4 Tips to proactively care for your heart

| Heart Health | Healthy You | Aging Well

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Consider these steps to help you or a loved one prevent a heart attack.

Did you know that more than 80 percent of all heart attacks or other cardiovascular incidents are preventable through lifestyle changes? That’s according to the American Heart Association.

Yet many of us fall short in making the changes necessary to control our risk factors for the disease that’s responsible for nearly one out of three deaths in the U.S.

Make your heart health a priority

“I encourage patients to make it a priority to always be mindful of their heart health,” said Richard Padgett, MD, FACC, executive medical director of the Oregon Heart and Vascular Institute and system medical director for cardiovascular services at PeaceHealth.

Taking your heart health seriously is easier than you might think.

4 steps to proactively care for your heart

Here are just a few steps you can take:

1. Understand your risk for getting heart disease. 

This is the most important first step to preventing heart disease.  You may be at a higher risk of heart disease based on your family history. 

Or, if you have pre-existing conditions like diabetes, or if you are overweight or use tobacco. Take this heart health assessment to get your personal risk score. With the results of your assessment, you can consult your doctor about how to manage your risk with lifestyle habits.

See this graphic about heart disease risks.

2. Embrace lifestyle changes to improve heart health.  

To increase your chances of living the long, healthy life you deserve:

3. Take daily aspirin ONLY if your doctor recommends it for you. 

The chance of bleeding due to aspirin’s blood-thinning effect may be too high to make this habit worth your while. 

And be sure to ask your doctor before regularly taking any other prescription or over-the-counter medications.

4. Routinely follow up with your physician to manage and treat known cardiovascular risk factors.

You'll especially want to pay attention to risk factors such as:

“Proactively caring for your heart now can ensure that you don’t miss a beat on life’s greatest moments later,” said Dr. Padgett.

If you want to better understand your risk, book an appointment with your primary care physician. That visit can help you take the next step in your heart care journey. A conversation with your doctor may include:

  • Setting goals to change habits that help your heart health.
  • Assessing your risk for heart disease.
  • Being referred to a cardiologist, if needed.

Source: ACC and AHA 2019 Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease guideline for heart disease and stroke prevention

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portrait of Richard C. Padgett MD

Richard C. Padgett MD

Dr. Padgett leads PeaceHealth’s heart care programs across three states. He serves as System Medical Director for Cardiovascular Services and Executive Medical Director of the Oregon Heart & Vascular Institute. He specializes in heart and valve disease, focusing on early diagnosis and prevention. His goal is to respect each patient's needs and concerns. He does this by taking time to listen and explain treatments in simple terms. Dr. Padgett is board certified in heart disease, nuclear cardiology and heart imaging. This means he meets high standards and stays current with new treatments. He uses minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, making treatment safer and recovery faster. Dr. Padgett trained at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, later becoming an assistant professor. He also completed research training at Harvard University. Over 30 years, his research has helped improve stents and imaging tools that use less radiation. In his free time, he enjoys fly fishing, reading, and traveling with his family. He and his wife have two children and one spoiled labradoodle.

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