Dr. Devender Batra Details Good Heart Care

 According to Dr. Devender Batra, cardiologist in Saint Clairsville, Ohio, "the secret to good heart health and longevity is prevention. Choices in your lifestyle promote good heart health in your future."

The human heart is similar to the engine of a car: both supply the power that keeps the bodies moving. The blood pumped by the heart transports oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, and eliminates carbon dioxide and waste products made by those cells. But if the blood flow to the heart slows or stops or rhythm of the heartbeat is altered, it could endanger life. As with the engine of a car, how concerned the heart will determine how long and how they work.

"Many people take better care of expensive items, like cars than their own body," says Dr. Devender Batra, a cardiologist in Saint Clairsville, Ohio. "They worry about changing the oil, and then make regular use of it. But when it comes to their own body, they feed it with foods that are high in fat and salt, smoke and do not exercise regularly. Medical advances cannot eradicate cardiovascular disease. Good health depends largely on people to do their part."

Cardiovascular diseases are those that affect the heart or blood vessels. Although steps have been taken to inform people about the causes and prevention, it remains the leading cause of death in the United States in both men and women.

"We can't control the risk factors like your age and heredity, but it is possible to modify those risk factors related to lifestyle, and we can prevent or delay the onset of cardiovascular disease," says Dr. Devender Batra.

Cardiovascular disease kills one person every 39 seconds in the United States, i.e., almost 2,200 people per day, more than cancer, lower respiratory illness and accidents together. New research and treatment methods have reduced the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease, but not the number of people affected.

Dr. Devender Batra Specializes in Cardiology

Dr. Devender Batra is a top cardiologist, and has been in practice for 35 years. When faced with a complex disease like heart disease, it is important to find the most appropriate specialist. A diagnosis of heart or vascular disease often begins with the primary care physician, who refers the patient to a cardiologist. The cardiologist reviews your medical history and performs an analysis of symptoms to make a more accurate diagnosis. Then the cardiologist decides whether the disease can be treated with drugs or other treatments available.

After analysis, if a cardiologist decides that the patient requires surgery, they are referred to a cardiovascular surgeon who specializes in treating the heart, lungs and blood vessels. The patient is under the care of a cardiologist even when referred to other specialists.

Cardiology is a complex field, and therefore many cardiologists specialize in different areas. All cardiologists are clinical cardiologists, dedicated to the diagnosis, pharmacological treatment (using drugs) and prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Some clinical cardiologists specialize in pediatric cardiology, which is the diagnosis and treatment of heart problems in children, and others specialize in treating heart problems in adults.

"The vast majority of us typically consider ourselves healthy, especially if we have no symptoms. However, in many cases, the first symptom you'll notice of cardiovascular disease is a heart attack," says Dr. Devender Batra."

When you notice any symptoms, the damage has already occurred. Therefore it is critical that you become aware of your cardiovascular risk factors, and take steps to diminish that risk. By controlling one or more risk factors, you can add months and possibly years to your life."