Heart Prevention Screenings – Part 2

Another screening test is your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure have an increased risk of stroke and heart attack because the high blood pressure places an increased workload on the heart and high blood pressure is an increased risk factor for stroke and clots. Taking your blood pressure is a simple procedure that is done using an inflatable cuff while listening using a stethoscope.

Your blood pressure has two numbers. The top number is the systolic and the bottom number is the diastolic. Simply put the cuff is inflated until it cuts off the arterial blood supply over the arm or leg. Using a stethoscope the practitioner can hear when the blood first begins to get through the pressure and when the blood flows through without being impeded by the cuff at all. The most important number is the bottom number, which indicates to the doctor how much pressure your cardiovascular system is operating under. The higher the pressure the higher your risk of developing heart damage.

Your weight is another criteria in prevention screening tests. Your physician will determine your body mass index – or the relationship between your height and your weight. Research has found that people who carry too much weight are at greater risk for heart disease and stroke. Obesity has been linked with many different diseases and conditions. Fortunately, weight is also one of the factors that is controllable with some help.

Another important criteria is the amount of exercise and motion that you experience each day. Research has shown that people who exercise have a decreased risk of heart disease and stroke. Your body requires exercise to function properly – and it’s easy to get 30 minutes of blood pumping exercise each day. Remember you aren’t training for the Olympics, just moving your blood around your body.

Resources:

Columbia Department of Surgery: Prevention

http://columbiaheart.org/prev.html

University of Maryland Medical Center: Tips for Prevention

http://www.umm.edu/features/tips_prev.htm

University of Maryland Medical Center: Maryland Heart Center

http://www.umm.edu/heart/preventive.htm

Cedars-Sinai: Give a Heart Screening to Someone You Love

http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/Imaging-Center/For-Patients/Preventive-and-Wellness-Screenings/Give-a-Heart-Screening-to-Someone-You-Love.aspx