Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but you have more control over your heart health than you might think. To stay healthy, visit James J. Biemer, MD, in Portland, Oregon. With an emphasis on personalized, accessible medical care, Dr. Biemer and his team can help you recover from heart problems and develop habits that lead to a thriving, healthy lifestyle.
Heart disease earns its nickname of “the silent killer” because many people don’t even realize there is a problem early on because no symptoms appear. Eventually, however, signs may emerge that you have a heart condition, or that your heart is working excessively hard. Some of the most common signs of heart health problems include:
Symptoms may come and go, and they may get worse with certain lifestyle habits or circumstances, like drinking alcohol, smoking, or stress.
A number of common heart health conditions can develop in adulthood, the most common being:
Hypertension is having consistently high blood pressure due to the resistance of blood flow in your arteries. Hypertension often causes no noticeable symptoms.
Hyperlipidemia, most often called high cholesterol, means you have too much “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in your blood. With an increase in LDL cholesterol, you can develop plaque and blockages in your arteries.
Dr. Biemer and his team help people with early diagnosis of coronary disease. With the appropriate screening tools, it’s possible to catch heart problems early on and prevent complications that can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or other problems.
It is also possible to address many heart problems with a heart-healthy diet and exercise programs.
Regardless of your starting point, Dr. Biemer and his team work with you to move toward healthier goals and outcomes. He can also refer you to any necessary specialists for further testing and treatment.