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Heart Disease Resources

People of all ages need to keep their heart healthy. Eating well, exercising regularly, and seeing your health care provider can help you keep your heart healthy. Work with your healthcare provider and adopt good lifestyle habits to help lower the risk of heart disease.

Heart disease describes conditions related to plaque building up in the walls of the arteries. Other conditions include arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythms), congenital heart failure, and heart valve problems.

What is your risk?

Heart disease can happen to anyone, including children. You can be born with it, and a family history of heart disease may increase your risk.

Most heart disease develops over time due to poor habits such as smoking or eating an unhealthy diet. Having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes also increases your risk of heart disease. Talk with your provider about ways to prevent or manage diabetes and control other risk factors.

What is a good resting heart rate?

A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). Remember, factors such as age, physical activity, and overall health can affect what is considered your normal resting heart rate.

Talk to your provider if you have concerns about your heart rate.

How does high blood pressure affect heart health?

The higher your blood pressure levels, the more risk you have for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Causes for high blood pressure include:

  • Diabetes
  • Being overweight or obese
  • Smoking
  • Not getting enough regular physical activity
  • Unhealthy diets, including high amounts of sodium and alcohol

Talk to your provider about how you can lower your blood pressure to help avoid heart disease and stroke.

How can you lower your risk of heart disease?
• Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, poultry, and fish; avoid having too much salt or sugar
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise at least 150 minutes per week
• Keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar at a healthy level
• Don’t smoke or use any tobacco products
• Follow your doctor’s recommendations
Can heart disease be treated?
Yes. Talk to your provider about how to safely reduce the risk of heart disease. You can also talk about setting goals for a healthier heart. Your provider may also prescribe medication.
What are symptoms of a heart attack?

A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is severely reduced or blocked. Be aware of the following symptoms:

  • Fatigue
  • Cold sweat
  • Nausea
  • Chest pain
  • Dizziness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Pain in the jaw, neck, arms, shoulder, or back

Call 911 if you or someone you know is having a heart attack.

What can cause Congestive Heart Failure?

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic condition that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood and meet your body's needs. The following factors may increase your risk of CHF:

  • Diabetes
  • High cholesterol levels
  • High blood pressure
  • Poor diet
  • Not getting enough physical activity
  • Smoking and/or using tobacco
  • Being overweight or obese
  • Stress

Talk to your provider to learn more about CHF.

What can cause heart arrhythmia?

A heart arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. Factors that may cause arrhythmia include:

  • Blood sugar levels that are too low or too high
  • Caffeine, illegal drugs, and certain medications
  • Dehydration
  • Low levels of electrolytes, such as potassium, magnesium, or calcium
  • Physical activity
  • Strong emotional stress or anxiety
  • Vomiting or coughing
  • Smoke
  • Use illegal drugs, such as cocaine or amphetamines
  • Drink alcohol more often and more than is recommended (no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women)
  • Take certain antibiotics and over-the-counter allergy and cold medicines

Talk to your provider about how to prevent arrhythmias.

Here are some resources to help you prevent or manage heart disease:

 

Managing Blood Pressure Flyer

American Heart Association

 High Blood Pressure Resources Page (CDC)

Heart Health Articles and Videos (Healthwise)


 

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Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Rendr CEO Dr. Richard Park
5/22/2024 • Posted by Fidelis Care


This Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Fidelis Care honors the diverse cultures, histories, and contributions of this community. In observance of the month, Fidelis Care recently talked with Rendr CEO Dr. Richard Park about cultural pride, health literacy, and how he makes a difference.

Fidelis Care: What does being an Asian American provider mean to you?

Dr. Park: As an Asian American provider, serving and supporting my community brings me immense joy and pride. It extends beyond delivering medical care; it's about championing health equity and giving back to hardworking individuals who need assistance the most. Being an Asian American provider lets me serve as a representative and advocate for diversity and inclusion within the healthcare profession. I can help ensure the unique needs of Asian Americans are not only acknowledged but also respected and addressed with empathy.

 

Fidelis Care: What are your thoughts on health literacy within the Asian American community?

Dr. Park: Many Asian Americans, particularly immigrants, encounter significant challenges in accessing health information because of language barriers. Their proficiency in English may be limited. It can hinder effective communication with healthcare providers and make it difficult to get healthcare services.

Cultural beliefs also impact health literacy within the Asian American community. Stigma surrounding certain health conditions, such as mental health issues, contributes to a reluctance in some Asian Americans to seek medical assistance, particularly from providers who lack proficiency in their language and understanding of Asian cultural nuances. Additionally, socioeconomic status serves as a significant determinant. Asian Americans hailing from low-income backgrounds often face restricted access to healthcare resources, including preventive services and health education materials.

 

Fidelis Care: How do you give back to your community?

Dr. Park: Growing up in an underserved neighborhood in Flushing shaped my understanding of the struggles faced by marginalized communities. My father ran a small business, and my mother worked at a fish and fries store. I vividly remember taking my mom to the doctor’s office after one of her shifts, her scent still saturated with the aroma of frying fish and oil. The staff at the office made no eye contact, leaving us feeling embarrassed and isolated. This experience left an indelible mark on me, fueling my commitment to serving vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. For me it’s personal. It's rooted in empathy and the desire to ensure that no one feels overlooked or marginalized when seeking healthcare.

In 2019, I co-founded Rendr with a group of Asian physicians in New York City, aiming to provide world-class, value-based healthcare with kindness and integrity to the underserved Asian community. We provide a coordinated healthcare experience through advanced management and technology infrastructure across more than 100 clinical sites. We work seven days a week to cater to our predominantly Medicaid and Medicare patient base, offering care in their languages and with genuine empathy.

 

Fidelis Care: How has your role as a physician and leader changed the Asian American community?

Dr. Park: Often, Asian healthcare providers serving our community are undervalued and lack investment from government-powered coordinated care initiatives. At Rendr, we prioritize investing in the basics and fostering coordinated care among our providers through clear quality metrics and performance objectives. This strategy ensures that our medical care is not only repeatable and scalable but also predictable in its outcomes. Presently, with over 200 providers, we serve about 200,000 patients across more than 100 offices throughout New York City. Each time a provider joins our network, we enhance their performance, ultimately delivering superior patient care to our community.


Fidelis Care: What is your favorite cultural tradition?

Dr. Park: In Asian culture, caring for family members, especially our elders, holds profound significance. Our parents, who toiled tirelessly day and night, likely never imagined that we would become doctors, lawyers, engineers, and other professionals. Yet, it's through their strong work ethic passed down to us that we've achieved these aspirations. Now, it's our turn to give back and support the previous generation. This is precisely the mission we embrace at Rendr: nurturing the physical, emotional, and social well-being of the Asian-American community while upholding their dignity and independence with the utmost respect.


Dr. Richard Park is the CEO of Rendr, a leading primary care focused, multi-specialty physician group in New York City. He is also a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Ascend Partners, a middle market growth private equity firm specializing in healthcare. Prior to his current role, Dr. Park was the founder and former CEO of CityMD, a leading urgent care company that has treated over 8 million patients throughout New York and New Jersey. Dr. Park received a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine.