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Heart disease

Diagnosis

The tests you'll need to diagnose your heart disease depend on what condition your doctor thinks you might have. No matter what type of heart disease you have, your doctor will likely perform a physical exam and ask about your personal and family medical history before doing any tests. Besides blood tests and a chest X-ray, tests to diagnose heart disease can include:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG). An ECG records these electrical signals and can help your doctor detect irregularities in your heart's rhythm and structure. You may have an ECG while you're at rest or while exercising (stress electrocardiogram).
• Holter monitoring. A Holter monitor is a portable device you wear to record a continuous ECG, usually for 24 to 72 hours. Holter monitoring is used to detect heart rhythm irregularities that aren't found during a regular ECG exam.
• Echocardiogram. This noninvasive exam, which includes an ultrasound of your chest, shows detailed images of your heart's structure and function.
• Stress test. This type of test involves raising your heart rate with exercise or medicine while performing heart tests and imaging to check how your heart responds.
• Cardiac catheterization. In this test, a short tube (sheath) is inserted into a vein or artery in your leg (groin) or arm. A hollow, flexible and longer tube (guide catheter) is then inserted into the sheath. Aided by X-ray images on a monitor, your doctor threads the guide catheter through that artery until it reaches your heart.
  The pressures in your heart chambers can be measured, and dye can be injected. The dye can be seen on an X-ray, which helps your doctor see the blood flow through your heart, blood vessels and valves to check for abnormalities.
• Cardiac computerized tomography (CT) scan. This test is often used to check for heart problems. In a cardiac CT scan, you lie on a table inside a doughnut-shaped machine. An X-ray tube inside the machine rotates around your body and collects images of your heart and chest.
• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For this test, you lie on a table inside a long tube-like machine that produces a magnetic field. The magnetic field produces pictures to help your doctor evaluate your heart.

Treatment

Heart disease treatments vary by condition. For instance, if you have a heart infection, you'll likely be given antibiotics. In general, treatment for heart disease usually includes:

• Lifestyle changes. These include eating a low-fat and low-sodium diet, getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol intake.
• Medications. If lifestyle changes alone aren't enough, your doctor may prescribe medications to control your heart disease. The type of medication will depend on the type of heart disease.
• Medical procedures or surgery. If medications aren't enough, it's possible your doctor will recommend specific procedures or surgery. The type of procedure will depend on the type of heart disease and the extent of the damage to your heart.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic

Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this disease.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Heart disease can be improved — or even prevented — by making certain lifestyle changes. The following changes can help anyone who wants to improve heart health:

• Stop smoking. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, especially atherosclerosis. Quitting is the best way to reduce your risk of heart disease and its complications.
• Control your blood pressure. Ask your doctor for a blood pressure measurement at least every two years. He or she may recommend more frequent measurements if your blood pressure is higher than normal or you have a history of heart disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, as measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
• Check your cholesterol. Ask your doctor for a baseline cholesterol test when you're in your 20s and then at least every five years. You may need to start testing earlier if high cholesterol is in your family. If your test results aren't within desirable ranges, your doctor may recommend more frequent measurements.
  Most people should aim for an LDL level below 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 3.4 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). If you have other risk factors for heart disease, you should aim for an LDL below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L). If you're at very high risk of heart disease — if you've already had a heart attack or have diabetes, for example — aim for an even lower LDL level — below 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L).
• Keep diabetes under control. If you have diabetes, tight blood sugar control can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Move. Exercise helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight and control diabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure — all risk factors for heart disease. If you have a heart arrhythmia or heart defect, there may be some restrictions on the activities you can do, so talk to your doctor.
  With your doctor's OK, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.
• Eat healthy foods. A heart-healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains — and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugar — can help you control your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases your risk of heart disease. A BMI of less than 25 and a waist circumference of 35 inches (88.9 centimeters) or less is the goal for preventing and treating heart disease.
• Manage stress. Reduce stress as much as possible. Practice techniques for managing stress, such as muscle relaxation and deep breathing.
• Deal with depression. Being depressed can increase your risk of heart disease significantly. Talk to your doctor if you feel hopeless or uninterested in your life.
• Practice good hygiene. Stay away from people with infectious diseases such as colds, get vaccinated against the flu, regularly wash your hands, and brush and floss your teeth regularly to keep yourself well.

