heart disease

Fact or Myth: Better Understanding Heart Disease

heart-icon-with-stethoscopeWe all know that heart disease is incredibly common, and that it is the leading cause of death for adults in the US. But there’s also a lot about the condition that many people don’t know, or at least don’t fully understand. Heart disease is complex and can affect different people in different ways. That’s why it’s so important to get your information on the subject from a trusted source, like the expert healthcare providers here at Abraham Family Medicine. In honor of American Heart Month this February, we thought it would be appropriate to separate fact from fiction when it comes to a few common statements about heart disease.

Heart Disease Only Affects Older People

This is a myth. The truth is that young and middle-aged people can also develop heart issues including cardiovascular disease, especially as related health conditions like obesity and Type 2 diabetes become more prevalent among younger people. Additionally, lifestyle choices that a person makes when they are younger can drastically affect their risk of developing heart disease later in life. Plaque can start building up in the arteries as early as childhood and adolescence.

A Heart Attack Can Occur Even Without Certain Common Symptoms

This is true. Not every heart attack is the same. While we commonly associate certain symptoms like chest pain and discomfort, there is such a thing as a heart attack with more mild or subtle symptoms. This can include difficulty breathing, feeling nauseous or lightheaded, and pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the jaw, neck, or back. If you experience these symptoms, seek medical assistance at once in order to be safe.

A Family History of Heart Disease Means I Will Definitely Develop It

This is a myth. While it is true that having a parent or sibling with heart issues can increase a person’s risk of heart disease, coronary artery disease (the most common form of heart disease) is more linked to a person’s lifestyle than any genetic factors. Heart disease can be prevented by modeling heart-healthy behaviors like eating healthy, exercising, and not smoking. Even for people with a family history of the condition. Having a family history of heart disease does mean a person should be more vigilant and proactive when it comes to their heart health.

Heart health is no laughing matter and our hope is that our readers will take this information seriously and do what they can to promote heart health and wellness as the year goes on. This includes scheduling an annual wellness check-up with your healthcare provider to discuss what you can do to improve the state of your heart health. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Abraham Family Medicine. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

4 Potentially Life-Saving Heart Disease Prevention Tips

heart-iconFebruary is almost here, which means it is nearly American Heart Month once again. Here at Abraham Family Medicine, our healthcare providers pride themselves on being able to educate our readers about health concerns like heart disease, in an effort to help them prevent these issues before they develop. We thought it would be helpful today to provide some general heart disease prevention tips as a means of helping our readers prepare to live a heart healthy lifestyle.

Eat Right & Exercise

The best thing anyone can do to prevent heart disease is to eat a heart healthy diet and get regular daily exercise. We recommend a healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins like salmon. Additionally, 30 to 60 minutes of even moderate physical activity is incredibly important in preventing and reducing the risk of heart disease. Even simple things like housework or a neighborhood walk will do.

Keep Tabs On Your Vital Signs

Many common indicators of a person’s overall health can indicate an increased risk of heart disease. Specifically, high blood pressure and higher than normal cholesterol levels. It’s important to keep daily records on your blood pressure and get your cholesterol checked regularly based on your provider’s recommendation to make sure they are at a safe and healthy level.

Understand Your Risk Factors

Every person’s individual risk of heart disease is different. However, there are some universal risk factors that people should be aware of. Advanced age, being overweight, and smoking are known risk factors for heart disease. As is a family history of heart diseases. High stress levels can also increase a person’s risk, so developing healthy stress management techniques can be crucial.

Discuss Heart Health at Annual Appointments

You don’t need to fight alone in your effort to prevent heart disease. During annual check-up appointments, be proactive and bring up heart health as a discussion topic. Even if you’re not currently experiencing any issues, discussing all of your available preventative measures against heart disease with a healthcare professional can be incredibly educational and beneficial in the long-run.

