How healthy is your heart?

Why choose BJC HealthCare for heart care?

Your heart can’t wait. Heart care includes regular visits with your primary care doctor and/or cardiologist. Our office locations expand across the St. Louis region and include a team of over 80 cardiologists and 75 primary care physicians ready to support you on your heart health journey.

Expertise and experience

From routine office visits to more complex care, our team of heart experts bring together their skill and knowledge to treat all types of cardiovascular disease. Specializing in a range of treatment options, our physicians focus on providing the most effective treatment plan for each individual person.

Our heart care team of cardiologists, electrophysiologists, interventionalists and surgeons collaborate on your care to help you achieve the best outcome. Our physicians use your medical history, current condition, and other individual factors to make a diagnosis and develop a personalized treatment plan for you.

To schedule an appointment, call 314-273-2315 or fill out a contact form  and we will connect you to a heart specialist.

Signs it’s time to see a cardiologist

Your lifestyle habits may be putting you at risk for heart disease. Cardiologists specialize in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, treat coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, valve disease, heart failure, heart rhythm disorders, problems with blood vessels, and elevated cholesterol.

Your primary care doctor takes care of your overall well-being, but if he or she finds a potential heart condition, you will be referred to a cardiologist, who works as an extension to the primary care team and focuses on cardiovascular issues. Cardiologists spend an extra three to six years of training focused specifically on cardiovascular disease and, therefore, can offer more experience when treating heart and vascular disorders.

BJC Medical Group cardiologist Michael Missler, MD, says the patients he sees with high blood pressure are generally in their 40s and 50s, while those who suffer heart attacks are typically in their 60s. “The important thing to remember,” he adds, “is that heart disease can happen at any age.”

Primary care doctors often refer patients to a cardiologist if they have heightened risk factors for heart disease, heart failure or if their heart condition requires more specialized evaluation and treatment. “The relationship between a PCP and a cardiologist is a partnership for managing the most effective treatment for a patient.”

Although there is not a certain age to consider seeing a cardiologist, there are conditions that increase your risk of heart disease.

Risk factors that increase risk of heart disease

• high blood pressure
• elevated cholesterol
• diabetes
• smoking
• lack of physical activity
• unhealthy weight
• diet high in fat and salt
• excessive alcohol
• family history of heart disease

Symptoms that indicate it may be time to see a cardiologist

• chest discomfort
• shortness of breath
• swelling in your legs
• light-headedness
• passing out
• fatigue easily with activity
• abnormally fast or slow heart rate

Complete our heart health assessment to understand your risk of heart disease.

What to expect during your first visit to a cardiologist

Visiting a cardiologist for the first time might seem intimidating and you may be nervous but detecting a problem and taking early steps to treat your heart issues increases your chances of living a longer, healthier life. It’s important to make the most of the time with your cardiologist by planning ahead for your visit.

You will be asked both general health questions and some more specific questions related to the reason for your visit. A physical examination follows, and if necessary, your cardiologist might order further testing.

Addressing the concerns that many first-time patients have, Metro Heart Group cardiologist Aaron Tang, MD, says, “Many patients are nervous and that is normal. We take time to put patients at ease by answering their questions when assessing their heart health and disease risk. Knowing what a cardiologist will do during your first visit and preparing in advance can help you relax and get the most out of your upcoming appointment.”

Initial visits with a cardiologist include learning about the patient, and appointments are tailored to a patient’s specific symptoms or condition. 

How to prepare for your visit

• Bring a list of current medications. It is important to include any vitamins and supplements.
• Bring a list of heart-related issues, identifying what symptom(s) you have been experiencing and what you were doing when the symptoms occurred.
• Share your family medical history. Your family history is filled with important clues, so be thorough, especially if your relatives, including your parents, siblings and grandparents, have high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
• Discuss your medical history. List your surgeries, along with any medical procedures, including previous cardiac results.
• Schedule additional testing like a stress test or echocardiogram.

Questions to ask your cardiologist

• What lifestyle changes do I need to make?
• Will this medication have certain side effects I should watch for?
• Why did you order that specific test? What does it do or look for?
• Can you explain my test results to me?
• Should I make any changes to my daily activities?
• What warning signs should I watch for that indicate my condition is worsening?
• How will my condition progress?

Your cardiologist is an important member of your care team — a team that centers around you and your health. Take full advantage of the time, develop a good personal connection, and remember that no matter how small the detail, there's nothing too minor to bring up at your appointment. “It is important to be completely honest with your cardiologist,” Dr. Tang says, “so that we are aware of what is happening at home and what you are putting in your body. You never know what information could lead to the right diagnosis and treatment.”

From routine office visits to more complex care, our team of heart experts in St. Charles County bring together their expertise to treat all types of cardiovascular disease. Call 314-273-2315 or request an appointment with one of our heart specialists today.

Is my blood pressure good or bad?

A blood pressure reading includes two numbers and is read as “120 over 80,” for example. The first number is called the systolic pressure and the second number is the diastolic pressure. The systolic number measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart squeezes or contracts, while the diastolic number measures the pressure between heartbeats.

What should I do if my blood pressure reading is high?

Call 911 immediately if you are experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, numbness, fatigue or a change in vision and your blood pressure is 180/120 or higher.

Lifestyle changes can significantly reduce your blood pressure and lower your risk for heart disease. Incorporate heart-healthy habits by making these changes in your daily life.

• Regularly Monitor Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Regularly monitor your blood pressure, whether at the doctor’s office or at home. Click here for tips on how to properly manage your blood pressure at home.
• Manage Weight: Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing high blood pressure. Losing unhealthy weight is one of the most effective lifestyle changes to reduce your blood pressure and improve your heart function and metabolism.
• Get Active: Less than 30 minutes per day of physical activity can lower your blood pressure. And physical activity doesn’t have to be traditional exercise. Find an activity you enjoy — like dancing, hiking or swimming.
• Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet: Essential in preventing heart disease, a heart-healthy diet can lower your blood pressure if you have hypertension. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, foods rich in lean protein such as chicken and plant-based proteins as well as fish, and limit daily intake of salts, sugars, red meat and fatty foods.
• Limit Your Alcohol Consumption: Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can increase your blood pressure and reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications. Limiting your alcohol consumption to two drinks a day for men and one for women can lower your blood pressure.
• Stop Smoking: Smoking can increase your heart rate and blood pressure to dangerously high levels. Quitting helps your blood pressure return to normal.

• Reduce Stress: Managing stress is a part of daily life. Ongoing stress can contribute to high blood pressure if you react by drinking, smoking or eating unhealthy food. Reduce your stress by identifying what factors are causing the stress. Then, take steps to manage the stress more effectively in a healthier way by limiting alcohol, incorporating physical activity and prioritizing time to relax.

   

Call 314-273-2315 to schedule an appointment today with one of our primary care providers or heart specialists.

How your heart works

Request a Consultation

To schedule an appointment, call 314-273-2315 or fill out the form below and we will connect you with a heart specialist that fits your unique needs.