The numbers surrounding cardiovascular issues in the United States are eye-opening. To start, nearly half of adults in the US have cardiovascular disease. Second, almost 1 in 3 deaths in the US are caused by heart disease or stroke.
While these numbers may be frightening, Board-certified cardiologist Dr. Satjit Bhusri wants to spotlight another statistic — at least 200,000 cardiovascular-related deaths each year in the US are preventable.
Dr. Bhusri of Upper East Cardiology on the Upper East Side of Manhattan understands the importance of preventive steps in fending off heart disease. It starts with knowing your risks and addressing them with a specialist.
If you’re wondering whether (and when) you should seek our help, here are a few points to consider.
Many factors can raise your risk for cardiovascular disease; according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), these include:
Dr. Bhusri adds another essential risk — family history. If your immediate family (grandparents, parents, or siblings) have a history of heart disease, your risks may be elevated.
In most cases, your primary care provider will be the first to discover an elevated risk for heart disease through routine testing of your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
If you’ve been told you have hypertension or high cholesterol, Dr. Bhusri recommends that you come to see us as soon as possible for a cardiology consultation. He can help you take the steps necessary to lower your heart disease and stroke risks significantly.
Seeing a cardiologist is also essential if your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers are normal but you still smoke or have a family history of heart disease. He can determine whether these risks affect your heart health through extensive testing.
In addition to seeing a cardiologist when your risks are heightened, Dr. Bhusri also strongly recommends you come to see us if you experience any cardiovascular-related symptoms such as:
If you experience sudden chest pain, pain in your jaw, dizziness, and/or nausea and vomiting, call 911 immediately.
Outside of an immediate cardiac event, the other symptoms listed above are signs of problems with your heart’s rhythm or blockages in your blood vessels.
Since Dr. Bhusri focuses solely on cardiovascular and vascular health, he knows what to look for when evaluating. Through extensive testing, such as echocardiograms or stress testing, alongside advanced imaging, he can get a much clearer picture of how your cardiovascular system is functioning.
Our ability to recognize problems and take swift action can be not only life-altering but also life-saving, making having us on your healthcare team invaluable.
To schedule your cardiology consultation today, contact our New York City office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan or call (212) 752-3464.
