Preventive Healthcare
Over the course of our Health & Wellness series, we’ve sat down with Southwest Orlando Family Medicine’s Clinical Team to talk about Heart Health, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Children’s Health, Healthy Aging, and more. One of the common themes throughout our series is that early detection and prevention saves lives. Managing your health is critical at any age, and can have a lasting effect on your physical, emotional, and mental health.
Visiting your clinician regularly and staying open about your concerns and questions helps your healthcare professional provide personalized care where it matters most. You are not alone in managing your health care. As a Patient Centered Medical Home, we are dedicated to developing a partnership with you to get you the care you need.
Today, we’re looking at how early detection and regular health monitoring can help to address and lower the risk for some of the most common health concerns that affect us: heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. We sat down with Dr. Michelle de la Riva to discuss preventive health and ways to stay healthy, and the benefits of maintaining a balanced diet and active lifestyle to help improve overall physical, emotional, and mental health.
Heart Disease
Heart Disease is one of the most concerning health issues today. Responsible for 1 in 4 deaths, it is the leading cause of death in both men and women. Nearly half of Americans have at least one of the three major key risk factors for heart disease, which are high cholesterol, hypertension (often called high blood pressure), and smoking. We go into detail on each of these risk factors in our blog Understanding Heart Health.
“It’s important to schedule your annual check-up, which plays an important role in establishing your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar,” advises Dr. de la Riva. “Heart disease builds over time, and it can be life threatening if left unchecked.” High cholesterol and hypertension are often symptom-less conditions. Hypertension is often referred to as the “silent killer,” affecting nearly one in three adults. Cholesterol and blood pressure are checked during a routine office visit. As we age, it becomes essential to check cholesterol and hypertension regularly, and more importantly, to keep them under control. “Regular monitoring of your vitals and individual health concerns can help your doctor identify changes that occur as you age and develop a preventive course of action for your health needs,” explains Dr. de la Riva.
Monitoring heart disease risks is one part of your health care. The other is managing. Healthy lifestyle choices such as increasing physical activity and maintaining a heart-healthy diet can help prevent or reduce hypertension. Healthy diets for the heart include the DASH diet (which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) the American Heart
Association’s Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations, as well as General Guidelines for heart-healthy choices. Eliminating tobacco use is also critical in reducing heart disease risks.
Genetics and family history can also play an important role in when to start your check ups and how often you should schedule them. “If you have a strong family history of heart disease at a young age, you may be at risk,” advises Dr. de la Riva.
Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 90% to 95% of those diagnosed. Approximately 1 in 10 Americans suffer from diabetes, often in people over the age of 45. Diabetes can develop over several years, often times without noticeable symptoms. Knowing your risk factors for prediabetes and diabetes is critical for maintaining your health. While approximately 30 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes, more than 84 million have prediabetes. Prediabetes is very common, and unfortunately nearly 90% of people with prediabetes are unaware of their risk.
Prediabetes can be prevented or even reversed with lifestyle changes such as losing weight if you’re overweight, eating healthier, and regular physical activity. Studies from the Diabetes Prevention Program have shown that prediabetes patients who participate in a structured lifestyle change program can cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% (71% for people over 60 years old).
“When diabetes is not controlled, it can lead to variety of health concerns: including vision problems, kidney issues, and neurological problems,” advises Dr. de la Riva. “Getting your blood sugar under control is critical.” Prediabetes and diabetes can also put you at risk for serious health problems, including heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and more. Patients diagnosed with diabetes are considered immuodepressed, meaning they have a weaker immune system. “Patients are at higher risk for contracting certain infections,” explains Dr. de la Riva. “It can take you longer to heal from a common infection due to the stress that diabetes has on your body and immune system.”
“Diabetes is also considered to be heart-disease equivalent,” Dr. de la Riva warns. “Meaning you are more at risk for heart disease, heart issues, and vascular disease.” Heart Disease is the leading cause of death among people with diabetes. You can use this helpful advice from the CDC on how to “Manage Your ABC’s.”
- A: Get a regular A1C test to measure your average blood sugar over 2 to 3 months; aim to stay in your target range as much as possible.
- B: Try to keep your Blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg (or the target your doctor sets).
- C: Control your Cholesterol levels.
- s: Stop Smoking or don’t start.
Cancer
Early detection for commons cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer has been shown to save lives. In breast and prostate cancers, five-year survival with early stage disease is 98% and 100%, respectively, with survival rates remaining high at 10 years. Approximately 80% of lung cancer patients survive at least a year with early diagnosis, compared to about 15% for those with the most advanced stage of disease. Early diagnosis of colorectal cancer, before it has spread, helps put the 5-year relative survival rate at around 90%. Unfortunately, the majority of cases are diagnosed after this stage.
While some patients anticipate that they may need screenings for specific cancers, many patients don’t know or realize when they need to start. “There are generally guidelines for when to perform screenings on patients, based on their age, race, gender, and family history,” Dr. de la Riva explains. “It’s important to talk with your doctor about your risk factors and to know your family history.”
Diagnosis at an early stage not only improves survival rates, but also allows treatment options that can lead to a complete recovery, sometimes without requiring surgery. With more advanced cancers, it can be too late. According to the World Health Organization, “Early detection of cancer greatly increases the chances for successful treatment. There are two major components of early detection of cancer: education to promote early diagnosis and screening.”
You can learn more about your cancer risks and screenings by visiting the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and scheduling an appointment to talk with your doctor today.
Conclusion
Early detection and prevention saves lives. Stay proactive about your health by talking with your clinical team about your health risks, learning about the screening options that are right for you, and scheduling regular check ups to manage and monitor your overall health. You are not alone in managing your health care, your clinical team is dedicated to developing a partnership with you to create a healthier life. We’ve spent the last 30 years serving the Central Florida community and are committed to our mission in Helping Patients Live Healthier Lives.
Ready to talk with your clinician? You can book an appointment with us today.
Clinician Contributor:
Disclaimer: All information presented on this website is intended for educational purposes only and not intended to replace your individual medical advice. Please review this information with your clinical team to ensure it is appropriate for your individual medical needs. The information contained is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.