Tag Archives: heart health

What Are Statins? Benefits, Side Effects, and Why They’re Essential for Your Health

Statins are a powerful tool in managing high cholesterol and preventing heart disease. Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., statins can play a vital role by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This “bad” cholesterol contributes to heart attacks, strokes, and other serious complications.

Some patients have concerns about statins, and we’re here to offer clear, supportive information to help you make informed choices about your health and address any misconceptions.

How Do Statins Work?

Statins are medications that lower cholesterol by reducing its production in the liver. While diet and exercise are key in managing cholesterol, statins offer additional protection for those at risk of cardiovascular disease. Statins are especially important for individuals with conditions like diabetes, coronary artery disease, or those who’ve had a stroke.

Statins could be prescribed if your cholesterol is high or if you have other significant risk factors. Unless immediate action is necessary, lifestyle changes are usually encouraged to see if they can reduce risk before introducing statins.

Common Side Effects of Statins

Most people tolerate statins well, but they can cause side effects as your body adjusts to the medication. Common side effects include:

Headaches
Nausea
Muscle and joint aches
Slight increase in blood sugar levels

Fortunately, these side effects are usually mild and temporary. Should you experience unusual symptoms, your MPCP provider can adjust your treatment plan to ensure you’re comfortable.

Who Should Be Cautious with Statins?

Certain individuals are at greater risk for side effects, including those who:

Are over 80 years old
Have liver or kidney disease
Take multiple cholesterol-lowering medications
Drink excessive amounts of alcohol

For those who fall into any of these categories, your MPCP provider will monitor your treatment closely and potentially adjust your dosage or suggest additional tests to ensure that statins are safe and effective.

Additional Risk Stratification Testing:

CIMT Testing

For patients unsure about starting statins, MPCP offers Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) Testing at our Columbia Cardiology office. This simple, non-invasive test measures plaque buildup in your arteries and helps assess your risk of heart disease. CIMT can provide valuable insight into your heart health and help you evaluate your cardiovascular risk and the potential benefits of statins.

CT Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring is obtained through a CT scan. It is most helpful in patients who are being screened who have intermediate or borderline heart disease risk, particularly those with a family history of very early coronary artery disease, if statin therapy decision remains uncertain.

Apolipoprotein B (Apo B) Levels

Apolipoprotein B (Apo B) is a protein that transports cholesterol throughout your body, mainly carrying LDL and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), both of which can contribute to plaque buildup in your arteries. Consider Apo B as a taxi that primarily delivers “bad” cholesterol. High levels of Apo B in your blood can increase your risk of heart disease.

Performing an Apo B blood test to measure this protein and better understand your cholesterol levels is not routinely recommended. In certain cases, specifically in those with high triglyceride levels, elevated Apo B levels could indicate the need for cholesterol-lowering treatments, such as statins, to protect your heart health.

The Benefits of Statins

For most patients, the benefits of statins—such as reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease—far outweigh the potential risks. Statins have been proven to help people live longer, healthier lives by improving heart health.

If you have any concerns about statins or risk for other serious complications, your MPCP provider is here to help you decide what’s best for your health.

Dr. Green is a Maryland Primary Care Physicians, LLC partner and is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Family Medicine. He sees patients at the Glen Burnie office.

How To Tell If You Have Heart Disease

If you have heart disease, you get chest pains, right?

Not all heart problems come with such clear warning signs. Coronary disease includes a number of conditions, which have different symptoms. Learn the symptoms and you’ll be better prepared to head off a dangerous health episode.

Coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease develops when the arteries that supply blood to the heart become hardened and narrowed. This is often caused by build-up of cholesterol and other materials called plaque in your arteries. This build-up is called atherosclerosis. As it increases, it can reduce or block blood flow to the heart.

The most common symptom of coronary artery disease is angina or chest pain. People with angina describe it as a discomfort, heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, fullness, squeezing or painful feeling in the chest. It can be mistaken for indigestion or heartburn. Angina may also be felt in the shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw, teeth or back.

