Want to avoid heart disease? Doctor points to lifestyle decisions

Dr. Kian Ehsan, an interventional cardiologist at Acadiana Medical Center, has a wealth of information about heart disease, but his advice on avoiding heart issues boils down to lifestyle decisions.
And his advice is to focus on exercise and a balanced diet.
Regular exercise — at least 30 minutes exercise and five days a week — eating a balanced diet of mostly fresh food is one to possibly avoid heart trouble, he said in a talk with Eunice Kiwanis Club members on Oct. 27.
There are other recommendations such as to not smoke, and stay away from fried foods.
“You can’t have hot dogs every day. You can’t have hamburger every day,” he said.
“Eat fresh,” he said. “The good stuff is really the fresh stuff.”
Possessing factors such as diabetes and genetics make it imperative to avoid the lifestyle issues that can lead to a sick heart, he said.
The risk factors for cardiovascular disease include:
— Family history of heart disease.
— Smoking-tobacco use.
— High cholesterol levels.
— Diabetes.
— Overweight-sedentary lifestyle.
— Stress.
Ehsan talked about a recent patient who arrived at the hospital suffering from a heart attack.
The man was in his 50s and having a massive heart attack, he said.
“When it comes to the heart, time is muscle, meaning every single second matters,” he said.
“You have 90 minutes from the time they come to the emergency room to open up the blockage,” he said.
In the patient’s case, the heart was at more than 300 beats per minute, which meant blood had stopped flowing.
Ehsan used coronary angioplasty to pierce a clot and install a stent to open the flow of blood.
Ehsan credits one of the man’s daughters for acting fast and getting her father to the hospital.
“I was very very thankful he came on time,” he said.
While the angioplasty saved the man’s life, if it had not worked the next step is to send patients to Lafayette for surgery.
Talking to a family doctor is another place to start in avoiding heart disease, he said.
Ehsan noted one patient lost 100 lbs. after which he was taken off all of his medications except for aspirin. The man exercises an hour and half a day, six days a week at a gym, he said. On Sunday’s, the man rides a bike at his home.
Acadian Medical Center’s cardiac rehabilitation unit guided the man to his recovery, Ehsan said.
Heart attack warning symptoms, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, are:
— Chest pain or discomfort. Discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that last more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. May feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. May also feel like heartburn or indigestion.
— Other upper body pain or discomfort. May be felt in one of both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper part of the stomach (above the bell button).
Shortness of breath. Maybe the only symptom, of it may occur before or along with chest pain or discomfort. May occur when resting or during easy activities.
— Other possible symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, feeling unusually tired, nausea, or light-headedness. Any sudden new symptom or change in symptoms also should be a concern.
The Institute recommends calling 911 and to avoid driving yourself to the hospital.