Also, get regular medical checkups. Early detection and treatment can set the stage for a lifetime of better heart health.

Coping and support

You may feel frustrated, upset or overwhelmed upon learning you or your loved one has heart disease. Fortunately, there are ways to help cope with heart disease or improve your condition. These include:

• Cardiac rehabilitation. For people who have cardiovascular disease that's caused a heart attack or has required surgery to correct, cardiac rehabilitation is often recommended as a way to improve treatment and speed recovery. Cardiac rehabilitation involves levels of monitored exercise, nutritional counseling, emotional support, and support and education about lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of heart problems.
• Support groups. Turning to friends and family for support is essential, but if you need more help, talk to your doctor about joining a support group. You may find that talking about your concerns with others with similar difficulties can help.
• Continued medical checkups. If you have a recurring or chronic heart condition, regularly check in with your doctor to make sure you're properly managing your heart condition.

Preparing for your appointment

Some types of heart disease will be discovered without an appointment — for example, if a child is born with a serious heart defect, it will be detected soon after birth. In other cases, your heart disease may be diagnosed in an emergency situation, such as a heart attack.

If you think you have heart disease or are worried about your heart disease risk because of your family history, see your family doctor. You may be referred to a heart specialist (cardiologist).

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

• Be aware of pre-appointment restrictions. When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet. You may need to fast before a cholesterol test, for example.
• Write down symptoms you're experiencing, including any that seem unrelated to heart disease.
• Write down key personal information — including a family history of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure or diabetes — and major stresses or recent life changes.
• Make a list of medications, vitamins or supplements you're taking.
• Take someone along, if possible. Someone who accompanies you can help you remember information you're given.
• Be prepared to discuss your diet and your smoking and exercise habits. If you don't already follow a diet or exercise routine, talk to your doctor about getting started.
• Write down questions to ask your doctor.

For heart disease, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

• What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
• What are other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
• What tests will I need?
• What's the best treatment?
• What foods should I eat or avoid?
• What's an appropriate level of physical activity?
• How often should I be screened for heart disease? For example, how often do I need a cholesterol test?
• What are alternatives to the primary approach you're suggesting?
• I have other health conditions. How do I manage them together?
• Are there restrictions that I need to follow?
• Should I see a specialist?
• Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
• Are there brochures or other materials that I can have? What websites do you recommend?

Don't hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you questions, such as:

• When did your symptoms begin?
• Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
• What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
• Do you have a family history of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or other serious illness?

What you can do in the meantime

It's never too early to make healthy lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, eating healthy foods and becoming more physically active. These are primary lines of defense against heart disease and its complications.

Dr. Joy Mercader

If you have any Cardiology- Electrophysiology concerns, you may visit or contact us at:

Dr. Joy Mercader

Medical Plaza Makati 

Suite 1706
Amorsolo St, Legazpi Village
Makati City
Mobile 📱 +639158597685

#Electrophysiology #healthyheartadvice #Cardiologist #Doctor

Heart disease

is one of the leading causes of death for both men and women in the Philippines . Take steps today to lower your risk of heart disease.

To help prevent heart disease, you can:

Eat healthy.https://web.facebook.com/joy.mercader.739
Get active.
Stay at a healthy weight.
Quit smoking and stay away from second hand smoke.
Control your cholesterol and blood pressure.
Drink alcohol only in moderation.
Manage stress.

AM I AT RISK FOR HEART DISEASE?

You are at higher risk for heart disease if you:

Have high cholesterol or high blood pressure
smoke
Are overweight or obese
Don't get enough physical activity
Don't eat a healthy diet
Your age and family history also affect your risk for heart disease. 

Your risk is higher if: 

You are a woman over age 55
You are a man over age 45
Your father or brother had heart disease before age 55
Your mother or sister had heart disease before age 65
But the good news is there's a lot you can do to prevent heart disease.

If you have an irregular heartbeat, an Electrophysiologist, can diagnose and help treat arrhythmias

Some individuals who suffer from arrhythmias do not require treatment. However, if the arrhythmia is considered clinically significant, in that it causes adverse symptoms or could cause complications in the future (eg heart failure or stroke), then a treatment plan is required.

