On track: Dan Patterson walks frequently as part of his cardiac rehabilitation program. Photo by Joey Benton, Salisbury Post

Salisbury Post

Dan Patterson of Spencer often bragged about how healthy he was, despite the fact that his father and three siblings all had heart problems.

"I had thought I was in the best of health," says Patterson, 53.

But Patterson had a sore spot on his chest, about the size of a quarter, he says. After his brother had a heart attack in January 2004, Patterson decided to be "a little bit more pushy" with his doctor.

A stress test revealed no problems, but a cardiac catheterization showed Patterson's heart had two blockages. Doctors planned to put in stents, but discovered two more blockages during that procedure. Patterson had quadruple bypass in the fall, and recently returned to work as an electronic scale inspector with Norfolk Southern Railway.

He's changed his diet and become more intentional with his exercise. He's also aware of how stress can affect his body, and he takes proactive steps to manage it.

Patterson says that the experience has made him aware of many other people he considers "walking time bombs."

Dr. Brian Fazia

Heart disease, Fazia says, happens to males in general about 10 years sooner than females, because females are protected by estrogen.

But heart disease is common in males 50 and above and in females 60 and above.

Cardiovascular disease remains our country's No. 1 cause of death.

You'd think that Fazia and his partners would be shouting from the rooftops to prevent this disease.

In a way, that's what they do every day, he says.

"All day in the office is spent teaching," he says. "We teach patients and family members what to do to have a healthy lifestyle."

"This kills more people in the U.S. than anything else," he says. "We just have the wrong lifestyle in America. We all need to live that healthy lifestyle and take steps to guard against a problem before it happens."

By age 18 to 20, young men and women should be aware of the risk factors of cardiovascular disease, Fazia believes.

"If you're over the age of 30, you need to pay attention to the warning signs and not ignore them," he says.

Those warning signs include chest discomfort (pressure, tightness, pain) that comes on with physical or emotional upset or exertion.

"The reason it is uncomfortable is that the blood is flowing through coronary arteries," Fazia says. Those arteries are about the size of a ballpoint pen, and if there's a blockage, your heart can't keep up, and you can experience discomfort.

Fazia also says that pain in the chest, jaw, left or right arm, or between or across the shoulders can also signal a heart problem.

Fazia notes that elderly patients — those age 70 and above — and insulin-dependent diabetics can have very little discomfort, even with a serious blockage.

The first thing you should do is to see your family doctor.

"A high percentage of patients don't need to see a cardiologist," Fazia says. "If someone gets symptoms and they're progressive, the family doctor is the place to start."

If you're experiencing symptoms that don't go away, call 911 and get right to the hospital, Fazia says. An EKG or stress test can determine if there is a serious problem.

Of the 2 million people who suffer heart attacks each year, he says, about one-fourth die before they get to a hospital.

"Most of those people are ignoring the symptoms," Fazia says. "A cardiac arrhythmia can cause sudden death. If you're in a hospital, (having arrhythmia) is OK, but if you're not, you're not going to survive."

In recent years, Fazia says, physicians have also begun to understand that cardiovascular disease strikes women just as it strikes men.

"Women have not been diagnosed correctly," Fazia says, mainly because standard stress tests didn't work as well with women. "We used to just miss it. Doctors thought it was more of a disease in men. But once you start looking for it more, you find it more."

Women's symptoms also tend to be different than men's. Women more frequently have abdominal discomfort or are fatigued, he says.

One reason women are more susceptible now, he says, is that more women are smoking.

"Smoking is a huge cause of this that's reversible," he says. "If you never smoke, you lower your risk significantly."

Other tips Fazia offers:

* Follow a diet that's low in fat and cholesterol, with lots of chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables.

Fazia says that diets high in fat — such as the Atkins Diet — can be dangerous to heart health.

* Get regular exercise.

"It's very helpful in terms of maintaining vascular health," Fazia says.

Fazia recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, three times a week.

* Again, don't smoke.

"And you shouldn't have second-hand smoke either," Fazia says.

* Be aware of your family history.

You're at greater risk of heart disease if you have a blood relative who's had a heart attack at under 50 (men) or under 60 (women).

"You can't change your genes, but you can pay attention to them," Fazia says.

* Be aware of other health issues.

If you have diabetes, take steps to manage it, as diabetes can affect the body's vascular system.

"We treat a diabetic with no heart problems just like a heart patient," Fazia says.

* If you have high cholesterol, consider taking medication to keep it as low as possible.

Fazia says that the benefits of cholesterol-lowering drugs far outweigh the risks.

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For more information about maintaining good heart health, visit Mid Carolina Cardiology's Web site at www.mccardiology.com or the American Heart Association's Web site at www.americanheart.org.

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Contact Susan Shinn at 704-797-4289 or sshinn@salisburypost.com.