Heart Disease

One of the leading causes of disability and premature death in the United States is heart disease. Experienced physician E. Leon Thompson, DO, of Thompson Medical Group in Peoria, Arizona, offers expert care to people living with heart disease. You could benefit from his expertise in heart disease management if you have coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, or any other cardiac condition. Call Thompson Medical Group or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online today to receive comprehensive heart health care.

What is heart disease?

Heart disease is a broad term for several conditions affecting your heart’s structure or function. 

Some people are born with heart disease, but most often, it develops in later life. Age is a risk factor for heart disease, but more significant are underlying conditions that can affect the heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes.

Thompson Medical Group offers annual wellness visits that screen for these conditions.

What kind of heart disease might affect me?

The most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD). It develops when plaque, a fatty substance formed from excess cholesterol, builds up in the heart’s arteries. The arteries narrow and harden (atherosclerosis), preventing your heart from receiving enough blood.

Other forms of heart disease include:

• Arrhythmia (heart rhythm disorders)
• Congestive heart failure
• Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle weakness)
• Congenital heart disease (defects present at birth)
• Myocarditis (heart inflammation)
• Heart valve disorders

Heart disease can trigger a heart attack or cardiac arrest, which could prove fatal. However, with Thompson Medical Group’s expert care, you can significantly reduce your risk of life-threatening heart problems.

What symptoms might heart disease cause?

Typical heart disease symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain (angina)
• Irregular heartbeat
• Chronic fatigue
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Syncope (fainting)
• Swollen legs
• Nausea or indigestion

Heart disease often causes no symptoms early on, but as the condition worsens, you may experience some or all of these problems.

How is heart disease treated?

Treating your heart disease successfully depends on an accurate diagnosis and regular health reviews. Types of treatment that your Thompson Medical Group provider might include in your personalized plan are:

Lifestyle changes

Many forms of heart disease develop because of unhealthy habits like smoking, eating a high-fat diet, and not getting much exercise. Your provider can help you lose weight, eat a more heart-healthy diet, quit smoking, and cut down your alcohol consumption.

Medication

Many different medicines can help with heart disease. You might need angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for high blood pressure or congestive heart failure, beta-blockers for arrhythmia, or cholesterol-lowering medicines like statins. Your provider might recommend anticoagulant therapy to help prevent a heart attack.

If your heart disease requires an interventional cardiology procedure such as balloon angioplasty, your Thompson Medical Group provider works with your cardiologist (heart specialist) to provide your routine care before and after.

Call Thompson Medical Group today or book an appointment online to arrange a heart health evaluation.