Heart disease is currently the number one killer in the United States and is a major cause of disability. Our doctors in Lawrenceville GA are dedicated to combating the disease by educating, preparing and treating our patients with regards to their exact condition. Personalized medical attention is our specialty at Rodriguez MD Medical Practice.

Some simple exam techniques provide our Lawrenceville doctors with the first clues to how well your heart functions and whether or not you have heart disease. During your visit, your doctor will listen to your heart, take your heart rate, and check your blood pressure.

Your doctor feels your pulse in order to check your heart’s rate, rhythm, and regularity. Each pulse matches up with a heartbeat. The force of the pulse also helps evaluate the strength of blood flow to different areas of your body. You can tell how fast your heart is beating (heart rate) by feeling your pulse. Your heart rate is the amount of times your heart beats in one minute.

The opening and closing of your valves make heart sounds, heard with the aid of a stethoscope. Our Lawrenceville doctors can evaluate your heart and valve function and rhythm by listening to your heart sounds.

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted in the arteries by the blood as it is pumped around the body by the heart. It is recorded as two measurements, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Systolic is the pressure in the arteries during the heart’s contractions and is the top, or higher number of a reading. The diastolic pressure is the measurement of the artery pressure when the heart is at rest, in between heart beats. This is the lower or bottom number of a reading. Your blood pressure may increase or decrease depending on your age, heart condition, emotions, activity, and the medications you take.

Your Lawrenceville doctor can also get an idea of the function of your heart by examining other parts of your body such as your eyes, arms, legs, and skin. It may also be recommended that you have blood tests performed to check markers that may indicate heart disease.

The most common cause of heart disease is the narrowing of the coronary arteries. The condition gradually worsens over time, and is also the major reason for people suffering from heart attacks. You can reduce your risk of heart disease by controlling a few critical factors that often put people at risk the most. These are:

  • Lowering your Cholesterol
  • Not Smoking
  • Maintaining a Healthy Blood Pressure
  • Getting Plenty of Physical Exercise

Other forms of heart disease may happen in the valves of the heart, or the heart may not pump as it should, which results in heart failure. In addition, some people have congenital heart disease or congenital heart failure, meaning that they were born with the condition. No matter which category for heart disease you may be in, our dedicated and compassionate doctors in Lawrenceville GA are driven to ease your symptoms, treat the cause of your heart disease and help you maintain a steady recovery back to good heart health.

To learn more about heart disease, diagnostic and treatment options, to schedule an appointment or for more information about your Lawrenceville physicians at Rodriguez MD Medical Practice, please visit our “Contact Us” page and we will be happy to help you.