Preventing Heart Disease

Prevention is the best first step in caring for a heart. By changing unhealthy behaviors and learning the risk factors for heart attack, people may be able to avoid potential heart problems altogether.

The Heart & Vascular Center provides a broad screening program called the Heart Attack Risk Program, HARP for short. Provided at sites throughout the region, HARP screenings are designed to help people make quantifiable changes in their risk factors, and provide an understanding of how to prevent future heart problems.

HARP screenings are conducted at various points throughout the area, and provide patients with trends and tracking for blood pressure, total HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar and weight. Other risk factors reviewed with participants include smoking, lack of exercise, eating habits and uncontrolled stress.

For your free 2007 Guide to Heart Healthy Living, which includes tips for living a healthier lifestyle, recipes, and much more, please call 540-536-5021.