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Healthy Living Tips from
The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | June 2021
HEALTH TIP : Keeping First Responders in Top Cardiac Shape
For more than 30 years Deborah has been diagnosing and treating first responders . These years of clinical experience have given Deborah specialists a unique perspective on evaluating and treating those professionals who work in difficult , stressful , and dangerous situations every day .
Know Your Risk Factors
The evidence is overwhelmingly clear that first responders have higher occupational hazards with well-documented health effects . For example , the National Center for Biotechnology Information ( NCBI ) reports that police officers have the poorest cardiovascular disease profile of any occupation .
According to interventional cardiologist Daniel Ice , MD , Medical Director of Deborah ’ s First Responder Assessment Program , the taxing elements of the work contributes to health problems .
“ These jobs are physically and emotionally demanding ,” he said . “ There is also dangerous work , heavy uniforms , stress , dehydration , exposure to toxins , and other occupational hazards . Added to this are lifestyle and health issues like smoking , obesity , lack of exercise , eating ‘ on the run ’ and high blood pressure . These are all a recipe for disaster for emergency personnel ’ s health .”
A Tailor-Made Assessment
Dr . Ice heads up a team at Deborah led by board certified cardiologists and pulmonologists . Each first responder health assessment appointment includes an in-depth review of individual risk factors , job-related risks , a cardiac medical evaluation , an EKG , comprehensive fasting blood work , a pulmonary function test , and evaluations for sleep apnea , atrial fibrillation , and peripheral arterial disease .
“ We pride ourselves on putting together a confidential , comprehensive profile of your personal health and risks ,” added Dr . Ice . “ With this assessment in hand our team will put together an individually-tailored wellness plan to guide you moving forward .”
“ I cannot underscore enough the importance for first responders to get a baseline cardiac and pulmonary check-up . We know that the extraordinary amount of job-related stress factors can negatively impact one ’ s health . Early detection and intervention is the best way to prevent heart attacks , progressive heart disease , uncontrolled diabetes , and a range of other conditions that can seriously affect your quality of life .”
For more information , visit www . DemandDeborah . org or call 855-646-3484 .