you are taking tablets to control your BP then it’s time to visit a cardiologist.
5. Diabetes:
Excess sugar in the diet can lead to diabetes. High sugar levels damage blood vessels. The problem with sugar is that it sticks to the RBCs and restricts the free flow of blood causing pressure on the heart.
6. Pregnancy and Post-menopause:
Women have a high risk of developing a cardiac disease after pregnancy and after menopause. This is because women are most vulnerable at this point. If you are in Vadodara, you can drop in for a preventive check-up at one of the best heart hospitals in Baroda at Janvi Hospital.
Is There Any Difference Between a Cardiologist and a Cardiac Surgeon and the Treatments Offered by Them?
A cardiologist treats a problem related to the heart medically. They diagnose and treat problems without complex surgical procedures. Only the best cardiologists in Vadodara can carry on invasive or non-invasive procedures with much efficiency and expertise.
Cardiac surgeons do many complex procedures. They do incisions within the chest. It is a much more complex job.
Do you know there are different types of cardiologists?
Different types of cardiologists
Invasive Cardiology
The most common types of invasive cardiology procedures, that, I was a heart specialist in Vadodara, perform are
- Angioplasty
- Stenting
These procedures are minimally-invasive surgical procedures done to correct the electrical abnormalities inside the heart structure.
Non-invasive cardiology
As the name itself indicates, in the case of non-invasive cardiology, I as a cardiologist in Vadodara often perform the below-mentioned procedures. These procedures are painless and do not involve any pricks in the body.
- Nuclear cardiology
- Echocardiography
- Cardiac electrophysiology
- Stress tests
- Heart monitors
- CT scans
Interventional Cardiology
Interventional Cardiology is a non-surgical option in which a small catheter is used to remove the blockages in:
-weakened vessels
-narrow arteries
-affected parts of the heart
The flexible tube can be inserted into your body either through the wrist ( transradial) or groan (femoral).
A cardiologist can be a better judge regarding which catheterization procedure to choose. Mostly the cardiac hospitals have the required infrastructure facilities but here’s a list which can guide you about the facilities that the best heart hospital in Baroda should have,
What facilities do the best heart hospitals in Baroda have?
For a hospital to qualify as the best heart hospital in Baroda, it should have the required infrastructure to treat the patients like:
- Bedside color doppler
- Echocardiogram
- Defibrillator
- Ventilators
- Infusion pumps
- Temporary Pacemakers
Conclusion
Heart diseases have become common with today’s youth because of a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. If you do a little warm-up exercise every day and keep watch on your eating habits then many complex problems can be avoided.
I hope, after reading this article you’ll be clear about the various factors that can lead to heart diseases and how we as cardiologists deal with them. In case of any doubts let me know, I’ll be happy to help.
So when are you going to follow a healthy lifestyle?
About Dr. Ranjeet Kumar Shukla
Dr. Ranjeet Kumar Shukla is the best cardiologist in Vadodara with over 12 years of experience. He has pursued his DM – Cardiology from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh in 2018, and MBBS from Rani Durgawati Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur in 2008. He works with Janvi Multispeciality hospital in the cardiology department.