Mercy Clinic Cardiac Disease Prevention
Springfield Preventive Cardiology Clinic
Mercy Clinic Cardiac Disease Prevention provides a general assessment of cardiovascular risk factors for patients with no symptoms and no prior history of cardiovascular disease. Our providers aim to educate patients who want to be proactive about their cardiovascular health and are looking for ways to reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke or vascular disease.
Why Heart Prevention?
Heart disease prevention is available for patients with a wide range of goals and risk profiles, including those who:
- Want to be proactive about their cardiovascular health
- Are looking for ways to reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke or vascular disease
- Already have one or more cardiovascular risk factors
- Have an abnormal result on a coronary artery calcium scan
Comprehensive Heart Disease Risk Assessment
Our team's integrated approach to patient care includes an evaluation of your heart disease risk factors. From here, a customized plan will be developed to decrease your risk of heart and vascular disease and minimize the progression of other conditions.
Risk Assessment Score
You and your health care provider will use cardiac risk calculators to gauge how likely you are to develop heart disease. These risk assessments use your personal health information to calculate a 10-year and lifelong risk of heart disease. Your individual risk score can help you decide which medications to take or what lifestyle changes to make in order to prevent heart disease.
Preventing Cardiovascular Diseases
Living a healthier lifestyle can help prevent heart disease. This includes:
- Eating a heart-healthy diet
- Getting regular aerobic exercise (at least 150 minutes per week)
- Finding healthy ways to manage stress
- Losing weight (if needed) and maintaining a healthy BMI
- Limiting alcohol consumption
- If a smoker, getting help to quit and avoiding secondhand smoke when possible
- Managing conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol
