Hello everyone! Welcome to our blog, your point of reference for everything to do with the fascinating world of the heart.
With the modern times we live in, keeping up to date and knowing a lot about general wellbeing and especially heart health is a real necessity.
Imagine sailing effortlessly through the complex ocean that is cardiology with us as your reliable compass! 🧭
So come and join us as we unravel the mysteries surrounding this noble human organ. Together, let's discover how to take optimal care of our heart.
Understanding the importance of heart health
It's true to say that heart health is as vital to us humans as a working engine is to a car. You know what I mean? The gizmo that makes your chariot purr and gets you from one place to another without a care in the world. 🚗
Now, just take a second to imagine if this beautiful machine started to go off the rails: it struggles to start some days, or even worse - gets bogged down in the middle of the road... Not a very happy picture, is it?
This analogy perfectly illustrates how our heart works! It acts as an engine, entirely devoted to our vital organs.
He never stops supplying every nook and cranny with the precious reddish liquid known as blood - simply essential for staying alive!
But why doesn't everyone pamper their own vital organ more? 🤔
Curious, isn't it? We often don't realize the extent of the damage until it's too late... It's like forgetting that little red light flashing on your dashboard. Well, expect your car to abandon you in the middle of a crowded freeway.
Makes you think... 💡
To truly understand your heart, let me introduce you to your ultimate guide: cardiology!
It's a super-captivating medical specialty whose mission is to enlighten you about how your heart works and guide you towards the right behaviors.
Cardiologists are the heroes of this story, as they play an essential role in helping you get to know your vital organ better, detecting any problems and giving you all the keys to maintaining top heart health! 🦸
Ready to delve into this science of our little hearts and discover its valuable contribution to your well-being? Let's get started together!
What do we do in cardiology?
Ever wondered what we do in the field of cardiology? It's a super-specific part of medicine that deals with the heart and everything to do with this essential organ.
Visualize yourself in an imposing hospital where the beating of hearts never ceases - that's where our dear colleagues, the cardiologists, come into action.
Cardio specialists spend a lot of time around patients. They delve into the patient's medical history, carry out various physical tests and wield all manner of sophisticated equipment to detect heart problems. 🕵️
And what comes next after this feat?
Our valiant doctors take time out to chat with their patients. They have to explain the results obtained and concoct a tailor-made treatment plan for each of them.
This means prescribing specific drugs, recommending a change in diet or promulgating more physical exercise - each patient is entitled to his or her own personalized therapeutic itinerary.
So here's the deal: working in cardiology means not only fighting some of the most widespread and deadly diseases of our time on a daily basis - but also working alongside survivors to help them on the road to recovery. better heart health. ❤️
Cardiologist assistant listening heart of senior woman with stethoscope during consultation and wearing face mask against coronavirus outbreak. Medical examination for infections, disease.
When should you see a cardiologist?
You may be asking yourself, "When is the right time to see a cardiologist?" It's a fair question, and I'll do my best to answer it.
We're not cardiologists at Cardio Laval, but we frequent them regularly between heart examinations for our patients.
While we accompany you through all the tests from holter to echo, the cardiologist is the doctor of cardiology: that branch of medicine which deals with heart ailments and a number of concerns related to our circulatory system.
You don't necessarily need to have any particular or serious symptoms to decide to consult a cardio ...
Many people have the preconceived notion that you have to feel pain in your chest or be on the verge of heart failure before you'll even consider making an appointment with a heart specialist. But nothing could be further from the truth!
Why might someone need to consult a heart specialist, you may ask? Well, there are a multitude of possible reasons. 🔍
➡️ You could be bothered by ever-rising blood pressure or blood cholesterol levels that have a nasty tendency to spiral out of control.
➡️ Or your GP may have told you during a routine check-up that that strange little noise he hears when he places his stethoscope on your chest is what's known as a heart murmur.
➡️ And let's not forget those situations when someone very close to us falls ill with a cardiovascular disease, and we're desperately seeking more information from the specialist.
And even if no one around us has been diagnosed with the damn disease... well, often we just feel something abnormal lurking deep inside - as if our body is slowly but surely trying to let us know that something's going on under the hood!
➡️ Our hectic lifestyles or poor eating habits can have an impact on our heart health over the years. ⌛
Let's see what kind of alarming symptoms might require expert intervention.
