No doubt you enjoy showering love on those you care about with flowers, gifts or maybe dinner out—not just on Valentine’s Day, but all year. But have you ever considered how important it is to give yourself and those closest to you the gift of a healthy heart?
You can start by talking with your doctor.
Like many of us, you might not ask a lot of questions when you visit your primary care provider. But it’s your appointment, so go knowing what you want to talk about and ask about your heart.
Know your risks
Dr. Lori Tishler, Community Health Options chief medical officer, offers some tips to help you get ready for your heart-to-heart convo.
“If you’re healthy with no symptoms, ask about your risk factors, knowing that age is the biggest risk factor we can do nothing about,” Tishler says. “And if you want to stay healthy as you age, that means you should do what you can to prevent heart disease.”
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people across the country, including in Maine. But here’s the thing: The Cleveland Clinic, one of the world’s largest heart treatment centers, says 90% of heart disease can be prevented.
Make sure you let your doctor know about any family history along with chatting about these risks:
“Sometimes people think their risk is much, much higher than it actually is,” Tishler says. “They say, ‘Oh, my dad died of a heart attack so I’m going to die of a heart attack.’ It may be that you are truly at a higher risk, or it may be that your dad died of a heart attack when he was 97, putting you at average or less risk.”
Ask your primary care provider (PCP) to put your risks into context. For instance, discuss what a healthy cholesterol level looks like for you. Or how to work toward a healthier weight without feeling like you need to drop from a size 20 to a size 6. Or how to build a plan to quit tobacco, maybe using a wellness program offered by your health plan or employer.
Blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes screening are among the free tests included in a preventive visit, provided you haven’t already been diagnosed with a condition. (Learn more about which preventive services are covered in our blog.)
Manage symptoms and specific risks
Talk to your doctor about whether tests beyond basic screenings could help if you have risks, like having a lot of family members with heart problems—or if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes or other conditions.
If you do have some conditions that could lead to heart disease, find out whether you should get treatment. If your doctor suggests a drug or treatment you can’t tolerate, like a statin for cholesterol, ask about other options. “There’s a ton your primary care doc can do,” Tishler says.
Most important, if you have chest pain or pressure that’s not going away—and often for women, pain in your jaw—call 911 or go to an emergency room.
If you have pain, dizziness or pressure that comes and goes when you exert yourself but gets better when you sit down—like after doing chores or exercise—you’ll need to see your PCP sooner than later.
Community Health Options Members without a PCP can choose one—including virtual primary care through Firefly Health for Members 18 and over—in their Member portal. Members can also find details about specific plan benefits, including coverage for preventive and non-preventive services.
Have a question about plans and what’s covered, or need help finding a PCP? Call Member Services at (855) 624-6463 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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If you’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you likely already know the risks that come with high blood sugar levels—heart or kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage or stroke. Low levels can pose problems, too, like blurred vision, nightmares, headaches, confusion or lightheadedness.
Diabetes has become a national epidemic—there are at least 37 million people diagnosed with the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Maine, more than 113,000 people—or about 10% of the state’s adults—have been diagnosed with diabetes, with an estimated 32,000 who likely have diabetes, but don’t know it.
It takes more than an occasional A1c blood test, a measure of average blood sugar over three months, to effectively manage Type 2 diabetes and prevent the serious complications that can go with it. Even so, there’s a good chance that for many with diabetes, daily glucose monitoring can be hit or miss. Let’s face it: It can be a hassle to keep track with frequent finger sticks.
Daily monitoring empowers you to take control of your diabetes, whether measuring a few times a day with a glucose meter or using a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGM) that tracks patterns 24/7. Daily monitoring can also provide real-time information and reveal patterns, like whether sugar spikes after a meal or drops to dangerous levels overnight. It can also show you how your body responds in real time to specific food, exercise or the medications you take.
