Preventing Heart Disease
Heart disease claims the lives of more men and women than any other disease. Knowing your risk factors is the key to prevention.
About the Heart
The heart is an intricate web of blood vessels and electrical circuits that form two upper chambers (the right and left atrium) and two lower chambers (the right and left ventricle). Valves act as doorways to pump blood through the chambers.
The heart chambers, blood vessels and electrical pathways work together to ensure the heart pumps an adequate amount of oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body and carries away waste products.
Trouble in any part of the heart can disrupt the entire system and lead to problems elsewhere.
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Heart Disease
Heart disease occurs when the vessels that carry blood to the heart become clogged, usually from the buildup of fat and cholesterol. This buildup can prevent the heart from getting enough oxygen.
Without oxygen, heart muscle begins to die, which can lead to a heart attack.
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Lowering Your Risk
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Eat a diet low in fat, salt and simple sugars
- Exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes, five times a week)
- Quit smoking
- Maintain optimal cholesterol and blood pressure values
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Audio Heart Health Tips
The following audios will help you learn about your risk factors and about easy ways to reduce your risk for developing heart disease.
At Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, our heart specialists deliver compassionate patient care using leading-edge procedures, to patients living throughout the San Francisco East Bay area. While our cardiac services are located in Berkeley and Oakland, patients come to our heart center from Hayward, Pleasanton, Lafayette, and other East Bay communities as well as from greater California and the United States to seek the best cardiac hospital care available. Our experienced team of top heart and cardiovascular specialists strive to work with each patient to identify the best treatment options for heart and vascular conditions. Whether you need a top heart surgeon (or specialist), a cardiac specialist, a vascular or thoracic surgeon, or one of our best-in-class cardiothoracic specialists - our doctors, nurses and technologists will work with you to strive for the best cardiovascular care for your unique needs. We strive to be the best cardiac hospital not just in the San Francisco East Bay but for every patient who enters our heart center, whether they come from Oakland, Berkeley, or beyond the Bay Area.
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Audio: Heart Disease Risk Factors (1:00 min.)
Interventional cardiologist David Anderson, M.D., describes the health risk factors that may predict whether you will develop cardiovascular disease.
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Audio: Heart Disease & Cholesterol Reduction (:30 sec.)
Interventional cardiologist Stephen Arnold, M.D., describes the importance of knowing your cholesterol levels and taking steps to reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
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Audio: Heart Disease & Regular Exercise (1:00 min.)
Cardiologist Robert Greene, M.D., reminds us of the importance of regular exercise to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
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Audio: Heart Disease & Stress Reduction (1:00 min.)
Cardiothoracic surgeon Junaid Khan, M.D., describes the way stress can influence the health of your heart, and what you can do to reduce stress in your life.
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Audio: Heart Disease & Eating Healthy (:30 sec.)
Cardiothoracic surgeon Russell Stanten, M.D., talks about how to reduce your chances of developing heart disease by making healthy food choices.
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About the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence
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