How Much Exercise Do You Actually Need? A Cardiologist’s Perspective
Few questions come up more often in my office than this one: “How much exercise do I really need?” Patients want a real number, not…
-
-
Know Your Heart Risk: A Free Calculator You Can Use Today
One of the most useful conversations I have with patients starts with a number. Specifically, your estimated risk of a heart attack or stroke over…
-
Why I Send Patients to the CDC for Exercise Advice
When patients ask me where they should read about exercise online, my first recommendation is always the same: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention….
-
Belly Fat and Your Heart: What Actually Works
When I measure a patient’s waist in the exam room, I am measuring one of the single most useful predictors of cardiovascular risk in my…
-
Coronary Calcium Score: A Test Worth Knowing About
Many of my patients ask, “Is there a single test that can show me whether I have heart disease?” The honest answer is that no…
-
Aspirin and Your Heart: When It Helps, When It Doesn’t
For decades, a daily low-dose aspirin was a default suggestion for anyone worried about a heart attack. The thinking was straightforward. Aspirin thins the blood,…
-
The Framingham Risk Calculator: A Heart Tool Built on 75 Years of Research
Most of what we know about cardiovascular disease comes from a single town. Starting in 1948, researchers in Framingham, Massachusetts began tracking the health of…
-
Lowering Your Blood Pressure Without a Prescription First
When a patient gets a new diagnosis of high blood pressure, the first question is almost always: “Do I have to start a pill?” Sometimes…
-
Walking: The Most Underrated Heart Workout
When patients ask me what the single best exercise is for the heart, I usually disappoint them with my answer: there is no magic exercise….
-
Coronary Calcium Scan
The landscape of preventative healthcare is constantly evolving, and one powerful tool gaining traction is the coronary calcium scan. Traditionally, heart disease is often addressed…
