Heart of the matter

When I look at a patient, I look at her heart… not just the physical one beating in her chest; I look at the heart of her being because many times the physical heart mirrors the one that is the home of all this emotion. If she is sad or discouraged, then I know from my years of experience that this can affect her physical health and this can be prevented. This is why I am passionate about educating my patients and the community on staying heart-healthy. Learning to manage our emotions, eat healthy foods, get adequate exercise; these are all things that can help stop heart disease in its tracks. This month’s medical topic is iliac artery blockages, which are a form of peripheral artery disease. Blockage in the iliac arteries makes it so your legs are in pain when you are active and at rest. This creates a domino effect: when we ache, we are less likely to go for that run or walk and when we do not stay active, our fitness level declines — which, in turn, makes us feel mentally and physically worse. I encourage you to literally take strides to stay active and tune in to what your body is telling you… and do it with all of your heart.

Yours,

Asad U. Qamar, MD FACC, FCCP, FSGC, FACP, FSCAI Cardiologist