Taylor offers insight on heart failure

Taylor

By Shanderia K. Posey

Editor

Taylor
Taylor

Fatigue, coughing, shortness of breath and inability to perform minimal exercise are all symptoms of heart failure.

April is National Minority Health Month and one local cardiologist is shedding light on the condition that’s greatly impacting African Americans locally.

Dr. Malcolm Taylor, a cardiologist who is director of the Heart Failure Clinic at St. Dominic Hospital, describes heart failure as the “inability of the heart to pump the blood to meet the body’s need.”

1heartNMHM16_logo_high_resolutionMississippi has the highest heart failure death rate in the U.S. among blacks of all ages. In Hinds and Rankin counties, heart failure death rates for all ages are higher for blacks than whites.

Taylor said the most common causes of heart failure are hypertension and coronary artery disease; two conditions prevalent among blacks. Other conditions include diabetes, being overweight and kidney disease. By the time someone comes to see him, they are complaining of shortness of breath, an inability to exercise and also fluid accumulation.

“Heart failure can be reversed or improved by controlling blood pressure,” Taylor said. He encourages a proactive approach to combatting the condition by maintaining a proper diet low in salt, counting calories, watching your weight, performing exercise such as walking and stop smoking or never start.

Taylor has a long history of treating patients for heart-related conditions. He’s practiced in the state since 1978 and has been actively involved in the Association of Black Cardiologists.

Despite heart failure being the only major cardiovascular disorder on the rise among any other racial/ethnic group, Taylor is optimistic about how studies, research and medical practice are saving lives in regard to cardiovascular health.

“I think things have improved (with medication and awareness), but there are still a lot of disparities. The problem is we want to go further. We want to limit the damage and prolong life and improve quality of life,” Taylor said. “Knowledge is important. Who’s the best person to take care of you – you.”

He reminds patients that you have two lungs and two kidneys but only one heart. It’s important to get all risk factors under control such as diabetes.

African Americans are 20 times more likely to develop heart failure by age 50 than whites, and they also develop hypertension at an earlier age, typically in their 20s and 30s.

“The best medicine is prevention,” he said.

Shanderia K. Posey can be reached at sposey@mississippilink.com.

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