Cardiologist from St. Vincent’s Urges Early Detection and Prevention During American Heart Month

“These are the things that everybody should be paying attention to so that they can catch this problem before it causes a heart attack.”

By-Hank Stolz

Photo-Submitted

Worcester, MA-February is American Heart Month, and Dr. Krishna Cherukuri, a cardiologist with St. Vincent’s Medical Center, joined Talk of the Commonwealth to raise awareness about coronary artery disease and the importance of prevention.

Dr. Cherukuri encouraged listeners not to dismiss early warning signs such as shortness of breath while walking up stairs as simply a result of aging or being out of shape. These symptoms, he noted, could indicate underlying heart blockages that require medical evaluation.

He identified several key risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, and a family history of cardiovascular conditions.

“These are the things that everybody should be paying attention to so that they can catch these symptoms and get appropriate testing and evaluation ahead of time and catch this problem before it causes a heart attack,” Dr. Cherukuri said.

The conversation focused heavily on prevention through lifestyle changes aimed at slowing or stopping the development of arterial blockages. Dr. Cherukuri recommended a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, and lean protein as part of a heart-healthy approach to long-term wellness.

He also pointed to the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, noting that this goal can be achieved by breaking activity into smaller sessions of 20 to 30 minutes, four to five days each week.

“The only way to fight this problem is to make people aware of what we need to do to fight this and prevent this,” he said.