Sitting in one place, not leaving your seat to risk an injury of any kind or exposure to disease or any external danger… seems like literally the safest thing to do, right?
Ahem. Your heart would like a word.
A sedentary lifestyle is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, as it can lead to obesity; heighten risk for hypertension, stroke, and diabetes; and contribute to stress, which tends to be relieved by exercise. Throw in an unhealthy or uneven diet, abrupt schedule changes, and a weather- or pandemic-induced urge to stay put and hibernate, and it’s not surprising we’ve all slipped up at least a bit at times on a heart-friendly lifestyle.
The medical community has been hyper-focused on Covid-19 recently, but as we enter a third year of living with the novel coronavirus, interventional cardiologist Dr. Courtney Krathen urges a renewed focus on the basics, starting with a current picture of your heart's health through lab work and a detailed discussion of those results with your physician.
"That can kind of 'get you in the game,'" she says. "Getting fasting labs, getting a baseline EKG, starting in your 30s -- I think this is so important. And just talking with your doctor about your lifestyle habits, because some things that you may not think are modifiable, ARE modifiable."
KYW’s Rasa Kaye talks with Dr. Krathen about Covid’s effects on cardiac care, surprising heart attack signals your body might send, and easy ways to more robust heart health that every patient can pursue.
Visit HeartDiseaseScore.org to learn more about heart disease, the signs and symptoms and to evaluate your risk factors.
To schedule an appointment, visit DemandDeborah.org or call 609-831-4456.