Congratulations, Dr. Miciah Jones!

Congratulations, Dr. Miciah Jones! He recently completed his fellowship and has now earned the designation of Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC). Dr. Jones is an interventional cardiologist at First Coast Heart & Vascular Center with expertise in preventive cardiology, general cardiology, acute heart attack care, and both non-invasive and interventional management of peripheral and coronary artery disease.

LEARN WITH THE LEADERS!

Dr. Ameeth Vedre, a General Cardiologist for First Coast Heart and Vascular, will be presenting an educational webinar on Monday, July 27th at 12:30 pm. The topic will be: Cardiovascular Prevention 2020: The Other Pandemic. There will be a chance to ask questions via chat, so bring your all your cardiology questions for Dr. Vedre!

Register Here: https://encoredocs.com/event/cardiovascular-prevention-2020-the-other-pandemic/

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COVID 19 and Cardiovascular health

A message from our cardiologists regarding COVID19 and your heart.

The physicians at First Coast Heart wanted to take this opportunity to educate our patients about COVID 19 and Heart disease.

COVID 19 is predominantly a respiratory illness but can also cause serious cardiovascular illness. People with heart disease and stroke are extremely at high risk for getting the COVID 19 infection and have serious illness. Preliminary data reports that COVID 19 causes damage to heart muscle by causing inflammation called Myocarditis. It does increase the risk of fatal heart rhythm issues.

It is not just a FLU INFECTION. The flu vaccine does not protect against COVID 19 infection. We do not have any vaccine for the corona virus yet. We can take simple day to day precautions to prevent this infection. Please follow CDC recommendations — wash hands, clean and sanitize surfaces, avoid sharing personal household items, and most importantly practice social distancing.

Following a healthy routine is especially important now that we are spending more time at home.

– Please take your medications regularly.

– Follow healthy, low salt diet

– Do not neglect exercise. If you are unable to go to the GYM for exercise, try to do some aerobic exercises at home. Go for a walk or bike ride. Sedentary behavior also increases cardiac risk.

– Monitor for cardiac symptoms (Chest pain, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, Palpitations/ fluttering in chest, leg swelling and excessive fatigue) . 

 If you notice trouble breathing with cough, worsening shortness of breath, chest pain, mental changes like confusion, please call us or Call 911 depending on the severity of the issue.

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Evolocumab in Patients With Hypercholesterolemia

Here is a recent study conducted by Dr. Michael J. Koren of First Coast Heart and Vascular.

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Evolocumab in Patients With Hypercholes.._

New office in Murabella at WGV!

We are happy to announce the opening of our newest location in the Murabella section of World Golf Village, in Saint Johns County! We are part of the Flagler Health Plus specialty physicians. The new office is located at 70 Turin Terrace Suite 210 St. Augustine, FL 32092. Dr Ameeth Vedre will be seeing patients here. If this location is more convenient for you, please call 904-342-8300 and we will get you scheduled!

Dr. Ameeth Vedre, MD, FACC, FACP, FASE, FASNC  is a Non-invasive Cardiologist and Cardiac Imaging Specialist. He is passionate about both general and preventive cardiology. He brings that passion, together with his extensive knowledge, to the patients of First Coast Heart & Vascular Center.

The Link between Heart Disease and Diabetes

The majority of people living with diabetes understand that they have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. But the following statistics show clearly that there is a strong link between heart disease and diabetes.

• As many as 68 percent of people age 65 and older with diabetes die from some form of heart disease.  Approximately 16 percent will die of a stroke.
• Adults who have diabetes have twice the chance of developing heart disease as people who don’t have diabetes.
• The American Heart Association considers diabetes to be one of the seven main controllable risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The link between diabetes and heart disease begins with high blood sugar levels. Over time, the high glucose in the bloodstream injures the arteries, making them become stiff and hard.

The fatty material that builds up on the inside of these blood vessels can obstruct blood flow to the heart or brain and potentially cause a heart attack or stroke. Your risk of heart disease with diabetes is even higher if you also have a family history of cardiovascular disease or stroke.

Diabetes can also affect many major organs in your body, which can lead to an assortment of dangerous complications when left untreated. These medical problems include:

• Cardiovascular disease including peripheral artery disease (PAD) and stroke;
• Kidney disease;
• Harmful cholesterol levels, which can cause atherosclerosis;
• Damage to one’s eyesight;
• Nerve damage and numbness in your extremities which can result in amputation;
• Metabolic syndrome;

Healthy Lifestyle Habits

It’s important to have healthy lifestyle habits that can help you control your diabetes and prevent heart disease.

• Follow a healthy eating plan.
• Physical activity should be a part of your daily routine.
• Stay at or get to a healthy weight.

• Work with your health care team to manage your disease, which may include the use of medications.
• Know your health numbers. – blood pressure and diabetes.

Managing your Diabetes

Understanding your diabetes numbers will reduce your risk for heart disease.

• The A1C test reveals your average blood sugar level over the past three months. High blood sugar levels can damage your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, feet, and eyes.
• High blood pressure makes your heart to work too hard. It can cause a heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.
• There are two types of cholesterol LDL and HDL. LDL is often referred to as the bad cholesterol. It can build up and clog your blood vessels and can trigger a heart attack or stroke. Talk with your health care provider about your cholesterol numbers. Sometimes you may need to take medications to lower your cholesterol and protect your heart.
• Don’t smoke and quit if you do. It is particularly important for people with diabetes since both smoking and diabetes narrow the blood vessels, so your heart has to work even harder.