Our hope is that our readers will take these tips to heart and do everything they can to promote heart health and wellness in the days ahead. Meeting with your healthcare provider for an annual wellness check-up is a great first step in the fight against heart disease. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Abraham Family Medicine. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

Statistics to Know For American Heart Month

heart-iconHeart health should be of the utmost importance to any person concerned about their long-term health and wellbeing. The heart is among the most vital organs in the human body and a healthy heart is essential for healthy living. In honor of the upcoming American Heart Month this February, our healthcare providers at Abraham Family Medicine wanted to present some helpful and informative statistics about heart disease and its prevalence. After all, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the US year after year. All figures below were collected by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

  • Approximately every 36 seconds, one person in the United States dies from cardiovascular disease.
  • Roughly 659,000 Americans die from heart disease each year, meaning that it is responsible for about 1 in every 4 deaths annually.
  • Coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease, resulting in just under half of all heart disease deaths each year.
  • About 18.2 Americans above the age of 20 (nearly 7%) have coronary artery disease.
  • The overwhelming majority (about 80%) of coronary artery disease deaths happen in adults 65 and up.
  • Every year, roughly 805,000 people in the US (or one person every 40 seconds) have a heart attack.
  • About 1 in every 5 heart attacks is silent, meaning the person is not even aware that they have experienced it.
  • Heart disease costs the US about $363 billion annually, including the cost of healthcare services, medicines, and lost productivity due to illness and death.

With these statistics in mind, it’s helpful to remember that there are meaningful steps that can be taken to reduce a person’s risk of heart disease. We recommend maintaining a nutritious, balanced diet and getting regular daily exercise, or another form of physical activity, to help keep a healthy body weight. It’s important to speak to your healthcare provider about your cholesterol levels if they are elevated. Smoking and drinking alcohol in excess can also negatively impact heart health.

Meeting with your healthcare provider for an annual wellness check-up can provide a perfect opportunity to gain a better understanding of your heart health and learn what you can be doing better to promote long-term health and wellness. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Abraham Family Medicine. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

Ask the Doctors: Diagnostic Testing at Abraham Family Medicine

diagnostic testingDiagnostic testing is an incredibly powerful tool in the world of medicine. Before any treatment can begin, an accurate diagnosis must be confirmed. Here at Abraham Family Medicine, we perform several types of diagnostic testing in the comfort of our office to assist in caring for our patients. To further elaborate on the benefits this can provide our patients and their loved ones, our board-certified healthcare providers have taken time to answer a few questions about some of the types of diagnostic testing we offer.

Question #1: How Does In-Office Diagnostic Testing Benefit Patients?

Offering in-office diagnostic testing is often a major convenience for our patients. Doing so can save time (and additional costs) by eliminating the need for additional trips to a hospital or separate imaging center for something like an MRI or a CT scan. Additionally, this can help avoid potential complications associated with the patient’s health insurance.

Question #2: What Is The Difference Between An Echocardiogram & An Electrocardiogram (EKG)?

We use both echocardiograms and EKGs to detect and diagnose various forms of heart disease. However, the tests differ in what they specifically measure and capture. An echocardiogram uses ultrasound technology to depict pictures of the heart and provide information on the activity and function of the heart. An EKG traces the rhythm of a patient’s heartbeats to potentially detect underlying heart conditions like arrhythmias, heart defects, and coronary artery disease. Both tests can often be used in tandem to provide a more comprehensive picture of the patient’s heart health.

Question #3: Is It Safe To Undergo An X-Ray

While it’s true that x-ray technology exposes the patient to radiation, it is perfectly safe to undergo an x-ray to detect a potentially fractured bone. X-rays only use a low level of radiation and the risk of any cell damage is extremely low. Additionally, we fit our patients with protective materials including x-ray safe aprons to limit exposure to other areas of the body not being scanned.

Our providers have the experience and knowledge to optimize all diagnostic testing to the benefit of our patients. For more information on diagnostic testing or other health and wellness topics, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today to schedule an appointment. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month!

High Blood Pressure Abraham Family Medicine

One of the most important things a person can do to aid their long-term health and wellbeing is to be aware of their blood pressure. Known medically as hypertension, high blood pressure is a common condition that occurs when a person’s blood pressure reaches a level that is considered unhealthy. High blood pressure is very common among adults in the US. And while some may feel that having high blood pressure isn’t such a big deal, high blood pressure can lead to many very serious health problems over time if left untreated. That’s why in honor of National High Blood Pressure Education Month we wanted to provide some helpful information on the subject for our readers.

