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Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) is continuing its celebration of American Heart Month this February by creating awareness of cardiovascular disease prevalence and prevention. CIS is also continuing to offer free cardiovascular screenings at various locations throughout the month to aid in early detection.
Cardiovascular disease claims more lives than all forms of cancer combined, and both Louisiana and Mississippi rank in the top five states for heart disease death rates. The best way to fight cardiovascular disease is to know your risk factors, such as family history or lifestyle, and visit a cardiologist regularly to be checked.
Dr. Shane Prejean, Interventional Cardiologist with CIS, recently spoke with The Houma Times specifically about the great risk that valve disease presents to community members, both young and old. Dr. Prejean graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree from Nicholls State University (NSU) in Thibodaux, Louisiana and was inducted into the NSU Hall of Fame. He completed his medical degree at Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, his residency in internal medicine was completed at the LSU Internal Medicine Residency in Baton Rouge, where he was also named chief resident, and his fellowship in cardiovascular disease at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he was also named chief fellow.
Dr. Prejean is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, echocardiography, interventional cardiology, cardiovascular computed tomography and nuclear cardiology. He has a clinical focus on general cardiology, interventional cardiology, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, and transcatheter valve therapies. Read his full biography here.
The Houma Times: How would you describe American Heart Month?
Dr. Prejean: American Heart Month is a month dedicated to raising awareness about the #1 cause of death in America, which is heart disease. It comes in many forms, and therefore, we try to encourage people to pursue early detection and treatment for individuals before it becomes serious or life threatening.
The Houma Times: What is Valve Day specifically?
Dr. Prejean: Valve Day is recognized on February 22, and it is a dedicated day during American Heart Month where we focus on raising awareness about valvular heart disease. As blood travels to the heart, it travels through four different valves. When you experience dysfunction in those valves, it can make the heart very sick, causing various symptoms and ultimately death. Many people don’t know much about valve problems, but it does affect many people, particularly the aging population in the United States.
The Houma Times: What specifically is valve disease, and what are some available treatments?
Dr. Prejean: Like I mentioned earlier, valve disease is the dysfunction of one of the four valves in the heart. It can present as a narrowing of the valves, where not enough blood travels through; or a leakiness of the valve, where the valve doesn’t fully close and the blood can leak back. Some common symptoms are shortness of breath, chest pains, passing out, or leg swelling. Valvular heart disease is progressive and there aren’t a lot of medicines to treat it, and usually require surgery.
The Houma Times: Who is at risk of valve disease?
Dr. Prejean: Valve disease can affect patients of any age– younger patients with valve disease are typically born with it or acquire it through an infection. In older patients, it is typically degenerative disease, where the valve wears out. Valve disease does more commonly affect older adults, and about 15% of the population will have valve disease by the time they turn 80. With the Baby Boomer generation, we are seeing a large amount of people affected by this disease. Luckily, technology is improving, and we now have less invasive ways to treat valve disease in the elderly.
The Houma Times: What is the prevalence of heart disease in our area, and why is early detection so important?
Dr. Prejean: Heart disease is more prevalent in the south because we like to eat good food– which is not always heart healthy. A lot of people here also have a history of heart disease, which increases the risk factors. One of the emphasis in our cardiology community is to prevent heart disease before it starts. This includes maintaining a healthy diet and weight, treating high blood pressure and cholesterol, and avoiding smoking all together. Given the prevalence in our area, it is very important to think about heart disease before it affects you.
To make an appointment with Dr. Prejean or another cardiologist at CIS, please click here.
About Cardiovascular Institute of the South: Founded by Dr. Craig Walker in 1983, Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) is a world-leader in preventing, detecting and treating cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease. CIS offers a comprehensive heart and vascular program with expert physicians trained in many specialties, including internal medicine, nuclear cardiology, electrophysiology, lipid management, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, structural heart and valve disease, venous disease and interventional procedures. CIS has earned international acclaim as a pioneer of research, development and education, as well as an innovator in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. With a dedicated team of more than 1,075 team members, CIS provides comprehensive cardiovascular care at 21 locations across Louisiana and Mississippi, with 11 telemedicine programs. CIS has also been recognized by Modern Healthcare as a Best Place to Work in Healthcare for four years in a row. CIS remains at the forefront of technology, providing the highest-quality, compassionate care. This mission has guided the institute for 40 years of excellence. For more information about CIS, call 1-800-425-2565 or visit their website.
