Heart Disease Prevention
Prevention is the best defense against heart disease. At the Riverside Heart & Vascular Institute, we offer a wide range of services, programs
and
events to help people of all ages understand and manage their risk for heart disease.
Whether you need to start exercising, learn how to eat healthier, quit smoking or adopt another heart-friendly lifestyle change, we’re here to show you the way.
Understand Your Personal Risk Factors
A risk factor is anything that may increase your chance of developing a disease. In the case of heart and vascular diseases, that may be smoking, a poor diet, lack of physical activity, family history or many other factors. Different diseases have unique sets of risk factors, but those associated with major heart and vascular conditions include:
- Diabetes
- Male gender
- For women, reaching menopause
- Smoking
- Advanced age
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Lack of exercise
- Eating a diet high in saturated fat or trans fat
- Family history
While these risk factors don’t guarantee you’ll develop cardiovascular problems, studies show that having one or more increases your likelihood of being diagnosed with heart or vascular disease. And while you can’t change your age, gender or family history, you can change your lifestyle, which research shows will lower your risk.
Smoking Cessation
Are you ready to quit smoking for good? Riverside Medical Center has teamed up with the American Lung Association to bring you the nationally renowned program, Freedom from Smoking. For more information about this seven-week course, call Respiratory Therapy at (815) 935-7517.
Heart Screenings & Risk Assessments
Knowing the facts about your risk for heart and vascular disease — and how to lower it — is essential for prevention. At Riverside Heart & Vascular Institute, you can:
- Schedule regular heart check-ups by calling (844) 404-4787
- Get a FREE CT Heart Scan
- *Free CT Heart Scan offer valid from 2/01/2024 to 2/29/2024 with a referral from a Riverside Medical Group provider. Limited appointments are available.
Healthy Living
Riverside offers a comprehensive collection of educational materials, articles and interactive tools to learn more about heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions. Visit our blog for more ways to be heart-healthy and never skip a beat.