About 1.5 million Americans suffer heart attacks each year, resulting in over 150,000 deaths. Surprisingly, half of those occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. Many heart attacks also occur in people without other traditional risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, diabetes or a family history.
Coronary artery disease can be screened for at GMA using carotid intimal thickness testing. We can help you prevent a first or second heart attack using the latest tools, thanks to our heart attack prevention program, HAPPY (Heart Attack Prevention Program for You). The physicians involved with this program are Dr. Greg Feinsinger, Dr. Christiaan Maurer, and Dr. David Lorah. Sometimes a survivor of a first heart attack is not given the tools to prevent a second heart attack. At GMA we give you all the tools -- including nutrition counseling and lifestyle advice.
Risk factors for heart attacks include:
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Previous heart attack, stent, bypass surgery, stroke
or other evidence of hardening of the arteries.
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Diabetes.
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Family history of heart disease, especially a heart
attack in parents or siblings before age 60.
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Total cholesterol over 200; LDL (bad cholesterol) > 100;
HDL (good cholesterol) < 40 in men, < 50 in women;
triglycerides > 150.
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Elevated homocysteine, Lpa, hsCRP.
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Erectile dysfunction.
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Blood pressure over 140/90 (<120/80 ideal).
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Smoking.
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Waist measurement over 40 inches in men,
over 35 inches in women.
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Physical inactivity.
We also offer anti-aging advice and counseling to protect not only your heart but your overall health, energy, vitality and vigor, so the next years of your life can be the best years of your life.
We have expertise and experience in heart attack prevention and
rehabilitation. We always put patients first. In fact, no other group
practice offers patients as many comprehensive health services and
conveniences as GMA.
By working together we can lower heart attack risk significantly. There's
an excellent chance we can help you, too, if you are at risk. Call us and take
advantage of advanced, experienced, complete and compassionate heart care.
We welcome and encourage referrals.
For more Healthy Heart information, click on the link.
