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Taking Charge of Heart Health
 Living with heart disease, Dick Campbell connects his lifestyle to his heart.
Dick has always been familiar with getting his heart tested. As a former Baltimore City fireman, he was required to undergo a heart stress test each year.
Even after he left the fire department in 1987, Dick continued to have his heart checked, with good results. That all changed in 1998, as his condition quickly worsened. Dick didn't make it through another stress test and within days he underwent heart bypass surgery to clear two blocked arteries.
"The test showed dramatic changes that were not there before, indicating poor blood flow to the heart," said Union Memorial cardiologist Dr. Marc Mugmon. "Had his condition gone undetected, he likely would have suffered a heart attack."
Although Dick was surprised to learn of his heart problems, he had been experiencing symptoms that were cause for concern: shortness of breath and jaw pain.
"I had a physical coming up anyway, so I figured I better get checked out," said Dick, 58, of Westminster.
Many factors come into play when it comes to heart disease, which remains the leading cause of death of all Americans. Knowing your risk factors and taking steps to limit them can slow and even eliminate the development and severity of heart disease.
Heart Health — Get Started Now
There is much you can do to control your risk factors for heart disease, including:
- GET MOVING. Exercise helps control blood pressure and blood sugar levels and helps boost good cholesterol.
- EAT RIGHT. choose fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and foods low in saturated fat, such as lean chicken or turkey.
- WATCH YOUR WEIGHT. Losing just 10 pounds can lower your risk for heart disease.
- KICK THE HABIT. If you smoke, STOP! Smoking increases blood pressure and the likelihood of blood clotting
Preventing heart disease is an achievable goal, even for people with one or more risk factors. By identifying problems early and modifying your lifestyle, you have a better chance of reducing your risk of heart disease.
Union Memorial can help you prevent heart disease with screenings that detect problems at an early stage, when treatment is most effective. We also offer educational classes on how to be heart healthy.
"It's easier to treat the risks of heart disease than to deal with the consequences of having heart disease," Dr. Mugmon said.
One major factor working against Dick was his cholesterol, which was well above 300 before his heart surgery. Plus, he didn't exercise much.
With his heart now in check, Dick's experience is an important lesson that it is never too late to change your lifestyle for your heart. Through a combination of improved eating habits and working out at least four days a week, Dick has lost 45 pounds, lowered his cholesterol to under 200 and feels as healthy as ever.
"It took a while to sink in, but I finally got serious about my health," he said. "I'm in the best shape of my life and doing better."
For a referral to one of our heart specialists or to request a heart-health information kit, call 1-877-74-HEART.
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