February is heart month. Americans are reminded of the importance of heart health during this time by the American Heart Association.  This is important because heart disease remains a leading cause of death and disability in the US.  However, stroke or “brain attack”  is also high on that list.

Interestingly, the American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. Why? Because stroke and heart attack share similar preventable risk factors which are:

1.     High blood pressure

2.     High cholesterol

3.     Cigarette smoking

4.     Poor diet/lack of exercise

Visits to the doctor can monitor blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugars. Being aware can give opportunity to establish good diet and exercise habits and plans to stop smoking.

On the plus side!: Medications and interventions have helped to decrease  the frequency of death from heart attacks and strokes in the more recent decades.

However, during this period of time, obesity has increased for a variety of reasons and threatens to offset the improvements made in health for Americans.

So give your heart and brain a little TLC and give yourself the best chance of longer and healthier life.  You can do so by seeing your doctor and practicing a healthy lifestyle.

At Neurology Consultants of Nebraska,  we can work with your primary care doctor to treat stroke both by preventing and if necessary post stroke care. Our staff can set up appointments for TIA (mini stroke) and post hospitalization visits for stroke : physical , occupational, and speech therapy referrals, medication adjustments, symptomatic therapy like botox for spasticity will be considered.

Dr Puente joined Neurology Consultants of Nebraska in 2016. He is a native of Omaha, graduating from Creighton University undergrad. He attended UNMC for medical school and graduated from Neurology at UNMC training in 2004. Dr Puente lives in Lincoln, Nebraska and sees patients in both Lincoln and Omaha. He has an outreach clinic in Nebraska City. Dr Puente practices general neurology with interest in Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's. He can manage deep brain stimulator for Parkinson's patients, as well as Vagal Nerve Stimulator for epilepsy. He is trained in botox use for migraine. When not in clinic, he can be found runnning on the trails or watching soccer. He likes steak.

Please call the office at 402-552-2650 to make an appointment today

Thanks to the American Heart Association for the information on heart disease and stroke and to Breathwork Science for the illustration