Blood pressure measures the amount of blood that passes through the blood vessels and the amount of resistance the blood meets while the heart is pumping. The more blood that the heart pumps, the narrower the arteries get, and the higher the blood pressure is. A blood pressure reading has two numbers:

Systolic Pressure (top number) – measures the pressure in the arteries when the heartbeats.

Diastolic Pressure (bottom number) – measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.

High blood pressure often develops slowly over the course of many years. In many cases, people with this condition do not experience any other symptoms. But high blood pressure can still damage the blood vessels and vital organs in asymptomatic people. While there may not be any specific, identifiable cause of high blood pressure, there are several risk factors that people should be aware of including advanced age, a family history of the condition, being overweight, a lack of physical activity, stress, abuse of tobacco, abuse of alcohol, and more.

High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease. Over time, high blood pressure can cause the arteries to harden and thicken, which can drastically increase the risk of a heart attack, stroke, or other serious complications. Additionally, by making it more difficult for the heart to pump blood, high blood pressure can also lead to heart failure. Untreated high blood pressure may also affect a person’s memory and cognition as they age, and even cause dementia.

All this is to say is that high blood pressure is very serious and not something that can be ignored. This is why it’s so important to speak with your healthcare provider about your blood pressure during annual check-up appointments and make healthy lifestyle choices to promote wellness. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, Lilburn and Loganville.

Answering Your Common Questions About Heart Health

heart-wrapped-by-stethoscopeFebruary is approaching, which means it is nearly American Heart Month here at Abraham Family Medicine. This is a time when our healthcare providers try to help educate our readers about the causes and effects of heart disease, as well as the importance of heart health. This year, we wanted to answer a few common questions on this subject to help demonstrate the importance of taking a proactive approach to heart health.

Question #1: What are the common symptoms of heart disease to look out for?

There are many irregular symptoms that can be signs of potential heart disease. It’s crucial for adults to be aware of these warning signs and take action if any of these effects linger or become more serious over a short period of time. Common symptoms include pain or discomfort in the chest, shortness of breath, lack of energy (especially during exercise), an irregular heartbeat, and difficulty swallowing or breathing.

Question #2: How does smoking specifically affect the health of my heart?

Roughly 30% of all deaths from heart disease in the US are directly associated with cigarette smoking. Smoking is a leading cause of atherosclerosis, a condition that causes the arteries to harden and blood flow to the heart to be affected. The nicotine found in both cigarettes and electronic smoking devices can also decrease the flow of oxygen to the heart, cause blood clotting, and lead to high blood pressure (another leading cause of heart issues).

Question #3: What can I do to improve my heart health?

While it may seem like an uphill battle for some people, even seemingly modest lifestyle changes can go a long way towards improving the health of the heart. Getting 30 minutes per day of daily exercise is highly recommended. This can just be simple activities like walking or biking around the neighborhood. If you miss a day, don’t get frustrated and just make up for it later. Eating a healthy diet, rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in fats and overly salty foods, can also be incredibly helpful.

An annual wellness check-up can provide an outstanding opportunity to better understand the status of your heart health and learn what you can be doing better to promote long-term health and wellness. For more information or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

The Advantages of Diagnostic Testing at Abraham Family Medicine

Before medical treatment can begin, a diagnosis must be made. Here at Abraham Family Medicine, our healthcare providers use many tools to help accurately diagnose a wide variety of issues and conditions that can affect our patient’s health and wellness. This includes offering in-office diagnostic testing to help improve patient care by identifying potential health issues as quickly as possible.

couple-view-x-rayDr. Abraham and our entire medical staff utilize diagnostic testing to confirm the occurrence of a specific disease or medical condition based on a patient’s symptoms as well as results from other medical tests. Diagnostic testing is critical to how we operate during every step of our evaluation process including diagnosing, monitoring, screening, and prognosis. To help better understand how diagnostic testing at Abraham Family Medicine can assist our patients, continue reading for information on the diagnostic tests that we are able to perform.

Aorta Ultrasound

Also known as an aortascan, an aorta ultrasound is a non-invasive diagnostic test that uses high-frequency sound waves to image the main blood vessel leading away from the heart known as the aorta. This test is used to help detect the presence of an aortic aneurysm.

Echocardiograms

Echocardiogram tests use images derived from sound waves to help us examine the beating and pumping of blood within the heart. These tests are used to identify abnormalities of the heart, including detecting heart defects in unborn children.

