How your cardiologist in Sugar Land or Houston, TX, can help protect your heart

When your heart is beating irregularly or pounding in your chest, it can be a frightening experience. It can also be a warning sign of heart problems. Fortunately, your cardiologist can help keep your heart healthy.

Dr. Swati Gupta at SKG Heart Center in Sugar Land or Houston, TX, provides a wide range of cardiology services, to help protect your heart.

So, how do you know when to see a cardiologist? There are a few signs and symptoms you need to pay attention to, including:

• A quick, irregular heartbeat or pulse
• Pressure and pain, or a squeezing feeling in your chest.
• Pain that radiates from your chest and travels into your neck, jaw, shoulders, or arms
• Pain in your chest that doesn’t go away, even after you have stopped activity and rested
• Increasing chest pain along with paleness, sweating, and breathing difficulties

Your cardiologist is an expert at diagnosing and treating these common heart problems:

• Angina
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Atherosclerosis
• Arteriosclerosis
• Heart attack
• Structural damage to your heart
• Enlarged heart
• Congenital heart problems
• Mitral valve prolapse

In addition to visiting your cardiologist, there are several diet and lifestyle modifications you can make to maintain good heart health. You should:

• Not smoke or use tobacco products, which are the main lifestyle risk factors for heart problems
• Keep blood pressure and cholesterol under control by taking medication as prescribed by your cardiologist

A healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight play an important role in maintaining good heart health, so remember to:

• Eat lean meats like poultry and fish instead of beef
• Eat low-fat dairy instead of full fat dairy products
• Eat lots of green vegetables which are full of nutrients and low in calories

You also need regular exercise to keep your heart healthy, so try to:

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days
• Include aerobic exercises like swimming, walking, or jogging to get your heart working

Your cardiologist wants to partner with you to keep your heart healthy. To learn more about when to see a cardiologist, talk with an expert. Call Dr. Swati Gupta of SKG Heart Center in Sugar Land or Houston, TX, at (713) 623-6555. Call today.