Cardiovascular Disease: Preventative Measures and Screenings
With February recognized as American Heart Month, we at DRI Greensboro Imaging are dedicated to focusing on heart health and encouraging community involvement to fight cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death in the world, claiming almost 18 million lives each year. With that in mind, it’s important to encourage a dialogue about heart-healthy choices and preventative measures.
How to Prevent Heart Disease
While some heart disease factors like age and genetics can’t be avoided, the AHA asserts that maintaining a healthy lifestyle and learning to manage stress can decrease your chance of developing heart disease by up to 80 percent.
An active lifestyle can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, improve blood circulation and keep weight under control. This, combined with a healthy diet, can significantly reduce your risk. Additionally, incorporating a way to relieve stress into your routine can make a big difference. Whether it’s joining a sports team, taking an art class or meditating, find something right for you to give yourself a break from the stress.
Testing Heart Health
Staying up-to-date on recommended screenings is also key to heart health. DRI Greensboro Imaging is equipped with state-of-the-art imaging technology to gain clear visibility of the structure of the heart and surrounding areas. Our physicians use computerized tomography (CT) scans to view a patient’s heart, aorta and its branches to identify any abnormalities. Additionally, our radiologists can conduct a CT Cardiac Calcium Score, a painless, non-invasive test that allows our doctors to determine the likelihood of a patient having a heart attack or stroke before any symptoms occur.
Our very own Dr. Entrikin recently spoke about the benefits of the scan and how it can help save a patient’s life.
The American Heart Association
Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association is the oldest voluntary organization in the world committed to fighting cardiovascular disease. The AHA works to fund research, fight for public health policies and has become a strong educational resource for saving and improving lives. With more than 3,400 people working together, by the year 2020 the AHA aims to improve cardiovascular health among Americans by 20 percent and reduce cardiovascular and stroke related deaths by 20 percent.
The American Heart Association’s Heart Walks help raise funds to save lives. We believe in this mission, which is why we will be participating in the Greater Guilford Heart and Stroke Walk for the second consecutive year. We invite you to join our team on May 19 to help fight cardiovascular disease together.
To learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at 336.433.5000.