Electrocardiograms (EKGs)

EKGs are used to examine the patterns and heartbeats. Doing so allows us to detect and diagnose potential underlying heart conditions such as arrhythmias, heart defects, coronary artery disease, and heart attacks.

Pulmonary Function Testing

Pulmonary function tests are administered to measure the ability of a person’s lungs to take in and circulate oxygen throughout the body. This kind of test may be used to diagnose certain lung diseases.

Retinal Scans

We utilize retinal scanning to help rule out diabetic retinopathy in patients with diabetes. If left undetected and untreated, this condition can lead to blindness.

Screening Mammograms

We perform screening mammograms to detect potential breast cancers in female patients. The test allows us to produce images of each breast from multiple angles to gain a clearer picture of a patient’s breast health.

Ultrasounds

Ultrasounds use high-frequency sound waves to create images that depict the inside of a person’s body. Although they are most commonly used to monitor a pregnant woman’s fetus, ultrasound technology can also help diagnose various medical conditions such as gallbladder disease, certain types of cancer, and diseases of the prostate. This includes Carotid Ultrasounds that use sound waves to examine the blood flow through the carotid arteries to detect a patient’s risk of experiencing a stroke. We also use this technology to perform abdominal and pelvic sonograms to detect abnormalities (including tumors) within internal organs like the liver, kidneys, and spleen.

Vascular Doppler Studies

Vascular Doppler Studies use similar technology as ultrasounds to monitor the flow of blood through blood vessels. This test can help diagnose conditions such as blood clots, faulty valves in leg veins, circulation issues, and other conditions that a traditional ultrasound may not be able to detect.

X-Rays

X-rays utilize electromagnetic waves to capture images of a person’s skeletal system. Our providers use x-rays most often to diagnose bone fractures, however, they can also assist us in diagnosing pneumonia or breast cancer.

When paired with the skill and knowledge that our experienced healthcare providers possess, diagnostic testing can be an integral in helping our patients achieve long-term health and wellness. For more information on diagnostic testing or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today. We offer a wide variety of general healthcare services for people of all ages at our Snellville office, located very close to Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

Conditions to Be Aware of During Men’s Health Month

It’s important for men to be proactive when it comes to taking care of their mental and physical health. It’s a fact that of the 15 leading causes of death in the US, men die at higher rates for all of them except Alzheimer’s disease. Instead of thinking of this information as a cause for alarm or panic, men should think of it as motivation to be more conscious of their health and the choices they make that affect it. In honor of Men’s Health Month this June, our healthcare providers wanted to take some time to discuss some of the most common health conditions for men and how they can be prevented.

Prostate Cancer

Unlike many other health conditions, prostate cancer is exclusive to men. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men other than skin cancer, with nearly 200,000 new cases diagnosed annually. Although prostate cancer diagnosis is common, thankfully, the mortality rate for this type of cancer is relatively low since it does not often spread quickly. However, it’s still critically important to catch and treat prostate cancer as early as possible. We do this with annual PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) blood testing during annual exams as well as an in-office prostate exam.

Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease is still the number one cause of death for men (and women) in the US. For men with heart disease, excess cholesterol can gradually block the arteries in the heart and brain. This can lead to the formation of blood clots that block the artery and cause a heart attack or stroke. It is very important for men to eat a healthy, heart-friendly diet and exercise regularly. Annual testing of key heart disease indicators like cholesterol and blood pressure are also of the utmost importance.

Lung Cancer

Although the rates of lung cancer have dropped in recent years as more and more people drift away from smoking, lung cancer remains the leading cancer killer of men in the US. This is largely due to the fact that lung cancer is highly aggressive and typically spreads very early. In many cases, lung cancer spreads before a person even begins to exhibit symptoms. The best way to reduce your risk of developing lung cancer is to avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. We also recommend eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly to promote a strong immune system.

Undergoing an annual male exam at Abraham Family Medicine can be a highly beneficial preventative health measure for men of all ages. During the exam, we will perform a standard physical examination as well as various other tests to effectively gauge the overall scope of the patient’s health. For more information or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today. We offer a wide variety of general healthcare services for people of all ages at our Snellville office, located very close to Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

 

Taking a Statistical Look at Arthritis for Arthritis Awareness Month

Arthritis-Awareness-MonthWith all of the worry about the recent COVID-19 pandemic, it seems as though there is only one thing that most people have been focusing on in regards to their health and wellness. Last month, we also offered some general tips regarding this very scary and contagious virus. This month, In honor of Arthritis Awareness Month, the healthcare providers here at Abraham Family Medicine wanted to present some statistics about the condition to help educate our patients about arthritis and what they should know.

