How to Discuss Heart Disease With Your Doctor
An important step in preventing and managing cardiovascular disease is being open with your physician about your questions and concerns. You are not the only individual who has problems communicating their concerns to the doctor who conducts your check-ups. However when it concerns heart health and wellness no question must be left unanswered.
There are those who hope that their questions will be answered during the course of an examination, rather than having to in fact voice them. Doctors do not always have as much time as they would like with each patient because of their busy schedules and long waiting lists. In particular, women must voice their concerns, since heart wellness in women isn’t as much of an issue, although they’re equally at risk.
Questions that you need to ask your doctor include things like what your blood pressure reading is and what is usual for you. You have to know what your blood cholesterol and glucose levels are and if they are considered normal. Ask your doctor which tests are recommended for individuals of your age, both at present and in the future.
If drugs have been prescribed, don’t hesitate to ask if there are possible adverse reactions, what the drug is supposed to do, and whether you should take other medication, even non-prescription, with your prescribed medicine. Also discover if this is a long term medicine or short term. If suggested by your physician, you’ll have to take further tests to monitor the effects of your medication. The liver is one organ that most physicians consider testing when a patient is on specific medications.
If you find that you always forget to ask your physician something important, write down all your concerns before you get there. Remember to take along a list of your current prescriptions. This is critical if you’re under the care of more than one health care practitioner. Add to your list any surgeries or relevant illness that you have had and been treated for in the past few years. This should be in your medical chart so that the health care provider can be mindful of anything that might cause a problem.
If you are concerned about forgetting what the health care provider tells you, make certain to take notes or even use a recording device to use for later reference. Do not be afraid to check around for a second opinion if you are not comfortable with the treatment that your doctor recommends or if you don’t feel that he or she listened to your concerns or questions.
Heart disease kills more people each year than all of the cancers combined. Learn more about the causes, effects and treatments of this epidemic problem at Heart Wellness.