SUFFOLK, Va. — February is the month of love. Love for your lover, family, friends, and even yourself. It’s also Heart Month, so it’s a good time to talk about heart care. Jen Lewis discussed it with her cardiologist, Dr. Dena Krishnan.
“Really, I think the important thing is to know your risk…to know your numbers, like your blood pressure, your cholesterol, your blood sugar levels,” Dr. Krishnan said. , don’t smoke and eat a healthy, balanced diet. ”
Dr. Krishnan recommends eating a rainbow of colors, eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, and cutting back on fried and processed foods. Moderation is key.
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The same goes for staying on top of annual exams.
“When you go to your doctor for your annual checkup, he’ll take blood tests, test your blood cell count, kidney function, liver function, and obviously check your vital signs,” she explained. It can tell you if your blood pressure is too high, your blood sugar levels are too high, and it can tell you if you have any risk factors. ”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of all Americans have risk factors for heart disease. These include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and genetics. For people with a family history of heart health issues, Jen asked Dr. Krishnan whether additional tests or panels should have been done.
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“What we usually suggest is something called a heart scan, which is basically a special CT scan that takes pictures of your heart through a series of images. It looks at your coronary arteries and tries to measure: ” she explained. These arteries have plaque. ”
A coronary calcium scan looks for calcium deposits in the arteries of the heart. The buildup can narrow the arteries and reduce blood flow to the heart. This test shows coronary artery disease before symptoms appear. It is intended for people between the ages of 40 and 70 who have no obvious heart problems but are concerned, perhaps due to genetics.
Dr. Krishnan recommended that Jen undergo a scan and explained the process.
“This is a really painless and easy test,” she assured me. “It’s a specialized CT scan, but there’s no IV contrast, so there’s no need for an injection. They wear the EKG leads under your shirt and go under the machine. It’s heavily sealed. Not really. Even if you’re claustrophobic, it’s not scary because you can see around you. You just have to take a nice, big, deep breath and they’ll take a picture and that’s really it. Before you know it, it’s over.”
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For Jen, the whole thing takes about 15 minutes, and results are usually returned in about a week. The results are displayed numerically, with zero being best. Moderate plaque deposits are between 100 and 300, while anything above 300 is a sign of more extensive disease.
Dr. Krishnan had Jen’s number.
“You got a score. It’s called a coronary calcium score,” she explained, “and it’s a number that you get on a heart scan, and your number is 14, which is a very good number. In general. , this means that there was very little calcified plaque that could be detected, which means there is no need to do anything different, and in your case no cholesterol medication is warranted and neither is aspirin. No. Overall, the risk of future heart disease is very low.”
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With a history of cardiovascular problems in her family, Jen is relieved and plans to have another test in a few years to make sure she’s still on track.
Her coronary artery calcium scan was done through Bon Secours.
To make a reservation, please call 757-398-2391. It costs $99 and does not require a doctor’s order, but Dr. Krishnan recommends having a doctor review the results, explain them appropriately, and discuss any necessary follow-up steps.
