Cardiovascular disease — including heart disease and stroke — is the leading cause of death in the United States. It is also one of the most complex diseases to treat. But it is also preventable and manageable through early diagnosis, risk assessment, lifestyle changes and various medications and treatments.
Whether you have one or more risk factors that might increase your chances of a first heart attack or have previously suffered from cardiovascular disease, UofL Health - Cardiology experts can help improve your quality of life and prevent future cardiovascular problems.
Who should participate in a Preventive Cardiology Program?
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. If you want to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, have multiple risk factors, or have specific conditions that increase your risk of cardiovascular disease (for example rheumatoid arthritis or lupus), this program is for you. Even if you already have cardiovascular disease, you can take control and manage your risk factors to keep the condition from getting worse.
Primary and Secondary Prevention
There are two main types of prevention ─ primary and secondary.
- Primary prevention is focused on preventing heart and vascular disease before a patient has a cardiac event, such as a heart attack or stroke or needs cardiovascular surgery.
- Secondary prevention involves patients who have had a cardiac event, such as heart or vascular surgery, angioplasty or heart attack. The focus is on preventing cardiovascular disease from getting worse.
Our team can help you live your best life
UofL Physicians – Cardiology includes physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses and other healthcare professionals from multiple areas to provide patients with one program that provides a comprehensive approach to care that involves the most current, research-based preventive therapies.
Our team can help patients make lifestyle changes and determine the best medical treatment plan that will:
- manage existing cardiovascular disease and reduce the progression of the disease
- reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, or developing cardiovascular disease
- reduce the need for surgery
- improve your quality of life by reducing symptoms
- manage difficult to treat blood pressure or cholesterol
- assist with tobacco cessation
- help manage anxiety, depression or other behavioral health conditions
- provide specialized treatment for those with diabetes, pre-diabetes and insulin resistance, who are overweight and have heart disease
