Risk assessment, screenings, preventive measures and healthy lifestyle are key factors

By CAROLINE KLAPPER, DAILY SUN

THE VILLAGES — According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

Yet even with such worrying statistics, Vinod Miryala, a cardiologist with Citrus Cardiology Consultants in Sumter Landing Professional Plaza, said many people are not following a healthy lifestyle or taking precautions that could help to prevent heart disease.

“I think a lot of people don’t seek preventive care,” he said, adding that many people seem to have a “Don’t fix it until it breaks” attitude, which doesn’t work when it comes to heart care. “I think if people ask early, ‘What can I do to prevent it?’ (that) would help.”

Preventive measures

Of course, diet and exercise have always played a big part in staying healthy, and Miryala said eating right and getting enough exercise are still two of the best things a person can do to prevent heart disease.

Siva Gummadi, a cardiologist with Central Florida Heart Center in The Villages, agreed, and added that along with diet and exercise, smoking cessation is another important way to avoid heart disease.

Other conditions that can increase a person’s risk for heart disease include high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension and high blood pressure.

“They are like adding fuel to the fire,” Gummadi said, and keeping such conditions under control — often with medications — is very important to heart health.

Age and family history also are risk factors, and Miryala said retirement age is an important time in heart care.

“The Villages has a very unique population,” he said. “The retirement years are key for prevention. Retirement doesn’t mean stop taking care of yourself.”

Screening to

prevent problems

As people age, screening becomes a good way to determine if someone is developing heart disease or is at risk for it.

Miryala said with today’s technology, “There are very sophisticated ways to screen people. You would pick up the disease very early, before it becomes a cardiac event. Early screening is important.”

There are still about 300,000 sudden cardiac deaths every year, which is much higher than it needs to be, Miryala said.

At Gummadi’s office, it is recommended that men and women are screened for heart disease starting at age 50 to 55, and if they have a family history of early heart disease or are having symptoms of possible heart problems, testing should begin earlier.

“Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more disease in younger people,” he said.

Usually, screening starts with a noninvasive stress test and a complete blood work check for diabetes, cholesterol levels and kidney function.

Screening can point out problems, such as high cholesterol, which could lead to heart disease later. The tests can also catch heart disease early before a person has a heart attack.

If a person is discovered to have problems, further testing can be done. Often, preventive medication is prescribed and, for more serious cases, surgery might be necessary, Miryala said.

For anyone who has heart disease, these preventive measures can save their life.

Support after surgery

As president of The Mended Hearts Support Group, Village of Glenbrook resident Art Chernow knows firsthand what having heart disease is like and what it takes to stay healthy after surgery. Chernow, who has a family history of heart disease, had heart bypass surgery.

“Surviving that, it’s about diet and exercise for the rest of our lives,” he said.

Chernow is a certified visitor at Leesburg Regional Medical Center, where he talks to heart patients about what they are experiencing and what they will face after surgery.

Much like the ways to prevent getting heart disease in the first place, the ways to prevent further heart damage are the same.

First comes cardio rehab, Chernow said, but after that is done, it is up to the individual to keep themselves healthy with diet and exercise.

That’s where the support group comes in for many people in The Villages who have had bypass surgery or other related heart problems.

Chernow said the group often talks about staying on track with diet and exercise.

“I said, ‘Wow, I’m not alone.’ We have great discussions,” he said.

Chernow eats a healthy diet (with occasional treats), exercises regularly with spin classes and water aerobics, and gets regular screenings to make sure his heart is doing OK.

He said going through surgery once was enough, and that makes him work hard at staying healthy.

Caroline Klapper is a reporter for the Daily Sun. She can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9018, or caroline.klapper@thevillagesmedia.com.