Keep your heart healthy.

Your heart keeps you going. You may feel sick, tired and weak when it isn’t working as it should.

Improving your heart health is easier than you may think. By having access to excellent health care, you will regain your energy and strength, often without the need for surgery or an extended hospital stay.

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease, also known as the heart and circulatory disease, is a general term for heart and blood vessel disorders. These disorders include:

• Coronary heart disease
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Congenital heart disease
• Deep vein thrombosis 
• Atrial fibrillation

Cardiovascular diseases are caused by a build-up of fatty deposits that prevents blood from flowing to the heart or brain. It can also be caused by damaged arteries in the brain, heart, kidneys and eyes.

Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases

There is no exact cause of cardiovascular disease, but there are various risk factors that increase the chance of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as:

• Smoking – the chemicals in a cigarette make the arterial walls sticky, causing the fatty materials to stick, which can clog the arteries later. For more information on the benefits of quitting smoking, click here. You can also ask one of our cardiologists at West Palm Beach for tips and guidance on quitting smoking.
• Stress – stress per se does not cause cardiovascular disease; relieving stress through unhealthy food and lifestyle can contribute to cardiovascular disease.
• Alcohol – alcohol can cause abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure, damaged heart muscles and weight gain. 
• High blood pressure – consistent high blood pressure even when resting may indicate something wrong with your heart.
• High blood cholesterol – too much bad cholesterol may be harmful because it tends to stick to the arterial walls, which can cause build-up.
• Sedentary lifestyle – exercising regularly keeps the heart healthy, especially when combined with a healthy diet. 
• Being overweight or obese – being overweight can cause fat build-up in the arteries, which can cause heart attacks.
• Diabetes – too much glucose build-up may damage arteries.
• Family history of heart disease – heart diseases can run in families. If a heart condition runs in the family, we suggest having yourself checked for that disease for early diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
• Race – South Asian and Black African or African Caribbean are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease in the UK.
• Sex – men are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than women
• Age – the risk of having cardiovascular disease increases as you grow older. Cardiovascular disease is more common in people aged 50 and above.

Cardiologists suggest regular check-ups, especially if you have one or more risk factors. Let our heart doctors at the Cardiology department at West Palm Beach provide you with the cardiovascular care you deserve.

Symptoms of Cardiovascular Diseases

Symptoms vary according to the specific disease; sometimes, there might be no symptoms, and a heart attack may be the first sign of an underlying illness. However, if you or a loved one experiences these symptoms, it would be best to consult one of our heart doctors at West Palm Beach:

• pain or pressure in the chest, which may indicate angina
• pain or discomfort in the arms, left shoulder, elbows, jaw, or back
• shortness of breath
• nausea and fatigue
• lightheadedness or dizziness
• cold sweats

Heart Attack
Here are the symptoms of a heart attack to watch out for:

• Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest
• Pain or discomfort in the arms, left shoulder, elbows, jaw or back
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Lightheadedness 
• Cold Sweat

Stroke
Please seek immediate attention when you experience BE FAST.

• B-Balance Difficulties
• E-Eyesight Changes
• F-Face drooping
• A- Arm Weakness
• S- Speech difficulty
• T- Time to call 911

Other Symptoms

• Numbness or weakness in one side of the body
• Confusion 
• Trouble seeing
• Trouble walking, losing balance or coordination
• Severe headache with unknown cause

Treating the Whole Heart

The heart is a complex organ that keeps your body moving through life. Because it is so intricate, several different conditions can affect the heart. At St. Mary’s Medical Center, our heart doctors and their team will use their combined knowledge and resources to find out what’s bothering your heart, then create a treatment plan that works for you with excellent cardiovascular care throughout the treatment process.

Our cardiologists at West Palm Beach provide resources that can help you navigate your heart journey. St. Mary’s Medical Center offers the following tests:

• Ambulatory electrocardiogram
• Cardiac catheterization
• Computed tomography (CT) scan
• Echocardiogram
• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) 
• Exercise or stress test 
• X-ray 

Heart specialists at West Palm Beach at St. Mary’s Medical Center also perform the following heart disease treatment procedures:

• Artificial valve surgery
• Atherectomy
• Balloon angioplasty
• Bypass surgery
• Cardiomyoplasty
• Catheter ablation
• Minimally invasive heart surgery
• Permanent pacemaker implantation
• Stent placement 

What Does a Cardiologist Do?

A cardiologist is a physician who specializes in diagnosing, preventing and treating various conditions related to the heart, veins and arteries. A heart specialist usually has at least ten years of education and clinical training and passes a cardiology exam provided by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).

Why Do You Need to See a Cardiologist?

Heart disease remains the top cause of death for men and women in the United States. It’s recommended to see a cardiologist if you have any of the following factors that may increase your risk for heart disease:

• Clinical depression
• Consuming an unhealthy diet
• Diabetes or insulin resistance
• Excessive drinking
• Family history of heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Physical inactivity
• Smoking
• Stress

Please see one of our heart doctors at West Palm Beach if you’re experiencing symptoms of a heart condition.

St. Mary’s Medical Center - One hospital for all your heart health needs

When it comes to your heart health, it's important to work with a healthcare provider you can trust. That’s why so many heart patients choose St. Mary’s Medical Center. We are committed to researching and providing the best possible cardiac care. Our commitment to our patients is one of the reasons we have received awards from the American Heart Association and earned the designation of CIGNA Center of Excellence for General Cardiac Medical, a reflection of our success in both clinical excellence and patient outcomes.

Quality health care is critical when treating diseases of the heart. Our commitment means better results for you, less uncertainty about the future, and the chance to live worry-free lives. By putting your heart in the care of our doctors, you will also receive patient services that are equally devoted to giving you a positive outcome.