What is a cardiovascular risk assessment?
Advanced cardiovascular risk assessments include comprehensive physical exams and diagnostic testing that determine your heart disease risk, peripheral artery disease (PAD), heart failure, heart attack, or stroke.
The New York Specialty Clinics team can determine if your cardiovascular risk level is slight, moderate, or high, and offer treatment when necessary.
Why might I need a cardiovascular risk assessment?
Your New York Specialty Clinics provider might recommend you undergo a cardiovascular risk assessment if you have known risk factors for heart disease. Examples include:
- Older age
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Lower extremity swelling
- Obesity
- Family history of heart problems
- Physical inactivity
- Poor dietary habits
- Smoking
- Chronic stress
Anyone can develop heart problems, regardless of your risk factors, which is why routine cardiovascular risk assessments are important after you reach a certain age. This is the case, even if you don’t have many risk factors.
What does a cardiovascular risk assessment entail?
When you arrive at New York Specialty Clinics for a cardiovascular risk assessment, your provider checks your blood pressure, weight, pulse, and other vital signs. They discuss your medical history and symptoms and complete a comprehensive physical examination.
Your cardiovascular specialist might recommend you undergo blood tests to check cholesterol levels, vascular imaging procedures, an electrocardiogram (EKG), or a stress test to assess your heart disease risks or diagnose a medical problem.
Will I require treatment?
If you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease (PAD), or another heart-related problem, your New York Specialty Clinics provider might recommend treatments. They may include:
- Weight loss
- Healthy eating changes
- Getting more exercise
- Not smoking
- Reducing stress
- Trying dietary supplements
- Taking certain medications
- Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
PCI, also known as angioplasty with stenting, is a surgical procedure in which your provider places a thin, flexible tube (a catheter) into a narrowed blood vessel to widen it, keep it open, and stimulate better blood flow.
If you’re at risk of heart disease or experience new or unusual symptoms, don’t delay undergoing a cardiovascular risk assessment. Schedule an appointment with New York Specialty Clinics by phone or book online today.
Do you experience leg fatigue, cramping, and pain? You might have Peripheral Vascular Disease. Ask us how we can help today.
