Preventive Cardiology

About  Preventive Cardiology

Who we help

Patients come to our clinic for a wide variety of reasons. Some patients have been found to have lipid or blood pressure abnormalities after routine health visits. Others have medical conditions that cause those abnormalities, such as kidney or liver disease. Still others come with strong family histories of cardiac-related events. But the most prevalent causes for unhealthy cholesterol and blood pressure in children are poor diet, obesity and inactivity caused by poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle. The common thread among them is the need for early intervention to prevent atherosclerosis.

What is atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis is the term that describes a build-up of cholesterol in the arteries that prevents the transport of blood and oxygen throughout the body. Cholesterol is a waxy substance containing fat that forms plaques—soft deposits that can harden and eventually make the artery stiff, narrow and prone to clots that can cause heart disease, heart attack or stroke. Other conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, also contribute to this process.

Why Should We Care?

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one-third (31% percent) of all children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 in the United States are overweight or obese—almost triple the rate of three decades ago. One-quarter of all Massachusetts high school students are overweight or obese. As a result, more children than ever show signs of having risk factors for heart disease. The reasons for this rise in obesity in children are many, and certainly include changes in the way we eat, play and move.