Keeping it Real with Dr. Marjorie Stanek

Q: Who are you? And what is your background?

A: I am a cardiologist at Albert Einstein Medical Center, and I am also an assistant professor of medicine at Thomas Jefferson University. [At Einstein], I am director of the cardiac stress lab, and I [also] teach and see patients. I did my undergraduate work at the University of Pennsylvania and then went to medical school at the Medical College of Pennsylvania.

Q: What is heart disease?

A: The heart is made up of muscle which acts like a pump to move blood throughout the body. The blood carries oxygen in the red blood cells and is thus able to supply the tissues of the body with oxygen so that they can function properly. These tissues include the brain, kidneys, muscles and skin. The heart also has to receive its own blood supply to feed the heart muscle with blood so it can function. That blood is supplied by the coronary arteries. When the heart does not get enough blood, it cannot pump properly. This can happen if the blood vessels or arteries that supply the heart muscle get clogged with fat, which can block them and make them too narrow for the blood to get through.

Q: Who gets heart disease?

A: Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. Men are more likely to die of heart disease than women. Heart disease occurs more commonly in minority groups as well. It occurs more often in patients who have certain risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, mellitus, smoking, abnormal lipid or cholesterol profile and patients who have a family history of heart attacks. Also, as we get older, our chances of developing heart disease increases. Other important factors are weight, exercise and diet.

Q: What are some symptoms of heart disease?

A: Chest pain is the symptom most often experienced. Chest pain or angina is usually described as pain in the chest, arm, neck or jaw.

Q: What role does weight play?

A: Weight contributes to the development of heart disease especially around the waist. This is also a risk factor for diabetes.

Q: What role does bad cholesterol, known as low-density lipoprotein, play in whether a person develops heart disease?

A: It is desirable to have a low LDL level and a high HDL [high-density lipoprotein] level. Elevated LDL, the bad cholesterol that helps to build up the fat in the blood vessel wall, is an important risk factor for the development of heart disease. Having high HDL helps take the fat away from the blood vessel.

Q: Are there any steps people can take to reduce their risk of developing this disease? If so, what are they?

A: Make sure you follow a low-fat diet. Get your cholesterol levels checked. Have your blood pressure checked. If you are prescribed medications, make sure that you take them every day. Exercise at least 30 minutes at least three days, but preferably five or seven days a week. Brisk walking, biking [or] swimming are all good choices.

Q: If you have heart disease, or suspect that you do, what should you do?

A: You should evaluate yourself for the presence of risk factors. The hospital also has a Web site to ascertain heart disease at www.einstein.edu/heartrisk. [In addition], call your doctor [so] you can get the proper tests to make a diagnosis. If you think you're having a heart attack, you should go to the hospital.

Q: What is your fitness routine?

A: I ride a stationary bicycle for about a half hour a few days a week, usually while watching the news or reading the paper.