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Ask the Health Expert: Heart-Smart Advice
Q: How can I tell if I might have high blood pressure? Are there signs?
A: "You could have high blood
pressure for years without
suspecting it," warns David S. Zukoff,
M.D., chief of cardiology at Riverview
Medical Center. "Although you feel
perfectly well, your heart is working
dangerously hard."
Uncontrolled high blood pressure
can lead to:
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Kidney failure
- Vision loss
The risk for high blood pressure
increases if you are overweight, and
if you are a man older than age 45
or a woman older than 55. Risk levels
also jump up if you have a family
history of high blood pressure or if
your blood pressure is already just
above normal.
"The good news is that, with proper
treatment, the effects of this silent
killer can be prevented or reduced,"
says Dr. Zukoff. "But the only way
to find out if your pressure is high is
to have it checked. The sooner you
know your blood pressure is rising,
the sooner you can stop it."
Q: I know New York
City banned trans fats,
but are they really that
bad for you?
A: "While a certain amount of
fat is essential for regulating
bodily functions, trans fats are the
most unhealthy type of fat," answers
Scott R. Eisenberg, D.O., FACC,
a cardiologist with Jersey Shore
University Medical Center. "Trans
fats raise the level of bad cholesterol,
or LDL, in the blood. They also lower
good cholesterol, called HDL."
Trans fats often lurk in fried or
baked goods, solid shortening, and
stick margarine. Here are a few of
Dr. Eisenberg's healthy tips to "trans"
form your diet and sharpen your
focus on wellness:
- Replace stick margarine, butter
and lard, and hydrogenated oils
with vegetable oils and soft or
liquid margarines.
- Trade in pastries, muffins,
doughnuts, and fried foods for
whole-grain cereals and breads,
fruits, and vegetables.
- When you eat out, ask what
fats are used for cooking, sauces,
and dressings. Plenty of restaurants
now feature foods without
trans fats.
Q: Is it posible to mistake a heart attack for heartburn?
A: "The two can be tough to tell
apart," says Vincent Vivona,
D.O., J.D., FACP, a cardiologist with
Ocean Medical Center. "That's why
it's imperative to check with your primary
care physician or cardiologist
for any type of chest pain."
Time is very important in the
treatment of heart attack patients.
"The sooner treatment is initiated, the
more heart muscle can be saved. Time
is muscle," states Dr. Vivona.
And remember that chest pain isn't
the only sign of a heart attack. "Many
patients experience lesser-known
warning symptoms," says Dr. Vivona.
These may include:
- Pain in the back, neck, jaw, stomach, or arm
- "Fullness" or pressure in the chest that lasts longer than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back
- Trouble breathing
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Cold sweats or dizziness
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Eisenberg, Scott R., D.O.
Board certified in Internal Medicine
Sea Girt, NJ 08750
(732) 974-6700
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Vivona, Vincent, JD, D.O.
Board certified in Internal Medicine
Toms River, NJ 08755
(732) 240-3700
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Zukoff, David S., M.D.
Board certified in Internal Medicine
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
(732) 741-7400
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