Common symptoms of cardiovascular disease
Sometimes it can be really hard to spot the signs of heart disease. They're so subtle that you might think it's something else, something less serious. But it's important to be aware of these symptoms, because our little heart is an organ essential to life.
So, can you think of any obvious clues we should all be on the lookout for?
🚨 The first thing that comes to mind right away is chest pain... You know that feeling of having something crushing or squeezing your ribcage? Sometimes you can feel a pain that travels all the way up to your arms, neck or jaw.
🚨 Then comes that feeling of being out of breath. Have you ever broken down after climbing a few steps or making a slight physical effort? If so, it's possible that your heart is struggling to send out enough blood to supply the oxygen your body needs. 🌬️
🚨 Then there's the less obvious stuff like dizziness and malaise. Have you ever experienced that weird sensation of spinning in a vacuum without understanding why? Or worse still, have you ever found yourself on the floor without remembering how you got there? These symptoms may be linked to a not-so-clean heartbeat or other cardiovascular concerns.
🚨 And finally, let's talk about the big fatigue hit. Okay, we're all exhausted at times - but if you're constantly feeling drained even when no specific reason is obvious and that feeling persists no matter what... Well, it could be your heart mechanics. 🥱
These are just a few of the common signs associated with cardiovascular problems - but never forget: everyone reacts differently, and these symptoms can change radically between two individuals.
Display of a hospital cardiac machine in a hospital room
Identify common cardiovascular diseases
Understanding common heart diseases helps us take care of our main pump. You see, our heart is like a hyper-efficient engine that distributes blood to every corner of our body, and sometimes there can be little technical hiccups.
Take theangina pectoris It occurs when the heart muscle lacks oxygen. It's exactly like trying to get your car to run without adding a drop of petrol! ⛽
And then there's the famous high blood pressure A kind of intense pressure on the walls of the arteries that can impair their proper functioning over time. Have you ever thought about the stress a garden hose endures when you turn the tap all the way on? Makes a good parallel, doesn't it? 🚰
And then there's this thing called heart failure It's as if our heart isn't strong enough to pump all the blood our body needs. See that old bicycle with the flat tires, struggling to move forward? Well, that's what heart muscle failure feels like. 🚲
And then, of course, there's the dreadful infarction A situation in which a piece of heart muscle dies because it has not received enough oxygen. 💔
Despite their differences, these disorders all have one thing in common: they wreak havoc on that precious internal engine we all love so much: the heart!
So now that we know about some of the major cardiovascular diseases, what's the next logical step?
What can we do to avoid their appearance on our health radar?
Always remember that prevention is better than cure when it comes to cardiovascular disease! Ideally, we should all adopt a healthier lifestyle to minimize future risks.
Female hands hold healthy food in heart, top view
Heart prevention: techniques and advice
You've got to admit that protecting our little hearts is just as important to you as it is to me! Perhaps you have some questions about how to keep this treasure in tip-top shape?
The first step obviously involves the plate. Honestly, I can go on and on about how crucial it is to eat not only fresh fruit and vegetables, but also a diet rich in whole grains and lean proteins. Not to mention, of course - the less salt you put in your recipe, the better! 🥗
And that's not the whole story... It's super important to move around a bit for heart health, you know? Take it easy with 30 minutes of exercise a day - a short walk after lunch or before eating can go a long way. 🏃
And don't neglect the off-peak hours either! You know that if you don't get enough sleep, it can increase your cardiovascular problems? So try as much as you can to rest and sleep peacefully for a good eight hours every night. 💤
Come on now, managing stress is also part of the package. Whether it's meditating, reading a cool book or simply spending a few moments with your best buddy... finding your own effective way to lower the pressure goes a long way to keeping your little heart at peace! 🧘
Oh yes! Let's not forget our doctor's appointments! Even if you're super legit with all that, you still need to see a pro who's going to take a good look at your overall heart health. 🧑⚕️
Sounds logical, doesn't it? It's pretty reassuring to think that by adopting these simple little habits, we can make a huge contribution to keeping our hearts radiant and happy!
This is crucial if you want to see your gray hair coming and still look dashing! Don't bury your head in the sand on these important issues, because frankly, you've only got one life, so you might as well give it your best shot, right?
So don't wait any longer and drop in at Centre Cardio Laval. Here, you'll find everything you need to pamper yourself: cutting-edge technology mastered by professionals as adorable as they are skilled.
Whether it's a simple check-up, or even if there's something in your heartbeat that specifically concerns you, contact us today! ☎️👨⚕️