If you have any Cardiology- Electrophysiology concerns, you may visit or contact us at:

Medical Plaza Makati
Suite 1706
Amorsolo St, Legazpi Village
Makati City
Mobile 📱 +639158597685

#Electrophysiology #healthyheartadvice #Cardiologist #Doctor

A Month Before A Heart Attack, Your Body Will Warn You With These 8 Signs

A Month Before A Heart Attack, Your Body Will Warn You With These 8 Signs

Are you sure that your lifestyle is healthy enough to stave off a heart attack?

Here is a list of risk factors for heart attacks: smoking, unhealthy diet and obesity, lack of exercise, alcohol use, high blood pressure and diabetes. If you are an average person or an average world citizen for that matter, you probably sport one or more of these risk factors.

Chest Pain

This is the most obvious sign of an impending heart attack. If you have a blocked artery or  having a heart attack, you may feel pain, tightness, or pressure in your chest.

Men and women experience chest pains in different intensities and forms. In men, this symptom refers to the most important early signs of an impending heart attack that should not be ignored. On the other hand, it affects only 30% of women.

Shortness of Breath

Breathlessness, or dyspnoea, is a common symptom of several medical conditions, heart problems being one of them. If the heart muscle is not pumping effectively, pressure can build up within the lungs and the chambers of the heart, creating the sensation of breathlessness.

It often occurs among men and women for up to 6 months prior to having a heart attack.

Insomnia

Insomnia is also associated with an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke. A decrease in oxygen levels — caused by changes in the heart due to heart disease — may trigger subtle changes that lead to anxiety, insomnia, and agitation that can’t be explained by normal circumstances. People who’ve had a heart attack often realize afterwards they began to experience anxiety and sleep problems in the months before the attack. Could this be the body’s way of warning you that something’s not right?

Abdominal pain

Abdominal pains, empty/full stomach nausea, feeling bloated, or an upset stomach may sometimes be warning symptoms of heart attack.  It’s easy to attribute these to indigestion or acid reflux disease instead of a heart problem. These symptoms are equally likely to occur among women and men.

Poor circulation and lack of oxygen circulating in the blood (caused by a weak heart or blocked arteries) can lead to nausea, indigestion, or vomiting, particularly in women or people over 60.

                               Chronic Fatigue

If you are constantly feeling tired and sluggish, and it’s unprecedented, there might be a lack of blood flow to your heart. This generally occurs when there is a large build-up of plaque in the arteries that carry the blood to-and-from the heart.

                                      Hair Loss 

Losing your hair is considered to be just another visible indicator of the risk of heart disease. Most commonly it affects men over 50, but some women may also be in the risk group. Baldness is also associated with an increased level of the hormone cortisol. However, if you have this symptom, there are other diseases other than heart disease that should be ruled out.

                      

                                 Irregular heartbeat

It’s normal for your heart rate to increase when you’re nervous or excited, but if you feel like your heart is beating out of time for more than just a few seconds, or if it happens often, it might be a sign that you’re having an arrhythmia that may lead to a heart attack.

                          

                               Excessive perspiration

Unusual or excessive sweating is an early warning sign of a heart attack. It might occur at any time of the day or night. According to WebMD, breaking out in a cold sweat for no obvious reason could also signal a heart attack. However, other diseases, should also be ruled out.

Moreover, it’s more common for women to experience excessive sweating and it’s often confused with the hot flushes associated with menopause.

You may contact or visit us: click here  

dr mary joseph mercader 

Cardiologist-Electrophysiologist

Medical Plaza Makati
Suite 1706
Amorsolo St. Legazpi Village Makati City

LET'S TAKE CARE OF ALL OUR HEARTS ....

It’s about saying to ourselves, the people we care about and individuals all around the world, “what can I do right now to look after MY HEART… and YOUR HEART?” It also resonates with the professional cardiology and healthcare audience who dedicate themselves to looking after ALL OUR HEARTS❤Gma News.Tv. 

You may contact or visit us: click here  

dr mary joseph mercader 

Cardiologist-Electrophysiologist

Medical Plaza Makati
Suite 1706
Amorsolo St. Legazpi Village Makati City

What you can do to protect your heart ?

What is Electrophysiology, and How Can it Help You?