Coronary heart disease may lead to a heart attack. It can also weaken the heart muscle and cause heart failure or heart rhythm abnormalities (arrhythmias).

Heart attack

A heart attack occurs when blood supply to your heart is reduced or blocked, causing part of the heart muscle to die. Symptoms of a heart attack can include:

Chest discomfort ─ it can feel like an uncomfortable pressure, heaviness, squeezing or pain in the center or the left side of the chest
Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, neck, and one or both arms.
Fullness, indigestion or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn)
Sweating, nausea, vomiting or lightheadedness
Extreme fatigue that can last for days, anxiety or shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
Rapid or irregular heartbeats

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmia (heart rhythm problems) happens when the electrical impulses that regulate your heartbeats don’t work properly, causing your heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Atrial fibrillation is one type of heart arrhythmia. Symptoms of heart arrhythmia can include:

Palpitations ─ a feeling of skipped heart beats, fluttering or flip-flop sensation
Pounding in the chest
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Fainting or near fainting
Shortness of breath or wheezing
Chest pain
A racing or slow heartbeat
Weakness or fatigue (feeling very tired)

Heart valve disease

Heart valve disease occurs if one or more of your four heart valves don’t function properly. Birth defects, age-related changes, infections or other conditions can cause your heart valves to not open or close properly, or leaking which can cause blood to flow backwards into the heart chambers. Symptoms of heart valve disease can include:

Shortness of breath and or difficulty catching your breath
Unusual fatigue
Swelling in your legs, ankles, feet and abdomen
Fluttering, irregular or racing heartbeat
Dizziness or fainting

Heart failure

Heart failure is a condition in which your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. Some causes include coronary heart disease, heart valve abnormalities, heart attack, diabetes and high blood pressure. If you have heart failure, you may experience:

Shortness of breath during activity or at rest, especially when lying flat in bed
A dry, hacky cough that doesn’t go away or wheezing
Rapid weight gain, as much as 2-3 pounds per day
Swelling in ankles, feet, legs and abdomen
Fatigue or lightheadedness
Rapid or irregular heartbeats

Pericarditis

Pericarditis is inflammation of the lining around the heart. It causes chest pain and accumulations of fluid around the heart. Causes of pericarditis include infections, injury and radiation treatment. Pericarditis usually begins suddenly and is short lived.

The most common symptom of pericarditis is chest pain, but it’s different from the pain of a heart attack. It may be sharp and located to the center of the chest. It gets worse when lying down, taking a deep breath, coughing or swallowing. Sitting up and leaning forward improves the chest pain.

Symptoms of heart disease aren’t always clear-cut, and it may be difficult to tell what’s really going on. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, check with your health care provider. Or if they’re severe, call 911. It’s the fastest way to receive life-saving treatment.

Dr. David Jackson, M.D., FACC is a MPCP partner and is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both Cardiovascular and Internal Medicine. He sees patients in the Columbia Cardiology office.

Heart Smarts: Preventing Cardiovascular Disease

Dr. David Jackson, MPCP Columbia Cardiology

The Centers for Disease Control reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death among Americans. You aren’t able to change some risk factors ─ such as family history, sex or age – but heart disease is often linked to lifestyle, and you can significantly reduce your risk by making healthy choices. February is National Heart Month, so now’s a good time to get started.

1. Keep an eye on your plate. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help protect your heart. Beans, other low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease. Two examples of heart-healthy food plans include the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan and the Mediterranean diet.

2. Get moving. Regular exercise helps you control your weight and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Try getting at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week. But if you can’t make it to the gym, activities such as housekeeping, taking the stairs and walking the dog count toward your total.

3. Kick the habit. Most people know smoking causes cancer, but it can also damage your heart and blood vessels, causing narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and ultimately leading to a heart attack. The good news is it’s never too late to stop smoking, and when you quit, your risk of heart disease drops almost to that of a nonsmoker in about five years.

4. Get on the scale. Being overweight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. One way to see if your weight is healthy is to calculate your body mass index (BMI), which uses your height and weight to find your percentage of body fat. Try this online BMI calculator.

