Heart Health and Prevention

Count on us to help you keep your heart health in check. You already know that your heart is at the center of whole-person health, but it’s especially critical if you have certain cardiovascular risk factors — like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, certain diets or a sedentary lifestyle. If you’re at high risk of developing heart disease, your expert cardiovascular team at AdventHealth can help guide you toward a healthier lifestyle to help you prevent heart problems in the future.

We’re passionate about supporting our local communities through free lectures and heart-health education, so our neighbors and friends can learn to manage cardiovascular risk factors and prevent heart disease. Our goal is to help everyone in our community learn the principles of healthy living, and that includes building a heart-healthy lifestyle that supports body, mind and spirit.

Some strategies our care teams encourage to reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attacks are:

• Encouraging regular physical exercise
• Incorporating healthy eating and a heart healthy diet
• Maintaining a focus on mental health to support heart goals
• Regular communication and screenings with health care providers

The more you learn about heart health and heart disease prevention, the more empowered you'll feel to take healthier living into your own hands. While age and family history play a role in your risk for cardiovascular disease, your body also sends you signals when something isn’t right. At AdventHealth, we’ll help you look out for the warning signs that mean you could be at an especially high risk for heart disease, including:

• A family history of cardiovascular disease
• Lack of physical activity
• Poor eating habits or nutrition
• Problems with emotional health
• Weight and obesity

Each of these is an important factor in keeping your heart healthy and strong. We'll help you learn better eating habits through healthy recipes, smarter grocery shopping, and our partnerships with community restaurants. We can also help you improve your emotional health with extra support and resources to foster a heart-healthy life and spiritual well-being. It’s our goal to help you learn to manage your heart health as part of your larger wellness journey.

Heart screenings and other proactive prevention strategies are key components of maintaining optimal heart health and reducing the risk of heart disease. Here's an overview of heart screenings and some proactive prevention strategies:

• Blood Pressure Measurement: Regular blood pressure checks are essential for detecting hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure often has no symptoms, so routine monitoring is crucial for early detection and management.
• Blood Glucose Testing: Monitoring blood glucose levels is essential for detecting diabetes or prediabetes, both of which increase the risk of heart disease. High blood sugar damages blood vessels over time, contributing to cardiovascular complications.
• Cholesterol Testing: Checking cholesterol levels helps assess the risk of developing plaque buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis), which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Lipid profile tests measure total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, and triglycerides.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): An ECG records the electrical activity of the heart and can help detect abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), which may indicate underlying heart conditions.
• Echocardiogram: This ultrasound test provides detailed images of the heart's structure and function, helping diagnose heart valve problems, congenital heart defects, and other heart conditions.
• Stress Testing: Stress tests evaluate how well the heart functions during physical activity. They can help diagnose coronary artery disease and assess the risk of heart attacks.

At AdventHealth we aim to provide free and minimal-charge heart screenings at many of the hospitals in our network. Our commitment to heart health goes well beyond diagnostics, with care teams supporting lifestyle changes like dietary shifts, physical exercise, and a focus on mental health.