Baseline Medical

How Smoking Effects Your Risk For Heart Disease Bethlehem

Smoking is a leading cause of heart disease. Smoking can:

· Raise triglycerides (a type of fat in your blood)

· Lower "good" cholesterol (HDL)

· Damage cells that line the blood vessels

· Cause thickening and narrowing of blood vessels

· Cause clots to form, blocking blood flow to the heart

Secondhand smoke also damages blood vessels and can trigger a heart attack or stroke.

Smoking is a leading cause of stroke. Smoking can:

· Make blood thicker and more likely to clot

· Increase the buildup of plaque (fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances) in blood vessels leading to the brain

· Lead to pain in the hands and feet; it may be severe

Damage blood vessels in the brain

Source: CDC.gov

There is an important test that Baseline Medical provides called carotid artery IMT (intimal media thickness) ultrasound scanning. This FDA approved five-minute painless test gives us information that can help prevent a heart attack. Hundreds of digital measurements are taken as the sonographer gently slides the ultrasound probe over each side of your neck.

We can see precisely how thick the artery walls are and it is this measurement that determines your risk of a heart attack. These data serve as your personal biomarker for your body to develop thick arterial walls. Since the area in your neck is easily accessible it serves as a window to reveal your systemic condition. If you have thickness in the carotid arteries you could also have thickness elsewhere. Should the "elsewhere" be in your coronary arteries that deliver blood flow to the heart muscle itself is why this screening opportunity is beyond good. No need to wait for chest pain or a doctor's note or the ambulance - just call Baseline Medical instead.

Other measurements in the carotid arteries are also obtained by Baseline Medical in another 5 minute protocol specifically for stroke risk. So for a total investment of 10 minutes - you know. This allows people to be proactive about their health and come against heart disease #1 Killer and stroke #1 Disabler immediately.