SAN ANTONIO – Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women across the country. In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds.
And the Alamo City is no stranger to these problems.
There are preventative measures you can take and tests that should be done before it is too late.
“My mom has heart disease. My grandmother has heart disease. So I had decided to go and see a cardiologist with my primary doctor’s suggestion,” Michele Muraida said.
Muraida said she was seemingly healthy – no symptoms – but because of her family history she went to the doctor and went through the heart health tests, and it’s a good thing she did.
“At that point I had to have a stent put in, but I didn’t even know that I was in trouble. My husband actually had a stent the year before me. Now, he was also an active runner, would run a mile a day, exercise every day,” Muraida said.
The last couple years the pandemic has caused more and more obstacles for people seeing their doctors and getting diagnosed with heart issues.
“Now we are seeing a big wave of people surfacing after these years of not taking care of themselves,” Dr. Ildiko Agoston, a cardiologist with University Health said. “It’s a huge problem because unfortunately, heart disease affects every age group in different ways.”
Heart health is a big issue and it is never too early to get tested.
“It’s never too early for screening some people who know about their family history of heart disease. They start screening their kids,” Agoston said.
As for Michele, she is happy and healthy and has a message for the community.
“It’s better to be safe than sorry, because had I waited, I would not be here today,” Muraida said.
If you are interested in getting the proper tests, there is a special clinic set up. You can find more information by clicking here. They can be reached at 210-450-4888.