Forces4quality.org



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Disease

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find healthy ways

to cope with stress

Stress may affect your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Lower your stress level by talking to your friends, exercising or writing in a journal.

heart disease often has no symptoms, but there are some signs to watch for:

• Pain in chest or arm

• Feeling dizzy or nauseous

• Being more tired than usual

• Feeling like you can't get enough air

• Unusual heart beats

• Swelling in ankles, feet and legs

monitor your blood pressure

Even if it’s less than 120/80 mmHg, have it checked at least every two years.

If it is 120/80 mmHg or above, have it checked more often, according

to your doctor’s recommendations.

• American Heart Association

• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute nhlbi.

• FDA’s Heart Health Online

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The content for this guide has been developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Aligning Forces for Quality initiative, using resources from: American Heart Association; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Improving Chronic Illness Care; Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Partnership for Women & Families; New Health Partnerships; and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Please note these are generally suggested guidelines and may vary from your doctor’s advice.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

remember to:

• Set goals for healthy living.

• Make an action plan with your health care team.

• Ask questions if you do not get the care you expect.

Getting the care

that IS right for you

heart disease is when one or more parts of the heart cannot work properly.

Common Types

of Heart Disease

coronary artery disease (cad): Blood has a hard time getting to the heart, so the heart does not get all the blood it needs. As the most common type and the leading cause of heart attack, CAD can lead to:

• Angina. Chest pain because the heart does not get enough blood. It is not a heart attack, but having angina means you are more likely to have a heart attack.

• Heart attack. When an artery is severely or completely blocked, and the heart does not get the blood it needs for more than 20 minutes.

heart failure: The heart's pumping power is not as strong as usual, so the organs that usually get blood from the heart do not get enough blood. But this does not mean that your heart has stopped.

heart arrhythmias: Changes in the beat of the heart – you may have a few flutters or your heart may race once in a while. If you have flutters AND other symptoms (shortness of breath, dizziness or chest pain), call 911 right away.

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things you should know

About Heart Disease

Getting the care

that is right for you

How to Use This Guide

keep diabetes in check

Your doctor can detect diabetes or pre-diabetes and prescribe a program to minimize the risk.

make healthy food choices

Fats, especially saturated fats, will quickly turn into LDL, the “bad” cholesterol that clogs your arteries.

Use the food label to help you choose foods lower in fat, sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol.

watch your weight

Excess weight puts more stress on the heart and leads to high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes. Weigh yourself at the same time each day to keep track.

Even modest weight loss can reduce risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

|how often |test/actions |goal |

|Initial Visit |Medical review |Helps get more |

|& | |information or rule out|

|For Any | |other conditions |

|Unexplained | | |

|Problems | | |

|Initial Visit |Establish treatment |Checks on heart failure|

|& |plan, including |and other conditions |

|As Needed |medications | |

|Every Visit |Check chest, neck |Checks on fluid |

| |veins, ankles, feet, |retention and general |

| |legs, stomach, weight, |health |

| |blood pressure | |

|Every Visit |Review and discuss |Helps you understand |

| |medicines: what they |your medications and |

| |do, side effects, etc. |their effects |

|Every Visit |A discussion of your |Helps you better |

| |role, including life |understand how to take |

| |style habits and self |care of your own health|

| |monitoring | |

|Every Year |Flu shot |Helps to prevent the |

| | |flu |

|As Needed |Consider referral to a |Check on heart failure |

| |specialist |and other conditions |

|Only Once |Pneumonia shot |Helps to prevent |

| | |pneumonia |

heart disease is the number one cause of death in the united states. You may not know anything about heart disease or where to look for answers. You may feel out of control and not know where to turn. There is information to help you understand and manage your heart disease. Managing your heart disease will help you feel better.

you can make a difference in the kind of health care you receive. Most of us depend on our doctors for information and treatment. We may not think to ask if we are getting the right care. But the right care will help you live a healthy, full life. You should expect certain things from your health care team—at every visit.

this guide will give you:

1. Places to go to get information about heart disease.

2. Information about the best ways to care for yourself.

3. Guidance on what you should expect from your health care team.

4. Questions to ask if you do not receive the care you expect.

5. Information to find out how well doctors in your area are following the heart disease treatment guidelines.

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Your treatment is only one part of the picture.

To be healthy and live well with heart disease, YOU must be involved.

drink in moderation

Drinking too much alcohol can raise the levels of some fats in the blood.

It can also lead to high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke.

stay active

Exercise lowers your blood

sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. Go for a walk, clean your house or work in your garden. Do something active for about 30 minutes every day.

control your cholesterol

A simple blood test can show your blood cholesterol level. If it’s too high, changes in food choices, exercise and/or medicine can bring it down to a safer level.

Check cholesterol often if:

• Your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or more

• You are a man over age 45; a woman over age 50

• Your HDL (good) cholesterol is less than 40 mg/dL

contact your health care team regularly

Your health care team may include a primary care doctor, cardiologist, dietician, nurse and exercise specialist.

The most important part of your health care team is you. Make a plan with your health care team to manage your heart disease and stick to it.

A HEALTHIER YOU

What You Can Do

stop smoking

Smoking speeds up the pulse rate and makes the heart work harder. Smoking also makes arteries narrow and reduces blood flow to the heart.

Harmful chemicals in cigarettes damage the arteries, making cholesterol cling to the damaged area.

Set a plan to quit, starting with a goal quit date. Get help from your doctor, family and others. If at first you do not succeed, try again.

*Talk to your doctor about a daily aspirin therapy to manage and/or prevent heart disease.

This list will help you make sure your health care team does a good job at your visits.

what to expect from your health care team

listen and share: It may be hard to remember everything your health care team tells you. Write down and repeat the instructions your doctor gives you. That way you will be clear and remember what you heard.

Your health care team should ask you how you have been feeling since your last visit. Bring a list of symptoms and questions with you.

ask: Ask how medicines and other treatments may affect you. Ask for more information if your doctor uses medical language you do not understand. If your health care team does not do the things you expect, ask them why.

Your health care team should ask you for your ideas when you make a plan to manage your heart disease.

bring someone with you: A friend or family member can help you remember what your health care team says. They can also remind you of things you wanted to talk about.

TEAMWORK

What You and Your Health Care Team Can Do Together

How you and your

health care team

can manage your

heart disease together

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