NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels

Cholesterol is a term we often hear in conversations about health, particularly heart health. While it’s often painted as the villain, cholesterol itself is not inherently bad. In fact, it is an essential substance produced by the liver and found in every cell of the body, playing a crucial role in making hormones, vitamin D and substances that help you digest foods. However, when cholesterol levels are out of balance, particularly when “bad” cholesterol levels rise, it becomes a significant risk factor for heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular issues.

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Heart disease in athletes

it’s crucial for athletes and fitness enthusiasts to recognize warning signs such as unusually fast heart rates, dizziness, chest pain, or breathlessness. Regular medical check-ups, including physical exams and ECGs, are advised, especially for those engaging in endurance sports. Screening tests like echocardiograms and exercise treadmill tests can help detect potential issues early, allowing individuals to safely continue their fitness journey while protecting their heart health.

In addition to regular check-ups, athletes should also focus on gradual training progressions to avoid overstraining the heart.

Don't ignore warning signs

Women have their first indication of coronary heart disease approximately 10 years later than men, most commonly after menopause, states, Dr Priya Palimkar: “However nowadays we see that even younger women are suffering from heart attacks. The first hurdle in assessing coronary artery disease in women is to increase awareness both among doctors and among women themselves. Women with coronary artery disease usually present differently from men, says the doctors and explains the causes and treatment for the condition. 

Women should not ignore early signs and symptoms of chest pain. In addition, healthy life-style choices namely regular exercise, fruit and vegetable intake provides stronger protection

Leading the fight for a healthy women's heart

Despite the increase in awareness over the past decades only about half of women recognize that heart disease is the number one killer. Each year more women die of heart disease than men, yet heart dis. ease is often overlooked in women. Usually occurs above the age of 50 (however there can be exceptions). Women have smaller arteries than men, so coronary artery disease develops differently and more diffusely.

“It’s never too late to adopt heart healthy behaviour like having a heart healthy diet, healthy weight, exercising regularly, managing stress and getting an annual exam.”

Dr. Priya Palimkar

Since childhood, Priya Palimkar has only dreamt of being a doctor. And her dream did come true. “I never imagined myself as being anything else. My grandparents died of cancer, and since then, my parents have wanted me to become a doctor. Therefore, there was no second idea on my wish or ambition list,” she shares. 

A renowned cardiologist in Pune, Dr Priya thinks a doctor should possess good clinical skills keep updating oneself and possess good counselling skills too. “To be a good doctor, one has to have very good clinical acumen, secondly, have a lot of patience to deal with the growing number and expectations of the patients and good counselling skills.