Newswise — Dr. Larry Gimple, named the new Chief of Cardiology at the University of Virginia Health System and Co-Director of the U. Va. Heart and Vascular Center, effective Jan. 1, recommends the following resolutions for every adult to keep their heart disease-free in the New Year and beyond:
1. Don't smoke. Don't smoke. Don't smoke. Smoking cigarettes leads to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Second-hand cigarette smoke should also be avoided. Make your house and car smoke free zones.
2. Stay active. At least 30 minutes of regular exercise every day is great and can help to prevent weight gain. But even small amounts of physical activity help your cardiovascular system. And don't watch too much television. Inactivity and snacking are bad for your heart health.
3. Maintain a healthy weight and body mass index (BMI). Eat a healthy diet low in cholesterol and saturated fats. As much as possible, try fresh foods and skip the drive-through.
4. See your doctor and get checked for the big three: high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and high serum sugar. Treat your cholesterol, if elevated, and keep the high blood sugar in check. Regular visits to your doctor can help you know your body, catch early warning signs and avoid coronary heart disease.
Gimple takes over as chief of U.Va.'s Cardiovascular Division from Dr. George Beller, Chief of Cardiology at U.Va. for many years and a national and regional leader in cardiology.
Gimple is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill and Harvard Medical School. Following residency and fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital, he moved with his family to Charlottesville where he has become an integral part of the leadership team at U. Va., serving as Professor of Medicine, Associate Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab and Director of Inpatient Cardiology Services. Together with Dr. Ralph Buckley, he is co-founder of the award-winning cardiology education website www.cardiovillage.com, with over 12,000 registered users in 110 countries and all 50 states.
Gimple's long-term goals are to provide the latest solutions to the wide range of cardiovascular conditions that patients experience- in prevention, rehabilitation, percutaneous interventional procedures, electrophysiology, congestive heart failure, cardiac surgery and transplantation- while continuing to offer top-notch training to future generations of physicians in Virginia and around the world.
"The Heart and Vascular Center and the Cardiovascular Division at the University of Virginia are committed to preventing and treating heart disease," Gimple said. "Our state-of-the-art educational programs are training the next generation of cardiologists and other health care providers. Through basic research, we will discover new ways to prevent heart disease and provide new cures and new solutions to patients with heart conditions."
Gimple has also named five colleagues to assist in the management of the division. They are: Dr. Chris Kramer, Associate Chief of Cardiology; Dr. Jonathan Lindner, Associate Chief of Cardiology- Research; Dr. John Dent, Associate Chief of Cardiology- Education; Dr. Coleen McNamara, Associate Chief of Cardiology- Education; and Dr. Allan Simpson, Associate Chief of Cardiology- Clinical Affairs.
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