Office Visit: Heart Health is a Long Game

Office Visit: Heart Health is a Long Game

By Todd Hoffman. M.D.

Every February, heart health is framed as an urgent reminder. A statistic. A color. A moment of attention before the conversation moves on. But heart health is a long game, not a month-long campaign.

The most meaningful progress in heart health comes from consistency, not dramatic interventions. Cardiovascular outcomes are shaped over years of patterns that are often invisible in the short term. Decisions we repeat daily matter most.

Stress management should also be a priority. Focus on building recovery into your day, rather than aiming to eliminate stress. Pauses between meetings, intentional breathing and reduced screen time help reduce cumulative strain that can silently affect the heart.

This perspective requires a shift in how we think about prevention. As a system of maintenance, not as a checklist or a single appointment. We would never expect long-term performance from uninspected or unadjusted equipment. We should not expect our hearts to thrive without regular evaluation and care.

Let's make it a good month.

Todd Hoffman, M.D., C.P.E., is chief medical officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, a division of Health Care Service Corp., a Mutual Legal Reserve Company.

The heart is more than an organ. It is a system that responds to stress, recovery and balance. Chronic stress, poor sleep and sustained overload take a toll over time. In today's fast-paced, always-on-the-go culture, this reality deserves more attention.

Heart health can be predictive. Signal appear long before a cardiac event occurs. Scheduling annual checkups with your doctor is vital. Trends in blood pressure, cholesterol, inflammation and metabolic health tell a story about where someone is headed.

Sleep should be protected as deliberately as nutrition and exercise. Consistent sleep and wake times support cardiovascular recovery, hormone balance and blood pressure regulation. Small improvements in sleep regularity can benefit heart health.