Electrophysiology (EP) is a subspecialty of cardiology that focuses on the evaluation, diagnosis, management and potential cure of abnormal heart rhythms. While EP focuses on the electrical issues of the heart, the specialty also has close interaction with other fields in Cardiology and Medicine in general. As I tell my patients, I am essentially an “electrician of the heart,” with the heart being a mechanical pump that requires the electrical function to work appropriately.

Over the past 40 years, EP has evolved to include therapies that involve the implantation and management of cardiac devices, such as pacemakers, defibrillators and long-term monitors called loop recorders, as well as catheter-based procedures known as ablations, to diagnose and treat certain arrhythmias. Each patient has a unique situation, with a unique history and comorbid conditions, so the treatment approach for two patients with the same diagnosis may differ, underscoring the wide range of options we often have in treating a single type of arrhythmia.

Cardiac arrhythmia issues are fairly common, and chances are that you may know many people with rhythm disorders. The most common type in the adult population is atrial fibrillation (AF), which tends to be more prevalent with age. Indeed, as our population in general ages, the prevalence of AF is rising rapidly, with up to 20 percent of people over 80 affected by the condition.

Other common rhythm disorders include atrial flutter and supraventricular tachycardia, each of which has its own risks and treatment options. Certain rhythm disorders (arrhythmias ) need to be treated with implanted devices such as pacemakers , AICD, CRT and CRT-D, due to the risk of cardiac arrest, the risk of having significant symptomatic bradycardia ( less than 40 bpm during waking hours ), and severe symptomatic heart failure despite optimal medical therapy. 

Typically, more invasive EP procedures (pacemakers, defibrillators, ablations) are done only after extensive discussion between the Electrophysiologist and the patient, having considered both the risks and benefits of such a procedure. Ultimately, as with all important medical decisions, the final treatment decision lies with the patient, once he or she has been fully educated on the available options.

What to Know About EP Procedures 

Thankfully, EP procedures generally carry relatively low levels of risk. Depending on the type and expected duration of a procedure, general anesthesia may be used; in other cases, light or moderate (conscious, or twilight) sedation may be employed. Most procedures require just a single night in the hospital, and patients usually can return to regular activity in about a week for ablations, or two weeks for pacemakers and defibrillators. 

If cardiac arrhythmias are left untreated, consequences can vary greatly. In most benign cases, the patient will simply experience symptoms such as palpitations or fatigue.

Heart Rhythm Disorder? 

If you are experiencing symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath with exertion or excessive fatigue that is new, or a feeling that you may pass out, you may consult with your primary care physician first. If the symptoms are so severe that you feel your safety is at risk, seek emergency care. Arrhythmias often come and go, and if not present on an initial electrocardiogram (ECG ) evaluation, it may be difficult to confirm the arrhythmia until it is recorded on a longer-term cardiac monitoring such as holder monitoring or use of loop recorders.

If you have any Cardiology or Electrophysiology concerns, you may contact or visit us at:

Click here ⇰ Dr Mary Joseph Mercader

Medical Plaza Makati 

Suite 1706
Amorsolo St., Legazpi Village
Makati City
Mobile 📱+639158597685

#Electrophysiology #healthyheartadvice #Cardiologist

Electrophysiology

When do you need to see an Electrophysiologist?

EP catheters in the heart

When you experience an irregular heartbeat or have been noted to have an arrhythmia , you would need to see a specialist on heart rhythm disorders, an Electrophysiologist. An Electrophysiologist can help diagnose and treat cardiac arrhythmias as this is his/her field of expertise.

Devices: 

The other procedural aspect of Electrophysiology is implantation of cardiac devices.Pacemakers,Defibrillators (ICDs) and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT=BiVentricular) are placed under the skin in the upper chest and are connected to wires that are snaked through veins and positioned into the heart for sensing, pacing and shock delivery. Although it takes time to learn the surgical installation process, and attention to detail to do it well, the far greater challenge in device management is skillfully applying these complex therapies in the management of patients–the judgment part.

You may contact or visit us: 
click here ⬇
Dra Mary Joseph Mercader

Cardiologist-Electrophysiologist

Medical Plaza Makati
Suite 1706
Amorsolo St. Legazpi Village Makati City

Hospital Affiliation: Makati Medical Center

Mobile no: +639158597685