When it comes to heart attacks or strokes, getting quick and specialized help is vital for survival. Yet, preventing these health scares begins much earlier, often within the walls of your local doctor’s office.
A recent study highlights how essential everyday healthcare, provided by general doctors and nurses, is in stopping heart-related issues before they start.
Sometimes, though, people miss out on this preventative care for various reasons, including not making the time to see their doctor.
The research zeroes in on seven key factors identified by the American Heart Association as crucial in avoiding heart disease.
These include managing high cholesterol, keeping blood pressure in check, controlling diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, staying active, and getting enough sleep. The study didn’t look into the eighth factor, which is eating healthy, due to lack of data.
Interestingly, the study found that most people who are at risk for heart disease, or are already managing their risk with medication, primarily see general healthcare providers. Very few consult with heart specialists directly.
This underscores the importance of regular visits to primary care clinics where doctors can oversee the health of the whole person, not just their heart.
However, a significant number of people with these risk factors didn’t see any healthcare provider in the past year. This includes more than half of all smokers, a large portion of those who aren’t physically active, and many dealing with obesity.
Even among those on medication for heart health, a surprising number hadn’t seen a doctor or nurse in the past year.
The findings, shared by experts from Michigan Medicine, OhioHealth, and Weill Cornell Medicine, stem from interviews with over 66,000 adults. These discussions offered a detailed look into Americans’ health habits and their interactions with the healthcare system.
Doctors Jeremy Sussman and Madeline Sterling, who were part of the study, emphasize the critical role of primary care in preventing heart disease. They argue that effective prevention requires doctors who can regularly see patients and treat them holistically.
This is especially crucial as America faces challenges in ensuring everyone has access to primary healthcare.
A shortage of general healthcare providers and their uneven distribution across the country means some people might wait too long for appointments or struggle to find a doctor accepting new patients.
Delay in care can mean missing the chance to spot and manage risk factors early, such as starting or adjusting medications. Therefore, anyone with a risk factor for heart disease should aim to see their primary care provider at least once a year.
This could even be a virtual visit. Regular check-ups can help people get the most benefit from their medications and can prevent heart issues before they start.
For primary care providers, this ability to manage conditions like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes is vital.
They also play a key role in helping patients quit smoking and can guide them towards resources for nutrition, weight management, exercise programs, and sleep disorder treatments.
Looking ahead, improving access to primary care through policy changes, training more providers, and supporting them in managing heart health is essential.
In the meantime, individuals with any heart disease risk factors are encouraged to make an appointment with their clinic or find a primary care provider if they don’t already have one. This proactive step could be crucial in preventing the next heart attack or stroke.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
The research findings can be found in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
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