Ask the Cardiologist: Will my Periodontal Disease alter my Coronary Angiogram in any way?

Dr. Maciej Malinski is on the medical staff at Sherman Hospital. He has been kind enough to answer some frequently asked questions related to maintaining a healthy heart. Look for additional heart information from Dr. Malinski in the coming weeks.

Q: Does it make sense that my cardiologist never asked me if I have periodontal disease in making a decision to do a cardiac cath and insert a stent?

A: Coronary angiogram, stenting and angioplasty are usually done for treatment of symptomatic coronary artery disease (narrowing of arteries in the heart). Symptomatic heart disease means that the patient either has symptoms such as chest pains (angina), congestive heart failure, heart attack (myocardial infarction) or high risk features on the stress test.

The decision to proceed to a coronary angiogram just on the basis of presence of multiple risk factors is usually done on case-by-case basis. Out of all risk factors (cholesterol level, presence of hypertension, diabetes, presence of calcium in coronary arteries on a “heart CT scan”, family history of premature heart disease, levels of inflammatory markers and exertional capacity) periodontal disease has the weakest relation to risk of coronary artery disease.

In a nutshell, I would say that a cardiologist will rarely, if ever, take into account the presence of periodontal disease in the decision-making process that leads to a coronary angiogram.

Do you have a question for Dr. Malinski? To submit your question, either post it in the comments section below or email luke@shermanhealth.com with the subject line “Question for Dr. Malinski.” For more information on heart health, click here to visit Sherman’s Heart and Vascular Center.

This post is published by Sherman Health to provide general health information. It is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained directly from your physician.

Ask the Cardiologist: Will Closing My PFO End My Migraines?

Dr. Maciej Malinski is on the medical staff at Sherman Hospital. He has been kind enough to answer some frequently asked questions related to maintaining a healthy heart. Look for additional heart information from Dr. Malinski in the coming weeks.

Q: I am 45 years old and have PFO. My symptoms include dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, migraines and zero energy. When I get the hole closed will all these go away?

A: This is a very good question. PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale) is a heart defect that involves the PFO, a flap-like opening between the two upper chambers of the heart. In the womb, all babies have this opening that makes circulation more efficient during development. However, following birth, the flaps normally close to form a solid wall between the chambers. If the PFO does not close, the opening can permit venous blood, which is normally filtered by the lungs, to pass unfiltered into the left side of the heart and pumped out to the body; including the brain.

Does Losing Your Job Effect Heart Health?

A recent article from Time suggests that unemployment can have detrimental effects on the heart and the body as a whole, and that employed people with health problems are far more likely to lose their jobs in the near future.

“Among people unemployed under these circumstances and who did not report any health problems prior to losing their job, 80% were diagnosed with a new health problem — ranging from hypertension and heart disease to diabetes — 18 months later. (Not surprisingly, those who started out with one or more of the conditions asked about on the survey were 54% more likely to lose their job within a year and half, for any reason, than those who did not report any health problems.) The most commonly reported conditions among this group were high blood pressure, arthritis and other cardiovascular-related problems.”

So what can be done about this? In a nutshell, health problems the unemployed develop are typically a result of stress. There are many ways to reduce the amount of stress in your life, some of the most effective being regular exercise and a healthy diet.

If those things aren’t helping and you have heart problems to address (stress-related or otherwise) click here to visit Sherman’s Heart & Vascular Center. We have the strongest team of cardiac specialists in the area at your service, eager to get you back on the path toward good health.

To read the Time article in its entirety, click here.

6 reasons to have a glass of wine each day

It’s fairly well-known that a glass of red wine every day has proven to be a great way to maintain a healthy heart. Not as well-known are other benefits of a glass of wine, including boost to the memory and immune system. Not only that, but wine in moderation might also help with weight loss.

From Health Magazine:

“The list of wine’s benefits is long—and getting more surprising all the time. Already well-known as heart healthy, wine in moderation might help you lose weight, reduce forgetfulness, boost your immunity, and help prevent bone loss.”

To read the complete list, click here for the full article from health.com!

If your heart needs more attention than a glass of wine, or if you simply want more information from the leading heart experts in the Fox Valley community, click here to visit Sherman’s Heart & Vascular Center.

Image courtesy of Flickr user @96dpi