Statistics are an invaluable resource to us in the field of medicine. Analyzing statistical reports can go a long way towards helping people understand the prevalence of certain medical conditions, as well as specific risk factors and other crucial pieces of information. All statistics presented were collected by the Arthritis Foundation.

General Arthritis Statistics

  • Arthritis currently affects more than one in every four adults in the US.
  • Although the condition is often associated with people of a more advanced age, nearly 1 in every 3 adults between the ages of 18 – 64 experience arthritis or similar symptoms.
  • There are over 100 different kinds of arthritis.
  • Experts estimate that the number of adults in the US with doctor-diagnosed arthritis is projected to increase 49% to 78.4 million by 2040.

Osteoarthritis Statistics

  • Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis.
  • Nearly 31 million adults in the US currently experience osteoarthritis.
  • The condition leads to roughly 2 million fractures each year in the US.

Risk Factor Statistics

  • Adults over the age of 65 have a far greater prevalence of arthritis.
  • Arthritis is slightly more common in women than it is in men.
  • Nearly half (49%) of all adults with heart disease also experience arthritis.
  • The same figure is true for adults with diabetes.

Cost Statistics

  • Arthritis is the most common cause of disability among adults in the US.
  • Each year, an estimated 172 million work days are lost due to arthritis or similar conditions.
  • Arthritis is the most common chronic condition among opioid users in the US.

There are things we would recommend to people with arthritis to help ease or manage their symptoms. Certain low impact exercises including yoga, stretching, walking, or Tai Chi may be able to help. Eating a good diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables and maintaining a healthy body weight can help as well. We also recommend trying to reduce stress, as excess stress can lead to inflammation and arthritis flare ups.

We understand how challenging and painful arthritis can be. That’s why our healthcare providers work hard with each patient we see to fully understand their condition and symptoms in order to develop the most helpful treatment program for their needs. For more information on arthritis or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, Lilburn and Loganville.

How Common is Heart Disease in America?

February is American Heart Month, which makes now the ideal time to take a closer look at your heart health and what you can do to improve it. Our healthcare providers believe that one of the best ways to reinforce the risk of heart disease is to present statistics about the disease and how prevalent it is. Probability says that you more than likely know someone that has been affected by heart disease. That’s because heart disease is the leading cause of death for adults in the US. But to fully grasp how common and potentially dangerous this condition is, we wanted to dig a little deeper into the statistics and present what we found and provide some suggestions for how people can reduce their risk.

How Common is Heart Disease in America?According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is responsible for nearly 650,000 deaths in the US each year. To put that in context, that means about 1 in every 4 deaths in the US is related to heart disease. They estimate that an American dies from heart disease once every 37 seconds. Costs related to heart disease including healthcare services, medications, and lost productivity reach about $219 billion each year.

The majority of these cases involve either Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) or heart attacks. CAD is the most common type of heart disease, killing about 370,000 people in the US annually.

Roughly 7% of all adults aged 20 and up have CAD. Additionally, over 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. Of these, about 20% are considered “silent” heart attacks where the person may not even be aware that an attack is occurring.

With these statistics in mind, it’s important to be aware of common risk factors for heart disease and to be proactive when it comes to maintaining good heart health. Obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are major factors to be aware of. This is also true for certain health conditions including diabetes. Though it may be slightly more common for men, heart disease is also the leading killer of women in the US so women should also take this risk seriously.

We recommend the following behaviors that can help reduce the risk of heart disease:

  • Eat a low fat, heart-healthy diet
  • Exercise regularly (30 minutes per day)
  • Do not smoke or use other forms of nicotine
  • Be proactive and speak with your doctor about your risk of heart disease during annual appointments

Understanding the threat of heart disease and being aware of your risk is an integral step in achieving and maintaining long-term heart health. We also recommend scheduling annual check-up appointments to make sure that your heart is healthy. For more information or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

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