Brookwood Baptist Health – HooverSun.com – Hoover Sun

Q: Dr. Joyce Koppang, tell me about your expertise as a cardiologist?

A: I started my cardiology fellowship at Vanderbilt University and completed it at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I specialize in non-invasive imaging and general cardiology with a focus on preventative cardiology.

Q: What is preventative cardiology?

A: The focus of preventive cardiology is preventing the occurrence of cardiac and coronary disease. Cardiac disease encompasses not just the heart but the entire cardiovascular system. Your cardiovascular system impacts your whole body.

Q: Whats your advice on lifestyle changes that can help prevent cardiac diseases?

A: There are so many things that we grow up hearing about adequate exercise, healthy eating habits and not smoking. These things can really impact the health of your heart. Not only that, having healthy lifestyle habits helps prevent other diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, all of which can lead to coronary disease.

There arent quick fixes for preventing coronary disease. I advise people to make changes that they can sustain throughout their lives. Eating a healthier diet for a month or two wont protect your heart but making a commitment to a lifestyle change can greatly reduce your risk.

Q: What do you feel is the biggest challenge to making sustainable changes?

A: Support. Sometimes spouses will tell on one another. They might say, Oh, they eat all of the wrong things. They have ice cream and cookies every night. My response to that is usually, Well, who buys the ice cream and cookies? Usually, its not the person who shouldnt have them too often. So, family support can really go a long way in helping someone make the right choices. You should fill your pantry and refrigerator with foods that are heart healthy.

Another common issue is finding ways to stay active. Birmingham can be a difficult place to stay active in because you require a car to go most places, so its not easy to make small changes like walking to the grocery store. Instead, I advise my patients to make a small effort to schedule activities with family or friends that can get them up and active every day.

Q: How does Brookwood treat cardiac disease when it occurs?

A: We have a comprehensive cardiology department that includes cardiovascular surgeons and a structural team that specializes in heart valves. The biggest benefit to our patients is that we have a full team of specialists who coordinate with each other to figure out the best treatment for the patient.

Q: What symptoms may indicate that a person should seek the help of a cardiologist?

A: The most obvious symptom is chest pain. But, patients often present with fatigue, shortness of breath, left arm pain or jaw pain. Peripheral vascular disease may present as pain when you walk or legs that feel too heavy.

Q: When would you advise someone to see a cardiologist for the first time?

A: There really isnt a set age for when you should have your first cardiology appointment. It truly depends on your family history. If your family has a history of heart disease, then you should start seeing a cardiologist earlier. Our office will perform a physical exam and an EKG to determine if you need further screening or not.

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