4 Questions Every Man Should Ask

…about preventing heart disease and diabetes

A Q&A with Michael Dotti, M.D., FAAFP, a physician on the medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine.

Why should I have a regular physical?
Routine health maintenance is routine; everything else is crisis management. It’s much better to treat high cholesterol or high blood pressure now than to have a heart attack in fi ve years. If you wait until you have chest pain, it’s too late. The first symptom of heart disease in half of men is sudden death. A physical allows us to discuss family history, address preventive issues (including immunizations) and order appropriate screening tests.

What do I need to know about cholesterol and blood pressure?
Research shows that having LDL (bad) cholesterol below 70, along with controlling blood pressure, is as effective as angioplasty and stenting in preventing heart attacks in men with known heart disease. A low-fat diet, healthy weight and exercise are important, but you may need medication if lifestyle modification is not enough to get your cholesterol and blood pressure to your goal. Genetic determination of cholesterol outweighs lifestyle factors by a ratio of 85 to 15. Therefore a combination of medication and lifestyle changes may be required to control the risk factors of high blood pressure and cholesterol to prevent heart disease.

Can having diabetes affect my heart?
Diabetes is a heart attack risk equivalent. A person with diabetes has the identical risk of heart attack as someone who has had a previous heart attack. Diabetes is a progressive cardiovascular disease as well as an endocrine problem. It develops slowly, going from slightly elevated blood sugar levels (pre-diabetes) to a condition where chronic high blood sugar damages small blood vessels in the eyes, the kidneys, the heart and the extremities.

How can I reduce my risk for diabetes?
There’s a direct link between diabetes and the obesity epidemic, in particular our love for the rapidly absorbed simple carbohydrates found in products made with refi ned white fl our. Excess carbs lead to elevated blood sugar levels and an accumulation of fat in the abdominal area. A “low carb, slow carb” diet is recommended. A slow carb is a whole grain that is encapsulated, which slows absorption of the carbohydrate. And don’t forget portion control. That’s critical, too.

By Janan Talafer

For more information about diabetes education at Baylor Grapevine or for a referral to a primary care physician or endocrinologist on the medical staff of Baylor Grapevine, call 1-800-4BAYLOR or use our on-line physician directory.