GET THE PFIZER BOOSTER SHOT. AS FOR MODERNA AND JOHNSON, JOHNSON VACCINES, YOU HAVE TO
BE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD.
ALRIGHT, FEBRUARY IS AMERICAN
HEART MONTH. SO DURING THIS
TIME IT IS IMPORTANT TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND, PREVENT AND TREAT
HEART DISEASE, HEART DISEASE.
THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH
ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. THE CDC
SAYS HEART DISEASE, THE FIRST
TO SEVERAL TYPES OF HEART
CONDITIONS. SO JOINING US IN
TODAY’S LEADING SA SEGMENT IS
DOCTOR DON WAY CARDIAC SURGEON
AT UT HEALTH, SAN ANTONIO
DOCTOR WAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR MAKING TIME FOR US THIS
MORNING.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHAT IS
HEART DISEASE AND PUT IT INTO
EFFECT?
>> O WELL, AS YOU SAID, THE
FIRST THING TO KNOW ABOUT HEART
DISEASE IS THAT IT IS THE
LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE
STATES. AND THAT’S TRUE FOR
BOTH MEN AND WOMEN AND HEART
DISEASE IS A GENERAL TERM FOR
ANY CONDITION THAT AFFECTS THE
FUNCTION OR THE STRUCTURE THE
HEART AND MOST PEOPLE ARE
FAMILIAR WITH THE MOST COMMON
TYPE OF HEART DISEASE, CORONARY
HEART DISEASE, WHICH IS WHAT
CAUSES HEART ATTACKS.
PEOPLE ARE MORE PRONE TO HEART
DISEASE. ARE THOSE WHO HAVE
DIABETES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
THAT USE TOBACCO WITH A STRONG
FAMILY HISTORY OF HEART DISEASE
THAT WE KNOW THAT HEART DISEASE
CAN AFFECT PEOPLE THAT DON’T
HAVE ANY OF THOSE RISK FACTORS.
>> SO, DOCTOR, WAY AS A
PHYSICIAN, WHAT EFFECTS HAVE
YOU SEEN ON PEOPLE’S HEART
HEALTH DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN
IT COMES TO LIFESTYLE CHOICES
AND STAYING ACTIVE?
>> THAT’S A VERY TIMELY
QUESTION. WHAT WE’VE SEEN IN
THE LAST 2 YEARS THAT PANDEMIC
RELATED CHANGES IN LIFESTYLE
BECAUSE MANY OF US TO BECOME
MORE SEDENTARY, MYSELF INCLUDED
ACTIVITIES LIKE MEETINGS,
CLASSES, INTERVIEWS LIKE THIS
THAT USED TO BE IN PERSON ARE
NOW ONLINE. SO PEOPLE ARE
SITTING STILL FOR MUCH LONGER
AND BEING LESS ACTIVE.
AND BECAUSE OF SOCIAL
DISTANCING OR HOBBIES. THAT
SHIFTED FROM MORE ACTIVE SOCIAL
EVENTS TO SEDENTARY ACTIVITIES
LIKE WATCHING TELEVISION OR
HAVING VIRTUAL GET-TOGETHERS.
WE KNOW THAT 80% OF
CARDIOVASCULAR DEATHS ARE
PREVENTABLE. WITH CHANGES IN
LIFESTYLE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO SPEAKING OF
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, WHAT ARE
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PEOPLE
TRYING TO GET BACK ON TRACK
BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE?
>> NOT ONLY IS PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY, IMPORTANT FOR HEART
HEALTH AND HAS REALLY STRONG
POSITIVE EFFECTS FOR MENTAL
HEALTH, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT
DURING THIS PANDEMIC. WE
RECOMMEND AT LEAST 30 MINUTES
OF MODERATE ACTIVITY DAILY AND
GETTING A PHYSICAL DOESN’T
REQUIRE A GYM. THERE ARE MANY
CREATIVE WAYS TO USE YOUR
ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS USING THE
STAIRS AND THEY’RE BUILDING
LOCKING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF
SAN ANTONIO HAS A GREAT SYSTEM
OF PARKS AND GREENWAYS TRAILS
AND WAS COLD WEATHER INDOORS.
YOU CAN WALK OR RUN A PLACE FOR
THE JUMPING JACKS. YOU KNOW, IF
YOU HAVE CHILDREN OR
GRANDCHILDREN PLAYING TAG OR
DANCING TO MUSIC WITH THEM ARE
GREAT FAMILY ACTIVITIES.
AND IT’S A GREAT WAY TO HELP
SET THOSE HABITS EARLY FOR THE
LITTLE ONES. OKAY. SO WHAT ARE
SOME WARNING SIGNS OF HEART
DISEASE AND
>> YOU KNOW, WHAT TESTS WE GET
DONE IS, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE WHAT
AGE SHOULD YOU START GETTING
YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVELS
CHECKED?
>> A GOOD, GOOD MOST PEOPLE
KNOW THAT CHEST PAIN AS A
ONE-TIME, A POSSIBLE HEART
ATTACK. BUT ACTUALLY, I THINK
MORE COMMON, ESPECIALLY IN THIS
REGION ARE MORE SUBTLE SIGNS OF
HEART SEASON.
THESE INCLUDE STEALING A SHORT
REST EITHER. WASN’T TIMOTHY
YOUR WITH LAYING DOWN FEELING
TIRED WITH DAILY ACTIVITY
SWELLING IN THE LEGS OR ANKLES
AND SOMETIMES HARD TO SEIZE,
COMMIT OTHER CONDITIONS LIKE
HARPER OR HAS MEANT. SO IF
YOU’RE BEING TREATED FOR THOSE
CONDITIONS BUT CONTINUE TO HAVE
SYMPTOMS, IT’S IMPORTANT TO
HAVE AND YOUR DOCTOR TO RULE
OUT HEART DISEASE THROUGH
TECHNOLOGY, WE HAVE MORE AND
MORE MEDICAL TESTS AND MANY
OF THEM ARE NON INVASIVE.
I’M A STRESS IS A GOOD WAY TO
PICK UP. BUT IT’S NOT ALWAYS
DOESN’T ALWAYS DETECT HEART
DISEASE. THERE ARE GUIDELINES
FOR HAVING CHOLESTEROL CHECKED.
USUALLY AT THE AGE OF 40 IS
WHEN YOU BEGIN SCREENING.
BUT AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE A VERY
STRONG FAMILY HISTORY OR
CERTAIN RISK FACTORS MAY BE
IMPORTANT TO GET THOSE CHECKED
EARLIER. AND YOU TALK TO YOUR
DOCTORS THE BEST WAY TO GET
ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
I’M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP FAMILY
HISTORY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY
CAN BE IN YOUR FAMILY HISTORY.
SO
>> ANYONE CAN GET HEART
DISEASE, RIGHT? IT’S NOT JUST
SOMEONE WHO’S OVERWEIGHT OR,
YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN SEDENTARY
FOR A LONG TIME.
>> THAT’S RIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY,
WE’VE THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF
SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS IN
UNDERSTANDING OF THE SAYINGS,
BUT I TELL MY PATIENTS, YOU
KNOW, YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING
RIGHT. YOU COULD EAT A HEALTHY
DIET. THE ACTIVE HAVE NO FAMILY
HISTORY. NEVER SLOW. AND FOR
SOME REASON, PEOPLE THAT FIT
THAT PROFILE STILL HAVE PART
SEATS.
>> THAT’S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO
CONTINUE TO GET THOSE TESTS AND
CHECKUPS. DOCTOR WAY. THANK YOU