Dr. Padmanabhan Priyesh, a cardiologist, is passionate about helping his patients detect the early signs of heart disease and regards prevention as the best cure. Most people have known friends and family with heart problems and may have lost loved ones to the disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 32% of global deaths are the result of heart disease. This somber number is one that Dr. Piryesh is aware of and wants to lower in the future.
"Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and the rest of the world," Dr. Priyesh explains. "As a cardiologist, my prerogative is to try and prevent disease in persons at risk, early diagnosis and treatment thus mitigating the loss of quality of life and improving life expectancy."
Dr. Priyesh is devoted to helping his patients in Des Moines, Iowa, spot the early signs of heart disease. He has served in the area for eight years as a cardiologist and cares for more than 120 patients a week. Though modern medicine has advanced therapies for heart patients, he is a firm believer in early diagnosis and prevention "to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality."
One of the biggest challenges Dr. Priyesh faces as a cardiologist is persuading patients in their 40s and 50s who are in good health and the prime of their lives to take their cardiovascular health and heart disease risks seriously. Performing complex diagnostic and therapeutic procedures is the best way to detect the early signs of heart disease. He urges people to request regular physical exams and to check their cholesterol levels. Dr Priyesh's holistic approach also includes a comprehensive evaluation of diet, physical activity, stress levels, and the family history of heart problems and other medical issues like diabetes and hypertension. Combined with a stress test, these "go a long way in the early identification and treatment" that prevent bad outcomes from heart disease.
"Once patients are presented with objective data on their cardiovascular risk, they are more likely to understand and adhere to therapy and follow-up," he says.
Dr. Priyesh studied at the prestigious Armed Forces Medical College and served in the Army. His commitment to military discipline and physical activity influences every aspect of his lifestyle, from "academics, personal life, or practice of medicine." The devotion the doctor has to prevent cardiovascular disease is evident in his impressive credentials. He's board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, nuclear cardiology, echocardiography, and vascular interpretation. Additionally, he is a fellow of the prestigious American College of Cardiology.
His compassion toward his patients resulted in him receiving the Jordan B. Feldman Award for Medical Humanism and Empathetic Care of Patients from the University of Massachusetts Berkshire Medical Center, where he was an internal medicine resident. Dr. Priyesh has had a long career in medicine, having served as a primary physician for 16 years before he became a cardiologist. Cardiology remains his focus as he continues to work with patients to prevent heart disease.
"However healthy you may consider yourself, never ignore your cardiovascular risk. Talk with your physician and be proactive," Dr. Priyesh urges.
