Heart disease (CVD), which includes heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure, is the most dangerous health problem in the United States. The good news is that most cases of CVD can be avoided or treated. The key is not just to react to problems, but to be in a lifelong, proactive partnership to protect your heart. Direct Primary Care (DPC) is meant to help people build and keep great cardiovascular health. This is exactly the kind of relationship that DPC is meant to help.
CVD is a general term for diseases that affect the blood vessels and heart. At its most basic level, managing heart health means paying attention to a small number of risk factors. The American Heart Association has come up with the "Life's Essential 8," which are the eight most important things you can do to keep your heart healthy.
The "Life's Essential 8" List for the Best Heart Health:
Eat Better: Eat a lot of whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.
Get Moving: Try to get regular exercise.
Stop using tobacco: Don't smoke or vape, and don't be around nicotine at all.
Get Healthy Sleep: Try to get between 7 and 9 hours of good sleep every night.
Keep Your Weight in Check: Keep your body weight at a healthy level.
Keep your LDL ("bad") cholesterol low to control cholesterol.
Control Your Blood Sugar: Stop or control diabetes.
Control Blood Pressure: Make sure your blood pressure stays in a healthy range.
Not treating risk factors in these areas can cause heart attacks, strokes, disabilities, and a shorter life.
With Direct Primary Care (DPC), patients can talk to their doctor directly and as often as they want. The DPC model's emphasis on time, prevention, and partnership is a big plus for keeping your heart healthy. Here's how DPC can help your heart health:
Full control of the "Life's Essential 8": Your DPC doctor has time to do a lot more than just write a prescription. They can work with you to give you detailed advice on how to eat, exercise, deal with stress, and get good sleep.
Use evidence-based frameworks to change your behavior. These will help you set small, doable goals that will lead to big changes.
One of the best things you can do for your heart is to help someone quit smoking.
Proactive and personalized risk reduction: DPC changes the focus from fixing problems to stopping them from happening in the first place.
Tight Control of Important Numbers: You can keep a close eye on your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels by following up often and being able to easily talk to your doctor.
Health Plans Made Just for You: Your doctor works with you to make a plan that fits your life, values, and goals. This gives you a real sense of shared decision-making.
This proactive approach is the best way to stop a first heart attack or stroke, or a second one in people who have already been diagnosed with CVD.
Care that works together for complicated conditions: A team of specialists is often involved with patients who already have heart disease. Your DPC doctor is like the quarterback for your team.
Your cardiologist, dietitian, or other specialists will be able to work with you without any problems.
Clear communication is important so that everyone on your care team knows what is going on and you don't get lost in a broken system.
Case 1: David, 55, has high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and is at risk of getting diabetes. His DPC doctor makes a personalized plan for him based on the "Life's Essential 8." They meet once a month to talk about his diet, change his medications, and set realistic exercise goals. David has lost 25 pounds, his blood pressure is now perfectly controlled, and his blood sugar is back to normal after six months. This greatly lowers his risk of having a heart attack in the future.
Case 2: Mary, 70, has had a stroke before. Her DPC doctor and her cardiologist work together very closely. The DPC doctor carefully manages her long list of medications, gives her ongoing advice on how to eat a heart-healthy diet, and lets Mary make same-day appointments whenever she has new symptoms. This is a very important safety net that keeps her out of the emergency room.
A: My blood pressure is high. Isn't there a doctor who can just give me a pill? A: Yes, but taking a pill is not the only thing that will help you control your blood pressure. It takes changes to your daily life, regular checkups, and careful changes to your medications. A DPC doctor has the time to make a full plan and keep checking in with you so that you can reach your blood pressure goal and stay there for good.
Q: What are the "Life's Essential 8"? A: It's the American Heart Association's list of things you should do to keep your heart healthy. The DPC model is set up perfectly to help patients improve all eight of these factors, not just the ones that can be treated with a prescription. This is because it has longer appointments and focuses on prevention.
Q: Do I still need a cardiologist if I have heart disease? A: It depends on your situation. Your DPC doctor is the best person to help you with primary prevention or managing stable, common problems like high blood pressure. Your DPC doctor will work with a cardiologist to be your advocate, day-to-day health manager, and care coordinator if your disease is more complicated or advanced.
DPC is clearly the best choice for anyone who wants to avoid or manage cardiovascular disease because it:
Provides proactive and preventive care: The model is made to deal with risk factors before they lead to a heart attack or stroke, which could be very bad.
In line with what experts say: The way DPC is set up makes it easy to give personalized, patient-centered care, which is what the American Heart Association recommends.
Gives patients power: It encourages people to make decisions together and gives you the knowledge and support you need to take charge of your own heart health.
Your heart health is the most important thing you have. You shouldn't have to deal with a system that is reactive and broken. Direct Primary Care is a long-term, proactive partnership that will help you manage your risks, reach your health goals, and keep your heart healthy for years to come.
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