If you’re overweight, even a small weight loss will help you. Reducing your weight by just 5 to 10 percent can help decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.

5. Get enough quality sleep. It may surprise you to learn that people who don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and depression. If you wake up without your alarm clock and you feel refreshed, you’re getting enough sleep. But, if you’re constantly reaching for the snooze button and it’s a struggle to get out of bed, you need more sleep each night.

6. Get screened. High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your heart and blood vessels, but without testing for them, you probably won’t know whether you have them. If you have high risk for these diseases, such as obesity and family history, check with your doctor to see if you need these screenings.

Additionally, Maryland Primary Care Physicians offers a new testing method, called Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT), which can help identify people who may be at risk for developing cardiovascular disease. CIMT uses ultrasound to detect thickening in the inner lining of the carotid arteries in the neck, a risk factor for developing atherosclerosis, which often leads to a heart attack or stroke. Having this information can help you and your doctor devise a plan to lower your risk and prevent future problems.

Dr. David Jackson is board-certified in cardiology with extensive experience in all aspects of cardiovascular disease. He is is available for office consultations to assess patients’ cardiovascular risk factors. The Columbia Cardiology office provides high-quality, on-site cardiac stress testing and cardiac ultrasound testing. Contact us at 410-740-0789 or visit our site page.

New Test Identifies Heart & Stroke Risk Earlier

MPCP Cardiologist, Dr. David Kim Explains CIMT

We’ve made great strides in understanding the risk factors for heart disease and stroke. And we try to prevent them by eating well, exercising, controlling our blood pressure and cholesterol and avoiding bad habits, like smoking. But many people still suffer heart attacks and strokes despite these efforts. What if there was a way to identify a person’s risk earlier- and non-invasively? A new testing method, called Carotid Intima-Media Thickness- or CIMT- is doing just that.

CIMT testing utilizes ultrasound to examine the inner lining (i.e., Intima and Media layers) of the carotid arteries in your neck. These layers are known to gradually thicken over the years as part of the normal aging process. But if this thickening is accelerated, it suggests that that person may be at higher risk of eventually developing full atherosclerosis (“hardening of the arteries”) –the step that often leads to a heart attack or stroke. Indeed, multiple research studies have shown that premature intima-media thickening identifies those at a higher risk for a cardiac event even more than previously thought. Knowing your CIMT may be very useful in formulating a more precise strategy of prevention that is targeted for you.

CIMT testing is most appropriate for individuals between 40 and 70 years old, especially in those with a history of smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or family history of heart disease. This test is NOT recommended if you already have a history of coronary artery disease (such as previous heart attack, bypass surgery, or heart angioplasty/stent), previous stroke, or known peripheral arterial disease.

CIMT testing is quick (about 20 minutes), non-invasive and pain-free. Because it uses ultrasound technology, there is no exposure to any harmful radiation. No special preparation is needed.

CIMT testing is available at our MPCP Columbia Cardiology practice. It costs $70 and is not covered by insurance. After the completion of the study, a result report with detailed explanation will be mailed to you and your health care provider(s). Your CIMT result can then be used in conjunction with known cardiovascular risk factors to more precisely assess your risk of future cardiovascular events.

If you have any questions, or would like to make an appointment, please contact the Columbia Cardiology office at 410-740-0789 or visit our site page.

Dr. Jackson is a Maryland Primary Care Physicians, LLC partner and is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both Cardiovascular and Internal Medicine. Dr. Jackson is a graduate of Harvard College in Cambridge, MA. He received his medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in 1980 and completed his residency program in Internal Medicine at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center in 1983. Dr. Jackson completed his cardiology fellowship at Norwalk Hospital, an affiliate of Yale University School of Medicine, in 1985.

Dr. Kim joined Maryland Primary Care Physicians, LLC in 2012 and is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both Cardiovascular and Internal Medicine. Dr. Kim is a graduate of Duke University. He received his medical degree from State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine in 2002 and completed his residency program in Internal Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in 2005. Dr. Kim completed his cardiology fellowship at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry in 2008.