Publication date:
05 May 2017Length of book:
188 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781442275126
We all think we are well-informed about cardiovascular health. But is what we think we know really accurate? Here, a renowned cardiologist describes the biological processes leading to heart and blood vessel disease. He challenges the conventional view that risk factors, poor diet, and lack of exercise are the biggest culprits. Each of these widely-described risk factors is individually discussed and Dr. Cohn concludes that their role in affecting cardiovascular health is often overstated. He promotes a greater emphasis on an individual’s personal and largely inherited cardiovascular health by simple assessment of the function and structure of the arteries and heart. By identifying early disease likely to progress he advocates for early intervention, often with drug therapy, to slow disease progression and prevent symptoms of cardiovascular disease.
ThroHe concludes that health care providers can better treat patients with medications that slow the biological processes that contribute to the development of artery and heart disease. These medications lower blood pressure and cholesterol, but their main effect is to slow progression of disease even in those whose blood pressure and cholesterol levels are not elevated. He describes a strategy for identifying and treating these early abnormalities before symptoms develop. Ultimately, early diagnosis and treatment, he argues, can contribute to better prevention and the slowing of cardiovascular disease progression that would otherwise shorten our lives.
ThroHe concludes that health care providers can better treat patients with medications that slow the biological processes that contribute to the development of artery and heart disease. These medications lower blood pressure and cholesterol, but their main effect is to slow progression of disease even in those whose blood pressure and cholesterol levels are not elevated. He describes a strategy for identifying and treating these early abnormalities before symptoms develop. Ultimately, early diagnosis and treatment, he argues, can contribute to better prevention and the slowing of cardiovascular disease progression that would otherwise shorten our lives.
The obese are at higher risk of heart attacks, but does their risk return to normal when they lose weight? Maybe. Maybe not. No one has studied it. Cohn, director of cardiovascular-disease prevention at the University of Minnesota, challenges people to think about the science behind popular health assumptions. Just because pet owners may be at slightly lower risk of heart attacks doesn’t mean that buying a pet will reduce anyone’s chances. Perhaps it’s the personality of the animal owner or the walks or the comfort of a furry friend. Modern medicine also relies too heavily on numbers; blood pressure readings over 140/90 count as hypertension, while one of 136/86 is barely different yet isn’t treated. Cohn expertly presents common beliefs about blood clots, obesity, inflammation, and diabetes, then presents the facts. For example, he says too many carbohydrates, not excess fat consumption, cause weight gain. So go ahead and eat nutrient-filled nuts and eggs. This eye-opening book is a powerful call to think twice before automatically following conventional wisdom on what’s best for your own heart and health.