Symptoms and Conditions of the Heart and Vascular Systems

Today heart disease is America’s number one killer, but, unlike many diseases, there isn’t a specific age to start screening for heart or vascular disease. Your primary care doctor may refer you to a cardiologist if you have risk factors for cardiovascular disease or you are exhibiting symptoms that suggest that it may already be present.

Nearly half of Americans have at least one risk factor for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, obesity, physical inactivity or an unhealthy diet. Risk also increases with age.

While our First Coast Heart & Vascular physicians are your partners in heart health, you are your own best advocate. Become familiar with the risk factors and the symptoms of heart and vascular problems.  Talk to your doctor if you notice changes in your health and don’t hesitate to make an appointment with one of First Coast Heart & Vascular Center’s physicians today. If you experience any of the following symptoms of heart or vascular system disease:

HEART

• Angina (chest pain).
• Shortness of breath.
• Irregular heartbeat.
• Weakness, slurred speech, dizziness, coldness, numbness or pain in the arms or legs.
• Pain in the throat, jaw, neck, upper abdomen or back.
• Note: Men usually have chest pain whereas women often experience extreme fatigue, shortness of breath and/or nausea.
• Swelling of the legs or abdomen.
• Heart infection (pericarditis, myocarditis, endocarditis).

Vascular Disease

Vascular disease deals with the circulatory system outside of your heart. Vascular disease is frequently called a silent threat since the symptoms of vascular disease may be sudden or may not present themselves at all. Talk with your physician if you have any of the risk factors shown below, to find out if you are a candidate for a vascular screening test.

• Peripheral vascular disease; uncontrolled hypertension, excessive muscle cramping, limb weakness, numbness, cold feet or hands, discoloration of legs ulcers in hands or legs, claudication (pain in the legs when walking), extremity hair loss or muscle wasting, abdominal pain with eating and weight loss or swelling of the legs.
• TIA (Transischemic Attack or mini-stroke)
• Stroke
• Pulmonary Embolism (clots in the lungs)
• Clots in the legs or arms

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

People with heart disease may present with symptoms such as an abnormal heartbeat or arrhythmia. Some of the symptoms include:

• Palpitation or “racing of the heart”
• Slow heartbeat
• A “fluttering” feeling in the chest
• Pain or discomfort in the chest area
• Lightheadedness (even fainting)
• Dizziness or shortness of breath
• Atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation
• Extra heartbeats or PVC (premature ventricular contractions)
• Graying of the skin or turning blue
• SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia)

We work in harmony with your primary care physician to deliver diagnosis and treatment of all stages of heart and vascular disease. The following are health conditions that may put you at risk for a life-changing occurrence:

• Aneurysms (abdomen, arms, legs) in both arteries and veins
• Atrial fibrillation or any heart rhythm problem
• “Clots” or DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) in extremities (arms, legs) or even in the heart
• Diabetic issues
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart valve disease (valve malfunction causing to be either leaky or blocked)
• High cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• PAD (Peripheral Artery Disease)
• Pulmonary Embolism
• Stroke
• Swollen legs
• Shortness of breath, angina or chest pain
• Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or mini stroke
• Varicose veins, spider veins, or leg ulcers due to vein disease.

Lunch and Learn Event August 15th 2017

Cardiologists Dr. Dinesh Pubbi and Dr. Van Crisco will be speaking at a Lunch and Learn event August 15th 2017 at the WJCT studio in Jacksonville.

CLEAN PIPES AND FUNCTIONAL WIRING: MODERN APPROACHES TO PREVENTING ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND ARRHYTHMIA

What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You. Understanding Your Risk Factors for Heart & Peripheral Artery Diseases. Did you know that after menopause, a woman’s risk of heart increases? 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease and or peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and Arrhythmias. It’s time to learn about the causes of heart disease, PAD, Atrial Fibrillation and ways you can prevent them.

Understanding Your Heart & Peripheral Artery Health Risk Factors… Learn how YOUR SEX and your age can impact your Heart, Peripheral Artery and Rhythm Health.

The focus of this community education is to discuss available therapies to treat heart disease and peripheral artery disease (PAD) for both men and women.

Learn more about:

• The causes of heart disease in men and women.
• Increased risk of heart disease based on ethnicity.
• Available treatments for atrial fibrillation (Afib).
• Available treatments for PAD.

Kicking Heart Disease in Women

Watch this video as Dr. Van Crisco discusses kicking heart disease in women at a lunch and learn at the WJCT studios.

The intention of this community education is to talk about heart disease in women and what we can and should be doing to prevent it. Discover what you can do to take care of yourself or someone you love.

Approximately 1 in 4 women in the U.S. have some form of heart disease?

Learn more about:

• What are the risk factors for heart disease.
• What are the causes of heart disease in women.
• What is the survival rate for women.
• How women of all ethnicities share the same risk.
• What are the warning signs for women.

Dr. Kevin Hayes Speaks about Heart Disease and BP

Dr. Kevin Hayes Speaks about Heart Disease and BP

Recently Dr. Kevin Hayes spoke at WJCT’s Lunch & Learn on March 2, 2016.  He discussed Heart Disease and High Blood Pressure.