We're ALL Heart!
How Main Street Hospital Is Fighting Heart Disease
OK – let’s start with the bad news: More than one in three Americans have some form of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.
Now here’s the good news: 80 percent of heart disease and stroke can be prevented! At Main Street Hospital, we provide multiple resources to help you and your family take a stand against the nation’s #1 killer. Here’s a quick look at some of the technology and expertise we provide.
Assessing Your Personal Risk Factors
The first step in fighting heart disease is to see your doctor at least once year. Your personal physician can review your family history of heart disease, evaluate your overall health, and help you control the key risk factors.
High Blood Pressure (HPB): More than 76 million Americans have high blood pressure.
High Cholesterol: If your cholesterol is high, talk to your doctor about medications that can control your condition.
Smoking: Smokers are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease.
Physical Inactivity: Just 30 minutes of exercise each day can lower your blood pressure as much as some medications and increase your good cholesterol.
Being Overweight: More than 60 percent of Americans are overweight or obese.
Diabetes: At least 65 percent of people with diabetes die from some form of heart disease or stroke.
Diagnosis
To make the best possible diagnosis, our physicians have access to a wide range of advanced imaging capabilities.
Chest X-ray: Used to check for an enlarged heart or fluid buildup in the lungs.
Stress Test: This involves walking on a treadmill or pedaling or a stationary bike to check the heart’s performance under exertion.
Electrocardiogram (ECG): Uses electrodes to check the heart rhythm and possible damage from a heart attack.
Echocardiogram: Uses sound waves to create a video image of the heart.
Cardiac CT Scan: This is an advanced X-ray machine that moves around the body to produce 3D images.
Cardiac MRI: Uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create a detailed image of the heart.
Holter Monitoring: Patients wear this lightweight, portable device for 1 -3 days to record their heart rhythms.
Angiogram: This procedure takes a movie of the heart in action by injecting a special fluid, called a contrast, which is visible to X-rays.
Treatment
In advanced cases of heart disease, cardiac surgery is sometimes the only option.
Interventional Catheterization: During this procedure, a long, narrow tube is inserted into a vessel and then guided to the heart with the aid of an X-ray machine.
Interventional Catheterization is often used to close an opening in the wall between the upper chambers of the heart or to open up a blocked valve or vessel.
Angioplasty: When coronary arteries become narrow or blocked, an angioplasty can restore the blood flow. A thin flexible tube with a balloon on its tip is threaded through the coronary artery. Once in place, the balloon is inflated to widen the artery. In many cases, a small wire mesh tube, called a stent, is placed in the artery to help keep it open.
Recovery
After patients have been treated for a heart attack, stroke or other heart condition, it’s time to start building a healthier future. Participation in our Cardiac Rehab program dramatically decreases the risk of future heart problems. After a heart attack, for example, people who participate in a cardiac rehab program have a 50 percent greater survival rate after three years compared to people who don’t.
Our team of cardiologists, nurses, dieticians and physical therapists can help you stop smoking, manage your blood pressure, create a heart-healthy diet, or develop an exercise program customized to your specific needs and goals. They provide ongoing support, education and counseling to promote a faster recovery and a healthier lifestyle.