Just utter the words "heart disease prevention" if you want to generate a bunch of different reactions. Some folks quickly look away in hopes the conversation will change. Others politely nod or switch to discussing the weather. That's pretty amazing when you consider about 935,000 Americans have a heart attack each year.
Heart failure is a serious condition. About half of the people who have heart failure die within 5 years of diagnosis. So let's remove the mystery behind heart disease prevention. The first step involves learning and understanding the major components behind heart disease prevention like:
- Having a Cardiac Disease Risk Assessment
- Entering a Smoke Cessation Program
- Controlling Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
- Eating Healthy
- Being Active
- Avoiding Stress
- Managing Weight
In terms of heart disease, you should be aware of common symptoms and ask yourself questions like:
- Am I experiencing shortness of breath during my daily activities?
- Do I have breathing difficulties when lying down?
- Have I been having weight gain with swelling in my legs, ankles or lower back?
- Am I generally fatigued and experiencing weakness?
At UnityPoint Health - Des Moines, we take heart failure and heart disease prevention seriously!
We strive to provide the highest level of quality heart and vascular care. That's why we have the Cardiac Alert program that
efficiently and effectively treats patients who are experiencing a heart attack.
As soon as our patients dial 911, the program begins and once the EMS is on site, they call and alert UnityPoint Health - Des Moines that they're bringing in a cardiac patient. Then, a series of preparations take place at the hospital. Our processes often allow us to meet or exceed the recommended benchmark of 90 minutes (established by the American College of Cardiology) to deliver heart care upon arrival to the emergency department.
For more information about our heart and vascular care, please visit
cardiovascular services section on our website.