Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program
Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital’s Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program was developed to help people reduce their risk for atherosclerosis, also known as "hardening of the arteries." Atherosclerosis is a disease where fatty, waxy plaque deposit builds up on the walls of your blood vessels. It is the leading cause of heart attack, stroke, and peripheral circulation problems.
Heart disease does not usually develop suddenly. From a very early age, blood vessels are compromised by such factors as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation. Unhealthy behaviors, for instance smoking, poor diet, or lack of exercise, compound the danger. People enrolled in the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program learn how to modify their behavior to starve off illness — from what to eat for lunch to using the stairs instead of the elevator.
Our approach to treatment includes:
- Lifestyle evaluations help us figure out what you do on a regular basis that may affect your heart health. We look at stress level, the ways in which you deal with anger and depression, smoking, exercise, diet, and other issues.
- Medical testing looks at physical risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol and lipid (blood fat) levels, smoking, exercise, weight, and stress.
- Comprehensive treatment plans, including state-of-the-art treatment helps us meet your medical and lifestyle needs. We work with your referring physician. We also help you make heart-smart lifestyle choices, such as increasing your activity level, developing healthy eating habits, coping with stress and negative emotions, and monitoring your own medical conditions.
The program is designed for otherwise healthy patients who may be at risk for heart disease, as well as for those who already have evidence of heart disease or other heart problem. We also are well-suited to help people with diabetes, who are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and can benefit from proper screening and aggressive management of all risk factors.