Cardiac Screening: Now to Prevent Later
Early screenings for health are not often spoken about unless they are for people with a known family history of certain diseases or conditions that appear later in life. However, preventative care is important for everyone, regardless of family history, to take precautions and practice heart healthy activities rather than wait for symptoms to appear. Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death to people in the United States as most heart diseases are silent or unassuming until symptoms through heart attacks, arrhythmia, or heart failure occur. According to the CDC, 1 out of every 5 deaths in the United States are due to heart disease and 47% of people have at least one of the three key risk factors for heart disease. That being high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking. These statistics should advocate for the importance of early intervention and doing what can be down now to prevent later problems and costs. Providing preventative care through properly researched data that is always kept up to date with new updates and improvements is what sets HIA as a company to consult in facing the challenges of a constantly changing world.
While cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for people of all genders, races, and ethnicities, research has shown that men have been found to have increased risk around the age 35. Alexa Freedman, PhD, as the senior author of the study was quoted that, “Screening at an earlier age can help identify risk factors sooner, enabling preventative strategies that reduce long-term risk.” (healthline.com) Freedman’s research studied 5,100 adults between the ages of 18 and 30 over a 40-year period, from 1980 to 2020. The long-term study had scientists identify when CV risks begin and where it diverges between men and women. It is noted by medical advisor, Timur Alptunae who wasn’t involved in the study, that social and behavioral factors may influence cardiovascular risk as men are more likely to postpone screenings and overlook sporadic warning signs and symptoms. The study has led to the discovery that men are likely to develop cardiovascular disease around the age of 35. Cardiac screenings are a personalized risk assessment that help detect, reduce, and prevent possible CV events.
At HIA, the commitment to providing immense, accurate registry data to cardiovascular registries and research will allow healthcare systems to get access to scientific evidence-based standards of care research. The data-driven approach supports informed clinical decision-making and strengthen the bond between healthcare professionals and patients. The primary goal of HIA’s performance improvement initiatives are set to enhance clinical outcomes and proper preventative care that can be personalized to each patient given screening. With certified, experienced staff specializing in cardiovascular disease we can focus on increasing the effectiveness of detecting the risks and signs that can lead to CV diseases. Thus, reducing unnecessary readmissions, lowering risk of cardiovascular disease as a whole and unforeseen circumstances for discussed symptoms, and the satisfaction of patients during screenings and afterwards to measure effectiveness and general outcome.
